I was in Michaels the other week for an unrelated purchase, but couldn't resist checking to see if this location sold tatting shuttles. I'm always jealous when I hear about other tatters casually going to Hobby Lobby or JoAnns and picking up tatting shuttles or Lizbeth thread. There aren't any Hobby Lobbys around me and my JoAnns seem to have never heard of tatting. The best they can do is huge balls of size 10 thread, advertised as for crochet, with maybe a brief mention of tatting in small print on the label. Sometimes there are balls of size 30 mercerized thread, but only in ecru or black. This time, I still had no luck with shuttles, but I was very excited to find size 80 thread, in a color other than white, black, or ecru, and most amazingly of all, clearly labeled "Tatting Thread". In fact, I was so excited that it was labeled specifically for tatting that I decided I needed it and bought it straightaway. Thread manufacturers should take note: It is such an ego boost to find tatting recognized in a store that if they advertised their mercerized thread for tatting, sales would jump! Well, among tatters.
7 comments:
My Michaels recently quit carrying shuttle but they do have the "new" tatting thread too. When I pointed out that one really needed a shuttle (or needle) too, they shrugged and said, "yeah'.
silliness.
Oh, the same thing happened to me recently! I stumbled upon the "Tatting Thread" and was absolutely thrilled. The colors are a little limited, but I suppose that's what online shopping is for. Luckily, the Joann near me does carry Lizbeth #20, but in the most random colors. *sigh*
It's funny, for a long time Michaels was the only place I could find DMC tatting thread and Clover shuttles. Our Michaels no longer carries Clover shuttles, only DMC metal, which I think are terrible! They do still carry the DMC tatting thread.
Our JoAnn Fabrics carries Clover shuttles, but no tatting thread.
Our Hobby Lobby carries DMC tatting thread, size 20 Lizbeth in about a dozen colors, and I usually can find two packages of Clover shuttles on the rack. Imagine only stocking two packages of shuttles!
I order the majority of my tatting supplies from Handy Hands... speedy delivery, amazing array of options, no looking for parking spaces, and less money spent on gas means more money for tatting supplies!
JoAnn's here is fairly large and they carried some Lizbeth for about six months and then clearanced it. I think I might have seen a shuttle but it's the metal one, not one I like or will use. They've always had the DMC tatting thread in size 80 but usually in white, black and ecru. They don't really have much in the way of tatting. Michael's also has the same thread but also some size 12 but very limited in colors. And shuttles. They used to carry the Clovers but I hardly ever see them now. Hobby Lobby has them, but they're expensive and hardly ever have a coupon worth using for those. They do have Lizbeth but I don't like Lizbeth and already have plenty.
You might try looking at the quilting threads at JoAnn's, especially when they are 40% or 50% off. They're usually strong enough for tatting and have some beautiful colorways.
I was in a michaels and asked if they had tatting thread or any supplies of any kind, and the person took me to the embroidery stuff, I said I had already found that and they said, no, use this, it is the same, I tried to explain the difference, and she politely , sort of, tried to tell me that it was all the same, and I felt a lost cause, but she continued. My frustration build as I was unable to walk away, I even tried to ignore this person by looking at other things as I walked down the isle, lol, she kept on talking and talking about how no one makes threads specifically for tatting any more since it is a dead art etc, you have to use embroidery thread, yadda, finally I turned to her and said miss, tatting is not a dead art, I and many others use thread specifically made for tatting, and obviously you are not a tatting artist. please do a little research and stop passing wrong information to customers. Then I went and told her manager just what I thought of her, lol, but yes, I actually was polite :D
It's fortunate that we have the internet these days for our tatting supplies The craft stores are missing the boat on the renewed interest in tatting.
I'm lucky that I live near a JoAnn's that carries Janette Baker's book and also carries about 12 different Lizbeth threads, plus Clover shuttles. I just wish they'd display these supplies all in the same area rather than in different parts of the store.
Michaels (and its predecessor LeeWards) carried tatting supplies for many years. It's sad to see them phase tatting out. Bri's experience was amazing. I'm glad she spoke up!
yes I usually buy stuff at a craft store when it's for tatting if anything just to "Show" them that there are people that tat! LOL! ha ha ha or because I think I "NEED" it! LOL! I am glad you found a nice ball of thread to add to your tatting stash! DMC is a very good brand of tatting thread!
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