footprints on the sands

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... of time and tatting. Today I complete 10 years of blogging and it is the 800th post. These are mere numbers but mean a lot to me. 800 posts that each contained some tip, idea, experiment, option... At times 10 years seems like a long time; and yet like a short period, not enough to accomplish all my goals. Did I leave any footprints during this journey? Some faint ones perhaps which will soon be washed away. 

Incidentally, my first post on 3rd December 2013 was on tatted edgings! 

And now these pics from Judith Connors kind of summarise and symbolise my online tatting journey. I wouldn't be here, wouldn't have improved and learned so much without the help and guidance of the community; without their willingness to share freely of their expertise, patterns, and resources.

The lace - design shared freely by Robin Perfetti; tatted by me, in Lizbeth size 80 threads gifted by Sharada R; gifted to Judith who mounted it on a plain white handkerchief. This is what she wrote - 

'If you look at the close-up you’ll see that I crocheted around the raw edge first and then slip-stitched/top-sewed your lace to the crochet. I love how it all came together. When Queensland Tatters next have a display of their lace I shall place our combined effort in there too.'

This 'combined effort' is what my online experience has taught me. It may not always be an overt collaboration but the moment we tat somebody's pattern or when we share something that gets picked up another, the community grows, evolves, thrives.

Speaking of which, Judith also sent her beaded version of the Reflections Snowflake - a gift we send to anybody who completes an Endrucks' pattern.  

I had extracted it from the 100 year old Endrucks' pattern #17; it was modified by Ninetta Caruso and Anna Tedesco; tatted by several of our recipients in their own unique versions, including this sublime beaded beauty.

Endrucks 1920 Project, a huge milestone in my tatting journey, is pure collaboration! I will never reach any pinnacle of perfection and am aware of my limitations. Yet it makes me immensely happy to be able to pass on whatever I have learnt or discovered along the way. 

While the tatting community is growing, the blogging community is shrinking. Blog Land is getting a bit lonely with bloggers dropping off in favour of other platforms. Irrespective, I join those who persevere - I find it the best long-term platform and with absolute freedom to present and express in any kind of format. Let's see what the next years will bring ....

💓Cheers! And a huge thanks to the tatting community at large!💓

why tatting is thriving

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...and will continue to do so long into the future. The reason lies in the huge generosity and willingness of tatters to share their knowledge, skills, experiments, tips, and tricks… be it through text, video, live chat, classes, etc. And the icing on the cake is that most of this is for free!

rainbow - May 31, 2020

I share, with utmost gratitude, shining examples of such selflessness and enthusiasm….

Remember the recent QnA segment on how to attach tatted lace to handkerchiefs?

( https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/05/lace-to-fabric-qna.html )

tatted edging and corner for handkerchief

Kathleen Minniti sent me her own pdfs to share with my followers! She had “prepared some handouts for a Shuttlebirds Annual Workshop class” back in 2018! ( https://sbspokane.wordpress.com )

Such detailed and clear images and instructions – helpful for all tatters! 

Without much ado, here are the links to the 2 pdfs :

Sewing Lace onto a Plain Hemmed Edge -https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EEN5p5RUt4hghcXgQervMzP8JzhSLJPG/view?usp=sharing 

Tatting Directly onto a Hem-Stitched Base -https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c3DslUUCd_YqgUo1awameQAZIJHJX9Me/view?usp=sharing

preparing to sew cornered edging to picoted edge hanky

And then Ninetta Caruso sent a link to her own post on this subject, which has her drawings as well as further links. And here’s what she said - “If you enlarge the picture at the end, you can see the various stages of the sewing at the border.”

https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2014/10/100-posts-wip-and-attach-tatting-to.html

tatted edging sewn to saree

And a few months back, Anita Barry played a magical card and on my request, Bonnie Swank prepared a wonderful video on how to change direction of curving chains in Needle Tatting !!!

Needle Tatted Changing Chain Curves : Convex and Concave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ9BRdZ2Zl8

My original pdf was in shuttle tatting obviously - 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2019/09/changing-chain-curves.html

Here's part of what she wrote -

“I hope the video is helpful to you, I really enjoyed finding six ways to tat one chain and the reverse/unflipped method was my favorite! I contacted Anita several times and we had fun conversations on the differences between needle and shuttle tatted changing chain curves and thread orientation when reversing!  I actually made the video 5 times! Once I tatted the whole thing and then realized the camera did not turn on, once I taped the entire thing upside down and twice the video cut off on me after 30 minutes! So I have lots of chain segments, I'm thinking of putting them together to make flowers.”

Her Facebook page is Straight-Laced Tatting and she has another needle tatting technique for making floating rings!

I cannot find words to thank all my dear friends in the tatting world who come together share bit by bit so that the beauty of Tatting will thrive for generations and centuries. They are all building on the foundations laid by our previous generations!

With utmost gratitude and thanks …

Patterns/Posts : 

Jane McLellan's Leaf braid edging for hanky and saree ; Blossoms corner for hanky - 

https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2018/09/gifts-with-tatting.html

split colour edging for hanky - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2016/06/under-pinning.html

lace to fabric QnA

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For several years, tatters have been emailing for some help or other on their current tatting project, term, technique, pattern, etc. It is usually an eye-opener for me, when I have to delve deeper into a method, or come up with a solution. Some of these have been posted as tutorials/pictorials already, several are in the works with pics taken, but not yet presented.

I put in a lot of thought, research, and detail into my response, and have decided to share some Q&A for anybody facing a similar situation. In any case, it makes my life easier when I have a simple link to share instead of re-typing. I may edit/paraphrase/add/organise.

Here’s one such, from one of my dear followers, Emily H, who often comments with a unique perspective. I was pleasantly surprised, and grateful, when she gave me her feedback, along with pics of her final project. Read on ....

  

Question : I want to edge a handkerchief for a friend, but I want it to be usable and washable. I know cotton shrinks, so what would be the best prep for that? I had the thought to tat my lace and then wash it so it would shrink and then cut the handkerchief to the size it ends up.  Attaching together after everything is preshrunk. I am thinking like a seamstress though and don't know how these same principles apply to cotton thread. 

Answer :

Sharon Briggs has some sound advice – scroll down to Washing. Personally, I am a bit scared of her boiling water part.  

Suggestions based on my experience - 

1. Thread size and brand. 

Anchor size 20 definitely shrinks. Not sure about Lizbeth 20, though MIL says her Blossoms remained fine.

But size 40 and 80 should not shrink.

This is evident in the stretch of a thread (my observation).

Hence decide according to thread size you are using. 

2. Definitely wash and shrink the cotton fabric. It will also remove sizing, if any.

3. Is it possible to give washing/care instructions to your friend, and will she follow them? If yes, then despite which size you use, ask her to block the lace (simple rolling pin method works fine, without hassle) after wash, while still damp. Or iron on wrong side while still damp.

4. Try to avoid too many decorative picots. Fewer the picots, easier to care and maintain.

5. If there is a corner in tatted lace - In such cases, I sew on each side (to pre-shrunk fabric) as I finish tatting it, so that placement is precise. 

6. In case of a simple braid, I tat a shorter length than that required, and start sewing it to fabric. The short span can then be tatted and sewn to precision without fear of overlap of any extra bit.

Some links on how to attach lace to fabric : Tatters frequently post their tips and favourite methods but I haven’t collated them all. Here are a mere handful -

• Frivole’s crochet method of Attaching Tatting to a Handkerchief.
• Liisa Maarit edges her fabric with twisted buttonhole stitch to which lace is sewn.
• Faggoting. (this BellaOnline link doesn't seem to be working!)
• Some resources are pinned in my Stitches & How-tos board.   

Feedback : Thank you! That was all so helpful. I found in my stash a ball of DMC size 30. This was my first time using anything other than ordinary crochet thread (20?) at first I had several breakages, but they got less and less as I went on. I forgot your 5. tip and tatted the lace in a complete square, then measured it for fabric size. 

I did brave the boiling water trick from the link and pressed with a hot iron after wards and it shrunk in 1/2 inch. I also forgot to look at the video on how to attach lace and managed as best I could. I finished it just in time to mail to my friend before her wedding. 

Isn't it a beautiful piece of tatting and a wonderful gift to a friend?!

So what is Your favourite method? Please do share any tips or links and I will add it to my post or the tatting Resources page. 

UPDATE : Kathleen Minniti and Ninetta Caruso have graciously shared their expertise and tutorials/tips on this topic ! Don't miss their pdfs and post detailed here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2020/06/why-tatting-is-thriving.html 

Sewing lace

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The Forgotten Lace

I simply Cannot rely on my memory ! 

So many items that I’ve made & gifted down the years have just vanished from my memory box :-(

Last week, when my MIL sent in some sewing/refitting of petticoats, I asked her to send along a fit sample to refer to. She loves crochet laces along the hemline, and has always had hand-crocheted laces sewn on – mostly her own !

Turned out one of the laces was made by her DIL ! Moi? Quand?

It does have my preference of working the lace from side to side (width-wise) till the required length. Imagine having to crochet an almost 2 meter long chain & then working each row lengthwise ! Messy. (I’ve done it for a couple of my Grandma’s petticoat laces, though, when I did not have too many books/patterns to choose from).

I need to rummage through my books to find the pattern … will update when I do. If I can rely on my memory to remind me later ;-P
I like the fact that this pattern can be made as broad or narrow as desired/required !!!

Above are a few very quick pics I took, before sending it back to her. Didn’t have time to iron ….

But time to crochet a New broad lace for her !!!

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What this post is really about is the way my MIL sewed on the lace to the fabric edge.

Note : These are not new edgings – many have been in use for decades, switching to new fabric …. 

Sewing Lace

in 2 easy steps

I like the way the edging is machine-sewn, in 2 simple steps. Here are a couple of process pics …

Place right sides touching & sew along the edge.

STEP 1  

Place lace along hemline : Right side of lace touching the Right side of fabric/hem.

Sew over, along the edges. 

STEP 2  

Turn the lace over (‘open’ towards the right), 

so that both lace & fabric are right side up. 

Top-stitch as close to edge of fabric, as possible. 

 TADA !

TIP : There is only one thing I would do differently. In the above pics, the fabric hem is completely sewn, before the lace is being attached ; thus it has 3 layers already. Add to that the lace, & then the turned down lace & fabric … and you have many layers to sew over.

To reduce the bulk, fold of fabric just once (simply tacked in place), then follow the 2 steps above. This would eliminate a couple of fabric layers, as well as the sewing lines.

But I do like the result ! Quick, too, and very durable !

Of course, if one does not want any part of sewing to be seen, then this process will not work, especially the 2^nd top-stitch step. In the end, one needs to consider where & for what purpose the edging/lace is to be attached & how it is to be used.

I’m certain most of you already know & do this. But you can understand why I have to post, right ? This is my memory deposit for a future ‘cloudy’ day ;-P

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My Mom-in-Law’s Crochet Laces

My MIL has done tons of crochetwork – making multiple sets for gifting, or personal use, etc. – ranging from doilies (in all shapes & sizes), edgings, laces, to entire patchwork bedsheets !!! I will share some of her work over time …

Here are a couple of her other petticoat laces (the ones she sent me to sew on) : 

As you can see, I’ve completed only step 1 in this case.

Both steps completed in this case.

The one pictured in the 'tutorial' above

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In Conversation

A bit of ‘news’ … I’ve added a new page to the blog, titled ‘My Tutorials’. It is still under collation, though.

I added some explanation to my previous post ‘Kitty with an Auxiliary Tale’ 

I realized that for many who haven’t seen the pattern, my working of the face may seem confusing. And I had not explained my rationale, anyways !

So please click on links to check out both :-)

Sewing Away II

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Green Kaftan

with black laces 

 It was difficult to capture the entire kaftan on camera ; hence the folds, etc.

When I first stitched this kaftan & sewed on the store-bought lace along the sides, the neck looked quite barren & needed something. (as seen in the penultimate image).
Hence, tatted up a single-shuttle, rings-only edging that I like. It does not exactly go with the triangular peaks of the side lace, but I did not want to take away focus from the side laces. The final result didn’t turn out that bad.

I used size 20 Anchor Mercer Black thread for tatting.

I don’t have the exact source of this edging pattern (it is one from my old collection), but in an earlier post I called it “Dancing Clovers”.

Sewing

For this kaftan, I deliberately cut off some inches from the side of the fabric, in order to shorten the width. Despite a beautiful drape of entire width, the long ‘sleeves’ snag at door knobs !

Secondly, I sewed on the lace at the sides some distance from the fabric edge for 2 reasons :

The lace lost some of its appeal if nichéd along the very edge. The short green strip gave a much better appreciation of this beautiful lace.

And, the extra fabric was folded & seamed in After sewing on the lace, such that the sewing line of the latter was completely hidden within.

Another alteration I made was to inner stitching line. Instead of keeping it straight throughout, I gradually went in towards the waist & back out. Unexpectedly, this has created such a lovely shape, that even though a backing was added at the waist for string/belt (the parallel sewing lines are visible in pic above, shown by white arrow), it is No Longer required ! The kaftan drapes so well Without any gathering at the waist ! And since the neck is broad enough, it is easy to slip on.

Ending with a pic of how I sewed on the "Dancing Clovers" edging to the already-sewn neck line, using an embroidery hoop.

Motif #23 for 25 Motif Challenge