Saturday, May 23, 2009

Tatt's All Folks


My cousin is in town to play for the weekend. Last time she came to play, she taught me how to use a pleater to do English Smocking. I made this dress for Bitt-E.

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This weekend she's teaching me how to make tatted lace.


This is what it should look like.




Image "borrowed" from this amazing woman (who really knows what she's doing.)



Mine looks like three funky, mismatched loops. But I'm slowly getting the hang of it.



Essentially you fill a bobbin on the shuttle (pictured above) with thread, and tie a bunch of knots, then connect them into loops, and connect the loops into elaborate patterns to make lace for edgings, collars, doily's, etc.



My goal is to do enough of one edging to go around a handkerchief. Anything more elaborate will probably never get finished.



Even if I never have a big finished product though, it is so fun to learn a traditional handcraft.

I LOVE learning new things!

12 comments:

Devri said...

again,you are amazing. And wow! on your last post, organized and ready to conquer the world!!

hugs

Wendi said...

Smocking and tatting both! You are officially my hero! Oh wait--you already were before!

Jeni said...

There are oodles and oodles of craft-type skills around but what you've shown here are two that I have no clue how to do and would dearly love to learn how to do them. The dress is magnificent! I adore little girl dresses with smocking but when my Mom, who was an excellent seamstress, couldn't master that craft, I figured then and there that there was no hope for me to be able to do it either. Same with the tatting -I have a hard enough time managing some crochet.

Sue said...

That is so cool!

That dress is adorable and I have always wanted to learn tatting.

Anonymous said...

Wow, your learning two things that I am looking forward to some day learning to do.

Cute dress.

Cecily R said...

Your talents NEVER cease to amaze me. I LOVE the smocking (reminds me of my mom) and if you can even attempt tatting I am in awe.

Lynne's Somewhat Invented Life said...

You can use your handkerchief every time a temple is dedicated. I had to borrow Phil's the last time. It was embarassing.

I've said it before: what DON'T you do?

Are You Serious! said...

♥ Very cute! I love smocking and the tattered lace is great!

Jaina said...

Gosh I wish I could sew. I totally want to get a sewing machine and learn how.

Michelle said...

Tatting is a lost art...but maybe you'll be able to keep it alive. I still love that smocked dress you did last year.

amy said...

oooohhh!! too cool! maybe one day you can teach me too? I have some stuff like that made by my great g'ma and i always am amazed that someone MADE it. beautiful.
xxx

Stephanie said...

Cute dress! I love the smocking. Maybe someday...sewing machines and I don't seem to always get along.

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