The seller, Hand Painted Pink Roses, actually paints in color on jewelry, buttons, and other small objects so how I managed to zero in on this, I don't know but I'm glad I did.

The tatting is vintage, pretty much past its prime but what a lovely addition with the pen and ink. It would go great in a collage, especially one made of fabric.

I guess I didn't upload anything else to this blog this morning. I did put several things on the lace blog but haven't written that up yet. I don't have anything tatted to show. I was packaging the Blogaversary winners' boxes last night and they're being sent off today. Winners please let me know when you get it so I know it isn't lost.

I had two short errands for my lunch hour yesterday so stopped in an antique store I'd heard about but hadn't been in. I only got around the outside perimeter, not the inside but one thing I liked was an abundance of linens at a reasonable price. I saw more tatting than usual too.

Once upon a time, my dad and his second wife ran an antique and oak reproduction store. They carried both antiques and Oak reproduction furniture. I would never claim to be an expert on antiques but I did learn a bit about them. I have to admit it's a little disconcerting to see household items I grew up with listed for high prices and designated as "antique". Dishes I ate dinner on every day for the first 18 years of my life are touted as "rare".

So, sometimes I'm skeptical about some things. One of the first booths I looked in had several crocheted bags hanging on screws. The bags were gorgeous - Irish crochet with the decorative balls hanging on them. They also looked so freakin' skudgy. Dark, discolored, and stiff to touch. Not just one, but several. They were each listed at $45. I got more and more miffed as I walked through the store, thinking about them, than I should have, I guess. For one thing, I'm pretty sure they were purposely aged. I don't think that was natural. If I were to buy them, the first thing I would do is soak them clean. All that crap on the fiber is ruining them. I think some of them were definitely vintage in terms of when they were made but it makes me angry that someone would put that kind of treatment on them to make them seem even older and in the process, damage the fibers. They looked in really good shape for being that old and dirty. Other things in the booth were in beautiful shape. Also, hanging on a screw? Nah, this was for display, not value. Most items I see like this have some broken threads or knots. This didn't.

In another booth, I found a hanky with a tatted edging. The hanky was pink and the edging was pink and green. The fabric was okay but you could tell it was getting old and frail while the tatting looked great. The problem? The edging was tatted onto the fabric, not stitched on. I know some people prefer to tat directly on the fabric but this does become an issue when the fabric wears out. It will take some very careful cutting away of fabric to salvadge the lace.

I know that's not important to everyone. So I've come to the conclusion that I'm a lace SNOB and a thread SNOB. I can't help it. I appreciate well made lace and well made thread and well made fabric. I can't abide nylon lace these days. For one thing, next to my skin, it makes me itch. When it burns, it melts. It's almost guaranteed to be machine made. Machines don't have hopes and dreams built into every stitch.

Maybe that's it. The human factor. I want to connect to the human factor.