I seldom go on ebay these days but a quick peek the other day had me interested in this vintage collection. One of the newspaper clippings says May, 1918. I wouldn't necessarily say all the tatting is that old, but the thread does have an old smell to it. I'd like to find a way to display and frame this. I forgot to include the shuttle. Its a plated brass shuttle with scrollwork on it. I have another one just like it. I didn't show all the tatting or clippings - only about half. I suspect some of the tatting is newer, but old enough to pick up the musty smell.




This was also in the box and was listed as a handkerchief. It's just a small square of fabric where the maker was practicing her drawnwork embroidery. It's helpful to me to see the work-in-progress.

If you like mysteries combined with hobbies and crafts, check out the books by Monica Ferris. With titles like Knitting Bones, Embroidered Truths, Sins and Needles, Crewel Yule, Cutwork, Hanging by a Thread, A Murderous Yarn, Unraveled Sleeve, A Stitch in Time, Framed Lace, and Crewel World, don't you want to know what it's all about? Ha! She mentions Zionsville, IN in her travel news.

"Zionsville, IN, is an interesting little town. It's like someone restoring a Victorian house -- except it's happened to the whole town. It's full of tiny shops and the main street is brick. But on a Sunday, nothing is open, so we didn't get to choose between Greek and English Tea Room, and had to settle for Wendy's. Ah, well. Persnickety Stitcher (cute name!) is in a small building and it had that familiar charming, crowded, cozy feeling I'd come to expect. It was too crowded to set up a table, so they put us in a classroom, which has a separate entrance. Consequently, we didn't get many chance customers. But that was all right, we had friends from all over come in for the stitch in. Lucy Zahray, Jeanne Dams, and other mystery fans came, along with a group of stitchers who are given titles by the Queen of Stash (I'm Mistress of Mystery)."

Tomorrow is International Tatting Day!