Does "nattering" have a negative connotation?

I hear people saying that they're "having a natter" with their friends, or 'If you want to have a natter about starting a project, give me a call!'.

On different websites there are different definition:

The Free Dictionary - to talk idly and at length; chatter or gossip
Wiktionary - To talk without purpose.
Merriam Webster - to talk about unimportant things for a long time
Dictionary.com - to talk incessantly; chatter.
Oxford Dictionaries - talk casually, especially on unimportant matters; chat
Cambridge Dictionaries - to talk continuously for a long time without any particular purpose

These sounds quite negative to my ears, even rude, but whenever I hear it get used, it's rarely for negative reasons. Also, is it informal? Some clarification would be nice, examples would be awesome!

Solution 1:

The verb forms are normally used negatively...

"What are you two nattering [on] about?"

...is more akin to wittering, prattling than chatting, talking.

The adjectival form is almost always negative...

"In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism"

...as is the gerund noun form...

"By that time their constant nattering had got to me and I ordered a taxi home to enjoy a little peace"

Only the "uninflected" noun form is usually positive...

"I just love a good natter" (Google Books claims over 4000 instances of "a good natter")

So since OP's two examples are both of that type, he needn't worry about negative connotations.

Solution 2:

It does have a negative connotation, but people will sometimes use it in an intentionally self-deprecating manner that removes the sting. Compare to someone saying, "If you want me to talk your ear off about starting a project, give me a call".