This issue is dedicated to needlework in literature and I couldn't be happier. I am so glad I didn't miss this issue!
You all need to know that I don't get any compensation from Interweave Press. I just really like their mags.
As I turned the pages, however, I began to get worried that this issue might not include any tatting.
Outside of a random mention of the word "tat" (which was actually referencing knotting) in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, I do not know of any fiction books containing tatting references. Do you?
I shouldn't have been worried. You'll be happy to know that on page 44 there is a large cover photo of various lace handkerchiefs, the top two of which sport dainty tatted edgings. Hurray!
The Ladies of Missalonghi
According to the lovely article, Australian novelist Colleen McCullough (who wrote The Thorn Birds among others) includes tatting in her novel The Ladies of Missalonghi. My library loan has already been processed online. A copy awaits pick-up tomorrow. ツIt gets better! The follow-up article is titled, "A Tray Cloth to Hemstitch" by Mary Polityka Bush. It shows Ms. Bush's' tray cloth edged with vintage tatted lace and includes a sidebar on how to miter a corner. The photo even includes a fine bone china teacup filled with a tempting brew.
This Tuesday (August 24) my tatting and tea will be in homage to the ladies of Missalonghi and those superb editorial souls at Piecework magazine for creating this marvelous issue. There will be tea and butterfly cakes. And I invite you all to join in the fun.
Just a day or two later I board a plane to Toccoa, GA to attend Tat Days. Hope to see you there!
P.S. Last fall I wrote an article for my lace guild's newsletter (Winter 2009 issue) on the origins of tatting. If you happen to click over to read it, please sign the guest book!
Oh, and how could I forget to mention the ad from LACIS? (See? My thoughts are scattered all higgilty-piggilty today.) They have brought back the plastic Boye shuttles in an impressive range of colors. These affordable shuttles ($3 each) hold more thread than the plastic Clovers, so I will be giving them a test run. Will you?
13 comments:
What a terrific post today! So much to take in.
It was a Boye shuttle on which I first learned to tat. I'll have to check out their new colors....this is just another thing that tells me tatting is once again on the rise!
Oh, how exciting! I can't wait for my issue to arrive!
I, too, learned to tat on a red Boye shuttle. I'm not that fond of using them but I don't mind collecting them:)
Tatting in literature - I think that tatting is mentioned in 'Gone With the Wind', something about making and selling it by the yard to support the South(??) I haven't read it myself so don't bet money on that being true.
Thank you all for your swifty-nifty thoughts!
I picked up a Red Boye shuttle in an eBay auction and find it to be one of those models that never seem to wear out and holds a fair amount of thread. I wasn't overly impressed with the tip. But that's just me.
Tattrldy, I will research Gone With the Wind. It makes for fun 'net surfing and card catalog searches.
Here's a whole page with tatting-related literary passages:
http://www.tribbler.com/tatman/misc_literature.html
Some are nonfiction, but most are fiction. Enjoy!
The Tatgmeister has a list of publications that mention tatting.
http://www.tribbler.com/tatman/misc_literature.html
I think it might include movie references too or that might be on another list.
I should also say you have to open my blog links to find his website. He's at the very end and it doesn't have an automatic feed to show updates. Lots of good stuff there as he researched tatting for some scholarly papers.
Say hi to my Mom at Tat days! Her name is Karrieann and she is from Toccoa, she said she will be sporting a Dr. Vonthreadmore badge so she can be easily identified by my pals.
Wow, thanks, Miranda, Gina and Krystle! Lots of good tatting-related lit to research. Hurray!
I will be on the look-out for your mom, Krystle. If I find her, I will ask her to pose with me for a photo, so there is proof that I met her. Hee, hee. It is so neat that she is from Toccoa, GA!
Thanks for a very information-filled post.
Hope to see you and Krystle's mom at Toccoa!
Hegla J Hess
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Thanks for pointing out the problems you've had with the Butterfly Twins. I've left more details in the comments section. Just let me know if you feel anything needs to be better explained.
yeah. i think that tatting gets over looked. i get knitting daily to my inbox and todays was about piecework...BAM there was a picture with tatting... but they say its Mary Polityka Bush's hem-stitched tray cloth...HEM-STITCHED. not a word mentioning that its edging is tatted
I enjoyed this issue of PieceWork & already have an order placed for the shuttles. glad they are back
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