One of the most frequent tats of beginning tatters who are improving their skills is the bookmark. Once we move on to bigger and more challenging tats, we don't often tat bookmarks. My friend Gail Owens sent me this bookmark which is quite a beautiful example of block tatting. I immediately put it in a book I started reading and it is still there. I haven't had time to do much tatting on my own this week so it seemed a good time to showcase it. Thank you Gail!


I started this filet crochet edging a few weeks ago and finally got far enough to show something recognizable. Sometime back in the 70's when I first started quilting and there wasn't much available about quilting, I mail-ordered "700 Olde Time Needlecraft Designs & Patterns" which included 500 quilt designs, by House of White Birches. It has a bit of everything including tatting, crochet, knitting,hardanger, quilting, and so on. This filet crochet insertion is described as perfect for a child's pillowcase. It has the squirrel, then a tree, then a deer following. It is endearing and has been asking me to make it all these years. I haven't made up my mind yet what I will put it on. Do I really want to give it away? That's the big question! One friend just had a baby girl, another is due to have a boy in a few weeks and a coworker is due months from now. I have plenty of potential recipients. I think it's a squirrel - maybe it's a cat. What do you think?

From Beeton's Book of Needlework, this edging.

Can't you just see little posies in the center of those rings? The leaves are already there!