About The Ring of Tatters

The Ring of Tatters is an organisation which supports and promotes the craft of tatting. It encourages people to learn how to tat, and it encourages both new and experienced tatters to enjoy their craft and develop their skills. To achieve these aims, the Ring of Tatters:

  • Attends and demonstrates at exhibitions and craft shows.
  • Encourages local tatting days with workshops.
  • Encourages members to meet in local groups.
  • Publishes a newsletter twice a year containing information on local activities around the world, articles, news, patterns, tatting tips, book reviews.
  • Maintains a library (available for UK members) containing books and booklets, magazines and periodicals, loose patterns and videos.
  • Has an annual competition.
  • Awards a biennial bursary for research, subject to approval by the Committee.
  • Maintains this web site.

The Ring is run on a voluntary basis by an informal team, in their own time and from their own homes. It is based in the UK, but has many members in other countries.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Ring of Tatters, you are welcome to join us! Currently we have several hundred members.

How It All Started

The Ring started in 1980 when a small group of women went on a tatting course in Exeter. They came from all around the country and wanted to keep in touch, so they decided to set up a rudimentary newsletter. One of them, Helen Stewart, had a typewriter, so she became editor. And the rest, as they say, is history!

You can view a selection of our newsletter covers from the very first one in December 1980, through to the present day.

The Ring Of Tatters' Website

This website was originally set up in 1999 by Peter Johnston (husband of then Membership Secretary Jean), and maintained by him for two years, until 2002. It was then taken on and further developed by Sally Magill, with husband Adrian doing all the technical work. Sally added content for several pages including those on What is Tatting?, Beginners' Corner, Tips and Techniques, and all the Shuttles and Heritage pages. Subsequently, the site was maintained by Sue Duckles, with help from husband Chris.

After some time with difficulties trying to find a new website editor with the necessary technical skills, Sharon Curtis took over the job in February 2021. It has been a very big job updating the website, but we hope you will like the new site (launched July 2021) and please bear with us while the last few remaining corners are updated.