anchoring border

This is a border I tatted may be 20 years back. I was still doing traditional tatting, with no distinct front and back side, and not bothered about any colour blips!

The pattern is shown as an off-center vertical border along a kurta front (‘Border in Tatting for a Kameez’). There is also a narrow trim along one side, which I did not make.

This is made of 2 strips repeated and linked lengthwise to create a broad lace. Notice how the rings face in opposite directions. One such strip is tatted for a pair for narrow cuffs or sleeves.

I tatted all 3 pieces – 1 broad & 2 narrow – intending to sew it on a kurta. Well, that kinda never happened and I ended up sewing the broad lace on my saree along the pallu (off-edge) when I realised the length was just right – a yard and quarter !!!

This pic shows the front and back; I sewed down the lace using 2 strands of sewing thread.

I have tried to maintain this handloom, hand block printed Kota cotton saree all these years. Ideal for summers and the broad lace anchors the lightweight pallu. But the heavy iron my presswala uses has left some discolouration on the brown thread. Oh Well, just another excuse to tat this pattern again ;-D 

The narrow strips are lying in one of my lace boxes – new and unused. Undecided what to do with them, since I don’t wear sleeves ;-P Will take pics and share when they emerge from their hiding place.

Don’t go by my working or the age-worn look, it is an absolutely enticing meandering pattern, worked in 4 pastel shades and modeled beautifully in the book. And of course, it was my favourite and only actual book I had for ages – Tatting Favourites, Book No 110T, by Anchor Design Centre, 1986. I wonder if I can take pics and show them (not the pattern but the modeled lace, and do a review of the book? Will it be against copyright rules to share pics?