Tatting in Piecework, Sept./Oct. issue

My issue of Piecework magazine just arrived via post and I ran to the laptop to share my glee over the theme and the tatting.

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?

Holy Schemoley! Shuttle Search Solved

Sorry to all who came looking for a Tatting Tea Tuesday post last week. I had a doctor's appointment so I published the Zoo Flakes post instead.

Later that day I checked other TTT posts and saw that the sweltering heat in the US kept more than a few tatters indoors with their laces.

Wanda's post reminded me that I have this delicious Vanilla Rooibos tea just begging to be brewed. So today I am enjoying some iced Vanilla Rooibos and having a Tatting Tea Tuesday do-over.

But before I start tatting, I want to share some news.

♥ for Postie

Last Monday Postie brought a package from Lace Lovin' Librarian Diane.

Ciarrán got so excited he tore open the package and crawled out with the contents.

Holy Schemoley! She sent me one of her Diana Andra shuttles as a gift! See it here with my favorite rosewood shuttle? I have been on the look-out for the artisan of this model of shuttles for a number of years.

Here's the backstory: two weeks ago during one of my blog-crawls, I discovered this photo of Diane's. Eureka! Could it be?!?

LLL Diane shared where she bought hers and suggested I contact the artisan via Turn of the Century.

Unfortunately, Diana Andra had to stop making shuttles due to carpal tunnel syndrome. I shared this information with LLL Diane and she sent me one of her shuttles.

I am thrilled beyond description to be the recipient of such generosity and kindness. Thank you, Diane. I will treasure this shuttle forever!

Stop by again tomorrow for the tatting I meant to show you today. I've got to go try out the gorgeous new Diana Andra shuttle!

NEXT: Queen of Hearts Three Ways

Third Place Showing

~ Tea Time Tatting ~
My County Fair Entry

It's not easy posting my fair results -- a hope-dashing third place showing.

The photo has the misfortune of being taken through two panes of glass.

(Instead of being displayed with the other entries, mine was moved to a ground-level shelf in a cabinet 50-feet away. To give the organizers the benefit of the doubt, it could have been moved to safeguard the fragile-looking china.)

In spite of the unfortunate placement, I agree with the judge's ruling. Take a look at the first and second place ribbon-winners.

Sw4nkyL4c3r's Rose Baby
Bonnet with matching Booties 

Second Place Beaded Purse 
My entry looked a bit small and plain by comparison. And let's face facts, it could have been disqualified. So I should be relieved to receive a ribbon at all. Right?

Pardon the whining but I'm still disappointed to have come in third. There were only three entries.

I know it's unbecoming to wallow. Much better to be grateful for the wealth of experience and new-found community that I have gained.

(My twin told me that. Thanks, sis!)

I AM thrilled and delighted to call Sw4nkyL4c3r a friend. And I hope to meet the second-place ribbon-winner too.

Meeting my goal of entering tatting into the county fair competition and demonstrating at the fair are both big accomplishments. Plus, my entry "grew" the category. The judging was fair, even generous (considering the "one entry per category" rule). And there is always next year.

More on ceramic painting

For anyone who still may be scratching his or her head about the "ceramic painting" comments from my last post, here are two photos from that category of the competition.

The teacup did an admirable job of trying to qualify as ceramic painting, didn't it? Can't really blame the volunteers who jumped to that conclusion.

Ah well, live and learn.

County Fair Tatting

Quick update on the County Fair tatting — today I turned in my entry. Woo hoo!

Several of the registration volunteers were enthusiastic about seeing what I brought, but every single one said "what is it, ceramic painting?"

Ceramic painting?!?

OK. (Forgive me for not snapping a photo before I turned it in.) Since I had two glass mats, I decided to display them in a mirrored case so they would be considered together and not handled overly much, except by the judges.

I decorated the football-sized display case with a porcelain teacup and saucer that complimented the colors in the lace. Glass mats need glasses (or tea cups), right?

Well, everyone focused on the tea cup and ignored the lace. Oh no!

Plus, the ladies at the registration desk said, "Only one entry per category. The judges may disqualify this entry."

I explained that it was a set, and was displayed as such on purpose. I politely asked if I could fill out the description ticket to read "tea time coaster set."

The registration ladies declined to allow me to fill out the description card.

Elation turned to depression and I went home feeling dejected. My first entry may be rejected for not following the rules.

I will keep you all updated and be sure to include a photo of the display case once I bring it back home (Or maybe even from the Home Arts hall...)

Breaking News! A Tatting Revival

Just had to share this link to a recent tatting article in the news. It features a tatter who lives close to me -- Sw4nkyL4c3r.

Tatting is Making a Revival

Remember when she came over for Tatting Tea Tuesday? For details Set the WABAC Machine.

Isn't it wonderful to read that a tatting revival is underway? First it was dying and then a lost art. But Sw4nkyL4cer is trying to bring it back. ツ

She really does a wonderful job teaching needle tatting at the Ben Lomond Historic Site and Old Rose Garden. Her classes are always full and her students come back session after session.

I had to chuckle after reading her follow-up email today. She said the reporter made up some "mystery quotes."

Factoring in the errors I found on the page, (the bad caption underneath the photo) I shudder to imagine what creative license he may have taken.

But, you know what they say. There is no such thing as bad press. ツ

NEXT: Holy Schemoley! Shuttle Search Solved

Zoo Flakes - ABC

The Sprout's summer reading challenge has been an unexpected source for tatting inspiration.

Zoo Flakes by Will C. Howell(image source: Google images via amazon.com)

Of course, I can't show you pages from the book due to copyright law, but check your local library for a copy.

This lovely little children's book has captured my imagination. I have been poring over it, marveling at the cut-out paper snowflakes built upon animal shapes.

It has also provided a novel diversion while I wait for Martha Ess' new critter book to be released.

Which begs the question: might it be possible to work Martha's winsome critters (or Christel Weidemann's farm animals or Jane Eborall's animals or Inga Madsen's or Heather Johnston's animals) into snowflakes or small doilies? A polar bear...a penguin...a winter fox...a gecko...a dragon...a swan...a baby whale?

How about using a Zoo flake as a template for a new doily design?

Kersti Anear has green-lighted this idea for an InTatters forum challenge. So I put the question to you. Would you be interested?  If so, I'd love to know!

And of course, head on over to InTatters to take part in the challenge. (But I won't have the forum post up until this evening.)

Motif #13 - Gloria Butterflies

Motif #13 Gloria Butterflies by Iris Niebach

Just look at these glorious butterflies tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Berry Burst. Such pretty little flutters!

The original edging pattern comes from Iris Niebach's book, Fantasia 3. It is aptly named Gloria.

(This motif is amended from Iris' original pattern.)

It measures 5.1 cm (2 inches) in diameter and is motif #13 in my 25 motif challenge.

See where I ran out of thread on the second butterfly's wing? I was using a thread sample and thought I had enough to finish. It was so close!

Five yards were loaded on one shuttle and about 3 on the other. Eleven centimters (4.3 inches) were left on one shuttle and 72.4 cm (28.5 inches) on the other.

This motif is destined to become a bookmark. Won't these two little flutters look precious flitting atop some late summer reading?

What's in a Name
I don't know if Iris Niebach names her patterns after loved ones, students, memorable local personalities or tatters who have gone before. But if I were Gloria, I would be delighted beyond words to be the namesake for this remarkable design.

To Cluny or Not to Cluny?

Apologies go to Ms. Niebach for changing the pattern. As written, it calls for Cluny leaves and a connecting chain above the Cluny leaves to be worked in between the butterflies.

You can see the original pattern on The Tattingplayer.

I tried to tat Clunies. I did.

My first attempt did not turn out well.

For starters, I wove the shuttle over and under six threads. That resulted in an even weave that didn't resemble a tallie at all. When it came time to close, I had no loom threads to pull through and got very confused. What else could I do but unweave the offending tallie all the way back to an empty loom.

Another thing I don't understand is the second, unflipped half-stitch at the start of the weaving. Is this a regular second half of a double stitch, unflipped? Or an unflipped second stitch made during the second half of split-ring tatting (which actually is the unflipped, first half stitch of regular tatting). I bet I am really over-thinking it, aren't I?

Anyway, after a much-needed visit to the online tatting class archives I have discovered my error in weaving around all six loom threads. Thank you to Georgia Seitz, Mimi Dillman, Tammy Rodgers and Wally Sosa for your excellent tutorials!

I have dipped my toe in the Cluny leaf pool and now must conquer this new technique or die trying.

Rest assured, once I get a good grasp of Clunies I will be making more of this butterfly edging pattern, exactly as Ms. Niebach intended. It's a keeper!