Eye Candy!

Last evening I was going through some more of my needleart magazine collection. I've always wanted to sew heirloom clothing, especially christening gowns, so I've managed to acquire a nice collection of stitching magazines through the years. I've noticed tatting is often used as an edging on many of these gowns and little girl dresses. One I looked at was Sew Beautiful, issue #74, 2001, a Martha Pullen publication featuring heirloom sewing. I was intrigued by one article about the use of a technique known as "shaped tatting". It is made with purchased tatting -mostly edgings with a crocheted beading or header which is left in place when stitched as an insertion. This particular article describes shaped tatting. The beading is removed and then the edging is shaped on netting, but can be on fabric too. It is pinned in place and then hand stitched at picots and other major points. There were diagrams showing how to place so that you would get the results shown below.

This is the dress in its entirety. Many of the projects in these magazines have a tear out pattern included as an insert.

Remember this is an edging, not a motif, that has been stitched into a specific shape.

Same here. Then silk ribbon embroidery and beads were added to embellish it and make it look like a butterfly. In a way, it seems like a lot of trouble but if you don't know how to tat, it's another option.

I was thrifting yesterday during my lunch hour. I found this remnant of fabric which I was prompted to buy in case I decide to make something for little Ellie. Cost = 75¢

I also found this beaded angel ornie which I bought for the beads! Cost = 50¢

And I spied this pretty vintage bag, also for 50¢! It opens up into a long strip with three pockets. I have no idea what I will do with it but I couldn't pass it up!

Nope...I didn't buy this beautiful shuttle. I've been watching it on Ebay, one of Rosita's, but the bidding was beyond my means as I knew it would be. Sometimes a photo is just as good though.

Hope you enjoyed the eye candy today!

HA! I am so happy! I won a shuttle on ebay. Actually 2 shuttles, but one is that nasty metal boye shuttle that I hate. The other one though, is silver. Very smooth and sleek. I can't wait to get it in hand and feel the history of it's lacemaking days. There is a ton of thread around it - way more than I would ever put on a shuttle and I hope it's not sprung - but it didn't look like it. The seller called it a thread winder, both of them were thread winders. Which meant it didn't even get called tatting shuttle and I'm glad because I would never have won it because I'm sure it would have gone for way, way more. Also.......drum roll...........there was a wooden tube with 2 crochet hooks - one looks to be a shorter tatting join hook. And there is a little sewing kit and some old vintage hooks and eyes that I don't care about. Also a small pair of German scissors - now those might be pretty nifty too.

I hate to admit how many shuttles I have. One of my lists recently asked everyone to count up their shuttles and send the tally in - I didn't bother. I don't even know where they all are, for one thing. I do know I have over 50. Maybe I have 50 of the colored Clover shuttles alone. Those are my "utility" shuttles, the working ones. And I have some tortoise Clover shuttles and some amber Clover shuttles. Susan Bates shuttles and Boye shuttles and a Just-rite hinged shuttle. Shuttles painted by Ann Keller in Ireland for me. A red and a blue each plastic Clover shuttles sent to me from a friend in Australia. I haven't seen those around here. I have a couple of shuttles from Georgia Seitz. I have an abalone shell shuttle. I have one of the GR-8 shuttles by the Houtz Brothers. I have some by David Reed Smith - they were among the first shuttles I bought - I got them because he had smaller ones than the crappy metal Boye ones that slipped in my hands and poked me with that ghastly hook. Can you tell I hate Boye shuttles? I have those beautiful laser cut shuttles from The Shuttle Shop. I have a bone shuttle, plastic Boye shuttles in red, yellow, blue, green and pink, an angel decal shuttle, a hand carved shuttle by Connie Ten Clay, a long slender wooden shuttle from ebay, a netting shuttle, some black ones, some ivory ones, a pink one, some Victorian reproductions in brass, gold and silver, a tortoise one from St. Vincent DePaul's that I love dearly, a beading shuttle from Nina Libin, a shuttle I bought during The Feast of the Hunter's Moon, a silver plated brass engraved shuttle, and I know I'm missing some. I still want...........an ivory shuttle carved in a beautiful scene, a wooden shuttle with a carved design, a flat wooden shuttle like Beth Ann Heart makes, a shuttle from Rosita's - The Isle of Barbardos. Where does she get those gorgeous shuttles? I believe it will be easier for me to vacation there and find my own than to win a bid on ebay of one of her treasures! I also have 5 wooden blanks that I bought from Stuart Johnson in the UK to paint my own design on. Someday.

Now I'm starting to collect the tiny crochet hooks used for joining in tatting. Not the regular hooks - I have plenty of those as a long time crocheter. What is it that compels us to collect? I have my name engraved on some of the Shuttle Shop Shuttles. Oh - there is another shuttle I want - don't remember her name, but she makes shuttles in the shape of birds - chickadee, etc. Just remembered, I also have a double bobbin shuttle - but I don't like padded or rolled tatting so I may never use them. :-(

I realized today that my sister's birthday is Thursday and I did not tat more on her bookmark. I have to send it by Wednesday, which means I have to have it done by tomorrow night and blocked! Each heart takes about an hour. Damn! I got sidetracked on that elephant blanket - I'm on the second round of the motif now - just 2 more rings and I can go to the next color. I already have the beads strung on that color. I am so anxious to get it to a point that I can visualize how it will look!

Hmmmmmmmmmm.....looking at Carol Lawecki's finished elephant, I realize there is a head-dress I wasn't really aware of. Oops, change in plans. I'm also thinking I really hate that ear. I'm definitely going to have to redesign the ear. I want it to fold and drape like a real elephant's ear, not look like a patch stuck on as a last minute thought.