Craft Corner

@Former-Member o0o0o0o0o0o ...

Hi @Former-Member ooooh, tatting, you are clever! The handkerchief with lace sounds lovely.

@MoonGal thank you, I do enjoy tatting, took me quite the time to finally 'get it' though. 3 days in front of my pc going over and over and over - many tears and much frustration, then it suddenly clicked.

Back again @Bunniekins with some images of things I've done and the type of tatting shuttle I prefer to use. There are other styles, but I work best with the replaceable bobbin style, and with the wee crochet hook on the end for easy joining to picots.

The other style looks similar but you wrap the thread around a centre post and it 'clicks' between each of the downward facing ends of the shuttle which has always affected the quality of the thread for me. There are lots of pretty shuttles out there too.

Tatting consists of making what are 2 knots, one following the other, with one thread onto the other thread. One knot goes in one direction, with the following knot going in the opposite direction. The knot has to slip along the thread it sits on to enable the tatting to take place. So while the knot is, in effect, a macrame knot, it must be done in such a way that slipping along the thread occurs.

Tatting can be done with a needle, I recently purchased tatting needles to learn this method.

1 Shuttle or 2 shuttles, or 1 shuttle in conjuction with yarn from the ball may be utilised to create tatting lace. There are a bazillion gazillion patterns available (the Antique Pattern Library is an amazing resource for pretty much ANY patterns for anything you can think of and is free).

Thread of varying thicknesses are used, but mercerized is the most effective so the itsy bitsy fluffy bits don't catch and ruin the slippage along the threads.

There are videos explaining how to hold the thread and shuttle but I could not get the hang of the traditional way so devised my own and have taught a number of ladies who could no longer use the traditional method due to arthritis etc how to adapt. The joy in their faces when they did it brought tears to my eyes I admit.

Thank you for asking @Bunniekins, going over my things has inspired me to make the blouse that I have the fabric for to go with the tatted button holes! Those are made from Rayon thread, lovely, lovely shiny finish, but a beast to work with in any craft! I love it so I persevere.

Okay, image time.

@Former-Member How beautiful is that! All your pieces are stunning. So delicate and intricate . Wow!

Thank you so much @Former-Member!! I am going to look into this, maybe someone at CWA can teach me! I had a quick look already and found my local chapter and they meet somewhere I can get to pretty easily, so I will talk to my support workers and find out if I can get support to attend with me so I can go.

Thank you for your kind words @Bunniekins, I have other pieces that are sewn onto various garments, lace around a neckline, and sleeve trimmings, edgings on a couple of items I use like holders for things and such. I do truly enjoy the making and the wearing of them. They often get comments and questions about what it is and where can it be obtained.

I used to be able to do the most popular bookmark pattern with my eyes closed for part of the pattern. I'd read about a lady who was blind and did tatting for her income and I thought, "No way!", so gave it a go, and well, 'Yes way!" with some effort and practice, it's all about feeling the positions and attention to each movement.

It's so very absorbing and truly 'one mindful' that I recommend anyone interested in an art form of a different variety and methods of relaxation, so give it a try. It's slowish going until it's not.

@OhanaSystem

I;m so pleased this information is likely to be of some assistance. That's wonderful to hear. I hope your team can assist in whatever it is you will require to achieve your desired outcomes.

Where I'm currently at:
The screen making got interrupted last week, so going to see if I can get it done this weekend, also, the handkerchief lace edging did not please me when I finished it, so it has been redone. Pictures will be forthcoming when all completed.

Another writing project has been requested so that will take up some time and energy for me next week, and keep my attention so won't have so much time here while I'm doing that.

Happy Crafting weekend wishes wished for eveyone!

Wow! @Former-Member - those pieces are stunning. 😍

Beautiful work, @Former-Member. The delicacy is so lovely.

Thank you so much for your kind words @Mazarita and @MoonGal, I think they are lovely too.

There are multiple other pieces that are lovely but not 'right' that one day I will applique onto a top or vest or something because they too deserve to be shown off. I'm gradually using them by decorating slippers and house shoes.

Joy and happiness here for me tonight - have finally finished the door privacy/ sunlight screen!

4 individual light wooden panels, covered with polypop cotton in descending order of colour from Sunshine-ish Orange to Canary-ish Yellow to Daisy-ish Yellow to Cream. Each panel is separately made and joined by 4 'hinges' of velcro pieces sewn onto fabric hinges.

I am so pleased with having worked out how to utilise the wooden panels I had on hand and to make something serviceable and pleasing to the eye, without having to resort to paint and metal hinges. It's taken a while but I think it's totally worth that wait and the effort of making, thinking, remaking bits and finally getting it as it has developed.

It's a bit scrunched up so I could fit all 4 panels into the frame.