Saturday, July 4, 2009

TATTING The Lace of Angels

The first talent I want to blog about, and probably the one I will blog most about is Tatting.

My Grandma (my step-grandma, who came into my life when I was 14) had these beautiful doilies all over her house. There were blue ones in her living room. . . on the arms of her sofa, loveseat, and chairs, and big ones that went over the backs. There were matching ones on the end tables under the lamps and another on the the organ. She had beautiful pink doilies in her china closet under her fine china and crystal glasses. Peach doilies on her bedroom vanity. Which was one of those "waterfall" vanities. I thought the doilies were amazing!

I had seen tatting before, I have an aunt on another side of my family who tatted snowflakes and Christmas tree ornaments for my mom. They hung on our tree every year. I hadn't realized anything other than Christmas tree ornaments could be made by tatting.

Grandma could do anything, she was always crocheting, sewing, quilting or cooking. I asked Grandma if she would show me how to tat. I wanted to make a bunch of doilies for my trousseau. She told me that it was my Great Aunt Ted who made the doilies and that I would have to ask her if she would teach me.

Below is a picture of Aunt Ted surrounded by the lace of the pink doily she made.



Aunt Ted lived a little over an hour away and I never had a way of going to see her, but when I was 17 Aunt Ted had to move into a nursing home that was near Grandma's house. Grandma would go get Aunt Ted once a week and bring her to her house to have lunch and visit. One of these visits I told her how much I loved the doilies she made and asked her if she would teach me how to tat. Her face lit up!

Before her next visit I had to get a tatting shuttle and some thread. I found a little red plastic shuttle at one of the craft stores Grandma shopped at and borrowed some crochet thread from Grandma.

Aunt Ted and I sat down on the sofa and she showed me the double stitch. Very clearly explaining how the loop has to flip from the core thread to the working thread. She explained it so well, that I was able to close my first ring, and as I recall, every ring from then on.

As I said earlier, Aunt Ted was a resident at a nursing home, she was in her nineties and had dementia.

So, she had taught me the double stitch and how to make picots, then told me to practice and practice. I sat there on the couch next to her making ring after ring. She watched very intently then asked "What are you doing?"

I gave her a confused look, thinking I was doing something wrong, and replied "I'm tatting?"

She looked at me very pleased and said "Well, where did you learn to do that?" LOL

Here is a picture of one of the pink doilies and one of Grandma's crystal glasses. Aunt Ted passed away shortly after teaching me. Then Grandma passed on New Years Day 2000. Grandma had many grandkids, so I feel very blessed that I inherited this doily and Grandma's crystal glasses.



A couple years after Aunt Ted taught me to make rings and picots, I had gone to visit my aunt from my dad's side. She lived on the east coast and I had never been east of the Rocky Mountains. She taught me how to do chains. She even took me to buy tatting books. I loved putting it all together to actually make something out of the knots! I loved making edgings and made hankie after hankie for the ladies that I cared for.

At some point I put my shuttle down and didn't tat again for 10 years or so. . . TattingChic is another aunt of mine who tats. She was a closet tatter for many years so I had know idea that she also tatted. She loves tatting so much! She has inspired me to pick up my shuttle again. So a few days ago I did. . . and yesterday I finished my first project in years.

I know, I know. . . it is a snowflake, but I figured since it is the 4th of July, and it is a star shaped snowflake, that I would showcase it in Red White and Blue. I guess I should site where I found this pattern at, I googled free tatting patterns, snowflakes, it took me to Bella Online where I found this pattern designed by Eileen Stafford.

For those of you who want to critique my tatting, feel free. Like I said I haven't tatted in years and I only know how to do rings and chains. Looking at Aunt TattingChic's blog has opened my eyes to the many possibilities of tatting and I am so excited to keep learning it!


41 comments:

  1. Very cool post! I like the story of your Aunt Ted teaching you how to tat, LOL! Poor lady forgot she had just taught you to tat. Thank you for the shout out! Yes, I was a closet tatter. I learned as a teenager and was too embarassed to tell anyone I knew how to tat, LOL! Not anymore!

    The doily you inherited from your Aunt Ted is very nice and that is really sweet how you framed her face with the tatting. Your Grandma's crystal glass is lovely!

    Nice job on the snowflake!

    ((Hugs)),
    Aunt TattingChic
    xoxo

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  2. Welcome to the world of blogs, I hope you'll like it.
    Thank you for sharing with us the story of how you learned to tat. The star/snowflake looks great and it is so nice that you've taken up tatting again.

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  3. Welcome to Blogland. You'll find great inspirations from you Aunt TattingChic, bith on the tatting part and the blogging part.

    The snowflake is a wonderful start.

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  4. You are related to some very talented tatters - how wonderful! The snowflake is lovely.

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  5. I loved your tatting story. Welcome to the wonderful world of tatting bloggers. You Aunt tatting Chic is a great inspiration.....to us all.

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  6. Welcome to blogging! I am sure you will love it, there is always someone who shares your passions and I have made made many wonderful friends through blogging. What a wonderful story about your Aunt Ted and learning to tat. We have so much to learn from our elders:>)

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  7. I love your new blog. I don't know how to tat (yet) but really want to learn how. The nearest classes are three hours away, one class a week for four weeks, so it makes it prohibitive for me. So, I am going to try to teach myself.

    I love the story about your aunt and it is so special that you have the doily and glass.

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  8. It was nice to read your story. The tatted finish looks awesome....

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  9. Thank you for sharing your tatting story.

    Auh a star-flake, very nice.

    Welcome to the tatting blog world. :-) I look forward to seeing more of your work.

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  10. Welcome in the internet world of tatting!

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  11. what a beautiful story about how you learned to tat...and how you fell in love with the process all over again...welcome to blogland!!!

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  12. It's lovely. Welcome to the blog-world!
    Cathy

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  13. Sounds like you have learned from the best! You're very fortunate to have had someone be able to show you how. It's so much easier to learn from someone than to try to figure it out from a book.

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  14. What a wonderful post! Thank you so much for sharing your story. You are so fortunate to have tatters in your family. I look forward to hearing more about your tatting.

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  15. Welcome back to the world of tatting. As tou can tell we are a very welcoming group and I look forward to following your blog.

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  16. Welcome to blogland I know you'll enjoy it great way to meet new friends and learn new things...your snowflake is beautiful loved your story on learning tatting...your aunt Tatting Chic is a beautiful tatter your very lucky to have her for inspiration keep up both tatting & blogging!!

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  17. Lovely new blog and that tatted snowflake looks perfect to me!! I am not a tatter but I so enjoy your aunt's blog and all of her wonderful creations!!!
    Loved your story about Aunt Ted and am looking forward to hearing about the people you take of!!!
    Blessings!

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  18. I love your blog and your wonderful story!!! I found you through your Aunt Tatting Chic's blog and am glad that I visited:).

    Your star snowflake is beautiful!

    Blessings,

    Kim

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  19. Welcome back to tatting and welcome to blogland! I have added your blog to my page and look forward to reading your posts. (o:

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  20. Very beautiful story! The snowflake is so pretty too. Welcome to bloggerlandia. lol you're going to like it here.

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  21. Welcome to the blogging world. You'll have fun and meet lots of nice, talented folks. I'm visiting from your Aunt Tatting Chic. Tatting must be in the genes! :D

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  22. Wow! How exciting to have so many visitors! Thank you all for the warm welcome. I am thrilled to be tatting again and thrilled to know that there are so many friendly people in Blogland!

    I've actually been visiting your blogs for the past 2 weeks, from the comments you've left of Tatting Chic's blog. You are all amazingly talented! Again, I'm so excited to be so warmly welcomed to Blogland.

    I know what you mean Gina and Joansie, about how fortunate I am to have had people to show me how to tat. I know I never would have gotten it from books alone. I am a visual learner. Tatting Chic had told me about putting beads on tatting, She explained it over the phone, but I didn't quite get it until I saw the awesome tutorial that LadyShuttleMaker did on her blog.

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  23. Welcome to blogland and back to tatting! Your star looks good. It was great to hear your story on learning to tat. What a treasure. Good luck on your blog - and have fun tatting!

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  24. Welcome to bloggie world.

    I enjoyed reading how your Aunt Ted taught you to tat...I think tatting is so beautiful and I'm happy the gift was passed on to you. My granma tatted but sadly I never learned. Your snowflake is precious and it's wonderful you are tatting again....enjoy. hugs, Linda

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  25. I enjoyed reading your stories about your Aunt Ted and your grandma. You are very lucky to have had them in your life and to have TattingChic in your life. Welcome to the blogging world!

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  26. I also have just picked my tatting up after about 9 years. I saw a piece of tatting on a quilter's blog and it got me interested all over again. I am starting slowly but have add a few things on my blog about tatting. Come and visit me there anytime.

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  27. Welcome to Blogland.

    I have found your site through TattingChic's and just want to say I enjoyed reading your story.
    Lovely snowflake.

    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  28. Congrats on starting to blog. Thanks for sharing your memories and your tatted star/snowflake is lovely.

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  29. I have enjoyed reading your story, it is just wonderful. Welcome to blogland, have fun. Your snowflake is beautiful.
    debby

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  30. I am thrilled to meet you, neice of Tatting Chic! Your blog is beautiful and I am so excited to see all of your tatting. It is wonderful that you have picked it back up as encouraged by your aunt. I hope all these comments will encourage to keep tatting and posting.

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  31. Welcome to Tat-land! The snowflake is very pretty!
    Fox : )

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  32. Hello,
    I just stopped by your Aunt's Blog and wanted to say "Hi!" You have a lovely blog and your starry snowflake is very well done! I am new to blogging as well and am also trying to learn new tatting skills. We couldn't have picked a better time to start these two ventures. As you can tell from all the nice comments, the tatting community in Blogland is very supportive!

    Now I think I will go see which Austen character I am...
    Ann

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  33. Hi and welcome to tatland! I enjoyed your post very much of your Aunt Ted and learning to tat. Lovely memory! Your tatted star is very nice and so is the doily under the crystal glass. I look forward to seeing more of your tatting!

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  34. I really truly appreciate every comment! I am just amazed at how friendly the tatting/blogging community is!

    I have been going to each of your blogs with the intention of leaving a "thanks for visiting my blog" comment. . . and I find that I just get caught up reading your blogs, then hopping over to other blog links that you have listed. I have spent my whole Sunday blog hopping! LOL

    Oh and in case anyone is wondering, No I don't feel any pressure. . . absolutely no pressure to continue blogging. . . NO PRESSURE at all to make my next post amazing! LOL ok ok I feel some pressure.

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  35. welcome to blogland..enjoyed reading yor story.. n snowflake is just wonderful.. keep going

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  36. Hello! What a sweet story... Your work is beautiful! Have fun in blogland! :o)

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  37. Hi there,
    Came over from your aunt's blog.
    You are very talented!!
    Welcome to blogland.
    Rosemary

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  38. I just visited your aunt's blog (tattingchic) and she sent us over to say HI.
    Very nice star (snowflake). Glad you started tatting again. I am sure your aunt is too.

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  39. Halloo! I dropped by yr auntie's blog and saw that you had joined the blogging world!

    Greetings and salutations! Yr tatting sure is pretty. You aren't "rusty" at all! It's beautiful.

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  40. I love your story - you are a natural at blogging AND tatting :) Good luck with both!

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  41. Hello there! I found my way here through your Aunt's blog. She's sending people your way to say WELCOME! You're in for a wild, wonderful ride. I've only been blogging 6 months and I love it. I learn new things every day. I've never done tatting before. I've learned the bare minimum about crocheting and my next thing on my wish list is learning how to embroider. I just learned my Nana knows how. I don't know how I never knew that because she sews, quilts, crochets and knits with the best of them. I'm thinking it may be a good winter project.

    Good luck with your blog and have FUN!
    Sares @ Loveleigh Treasures

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