Toys for Tatting by Martha Ess

Toys for Tatting by Martha Ess
Toys for Tatting by Martha Ess

Martha Ess' Toys for Tatting 2016 cover

One look at the proudly prancing pony on the cover of Martha Ess' new book, "Toys for Tatting," shows us that these are going to be playful patterns with many uses. Martha based her patterns on traditional toys. Familiar favorites such as rubber duckies, teddy bears, rag dolls and even trolls will bring a smile to the tatter as well as the wearer of the lace.

Clothing, blankets, and soft accessories will sport all kinds of tatted lace. Little overalls and princess skirts will shine with the tatted sun and the moon, Pegasus and unicorns decorating them. I just fell in love with the rag doll. Reminiscent of "Raggedy Ann™", this sweet pattern will charm you with her smile, her flirty eyelashes and her red and white striped blocked tatted stockings. And her white pinafore will be an excellent exercise in split ring tatting.

All the photographs in this 8.5" x 11" spiral bound 38 pg. book are in full color as are the diagrams. The diagrams such as this one on pg 8 are large and easy to read. It is an example of block tatting also.

Martha Ess' Toys for Tatting 2016 sample diagram pg 8

However, it is the big, bright and boldly colored illustrations for the technique tutorials that really awed me! The shuttles and the threads are color coordinated so that you can easily follow the core thread and see how it interacts with the ball or shuttle 2 thread in each maneuver.

Martha Ess' Toys for Tatting 2016 sample tutorial pg 7

This illustration shows the end result of the Catherine Wheel Join.

Martha Ess is known to tatters for her many books of tatting patterns. Two of my personal favorites are "Playing with Picots" and "Tea is for Tatting." Martha also participated in the 2014 Palmetto Tatters Guild Tatting Scholarship Fundraiser. She donated the use of a lovely tea pot pattern from the "Tea is for Tatting" for the tatters to create and embellish this extraordinary quilt.

2014 Palmetto Tatters Guild Tatting Scholarship Fundraiser quilt known as the tea party quilt

Each new book from Martha Ess is a delight to tat. You will love this one.

Note: This book was a gift from Martha.-G Seitz.



You Should Also Read:
A Flight of Angels - Martha Ess
Picot Play by Martha Ess

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