But 25 years later, he s still learning. That s what tatting aficionados like about it techniques and new items are constantly evolving. The Houtzes travel around the country teaching tatting and attending conventions. They ve also written a book on the subject. While these seminars as well as the classes Gary Houtz teaches at San Juan College are more formal, Tat and Chat is a casual affair, Gary Houtz said.
Members bring their work and talk, and the brothers help or give pointers.
Donna Edwards is an accomplished tatter who has written two books on beginning tatting and is one of the few tatting teachers certified by the Great Lakes Lace Group in Michigan. She said she likes the classes because she enjoys spending time with people who want to learn new techniques. Randy Houtz got into tatting by watching his brother. He then decided to begin carving shuttles the small instruments tatters used to hold the bobbins of thread that they work around their fingers and knot. Tatters can buy plastic and metal shuttles, but they often break.