International Tatting Day

International Tatting Day 

  Monday April 1 2013

Every year on April 1

Welcome to my blog...I am a horrible poster but today it feels right to post again.  Today is actually March 31 and Easter but my brain has jumped to tomorrow--International Tatting Day. This day is special to those of us who tat....that is make lacy creations using a shuttle or needle or even a co-tatting hook.  The purist will say that tatting is only done with a shuttle but in my experience you can do a beautiful lace with shuttle, needle, hook.  How beautiful it is depends entirely on the skill of the artist.  From the sample above it is obvious I need to do more work on the split chain....LOL,  I prefer to show the items that I have made with all the problems.  I was told by a newbie once that she was going to give up because she was sure she could never tat perfectly...she had been looking at pics from some awesome tatters...check out the list of the things on Georgia's site (<http://www.georgiaseitz.com>).  She had been tatting less than a month and still had the occasional mistake.  The above medallion/coily/sun catcher was my 4th try at split chain.  Yes it isn't perfect but it looked even better when I starched it so the split chain was held a bit better

and all the picots on the outer edge were even.  When she saw that she said she could do almost that good.  She never showed me her try...but that is okay too.  I don't remember where I got the pattern or if I 'designed it from my mind'.  If it is your pattern I would be happy to honor you with a link to your page so let me know.

For those of you who only think of tatting as the act of putting ink to skin....sorry you read clear to here...but you can learn to do the beautiful hand made lace too.  There are men and women, youth and seniors all over the world who can make beautiful lace called tatting.

International Tatting Day was started somewhere between 7 and 50 years ago but the exact date has been  lost over the years.  It is a day for wearing something tatted as  tatters to get together in public to tat, chat, eat chocolate, share patterns, share new techniques or variations on older techniques and drink tea.  We also will share our skill with anyone who is interested.  I plan to be wearing my 'Easter Bonnet" that is also my "It's Spring, Sir" Hat (M*A*S*H fans will remember Klinger's/Jamie Farr's in imitable voice and attitude wearing his spring hat) seen below:

The spot on the brim will not say worked in no matter what I have tried.  I will conquer it if I have to encapsulate it.  

Happy International Tatting Day to all....Happy tatting to you until we tat again............

Peace,