The first festival listed on my brand new 2014 calendar is the Lunar New Year. Most often called Chinese New Year, it is celebrated on Jan. 31, 2014. Although some cultures considered dragons to be monsters which needed to be slain by knights in shining armor (see Martha Ess, "Flights of Fantasy - Tatting Patterns inspired by Myth and Legend" http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art181558.asp) other cultures consider the dragon to be benevolent and even a symbol of good fortune.
The classic description of a dragon is so fascinating. The dragon is considered to have an elongated head like that of a camel, topped by deer antlers and sporting a beard! The ears are big and cup like while the feet have the big pads of a tiger but with extreme talons like those of an eagle. Its long body is sinuous with a soft belly like a frog. And I read also that is has scales like a carp, over 100 of them! When simply read it sounds too bizarre to imagine. But when viewed the Chinese dragon has a dramatic even awe-inspiring presence.
I rather prefer the oriental dragon. The western dragon went about spouting fire and devouring maidens on a whim. Instead the oriental dragon is viewed as a guardian, ever vigilant, a seeker of wisdom. And that is the dragon's connection to the "precious pearl." The precious pearl is that round ball that you have seen in the new year's parades. It always precedes the dragon who is always searching for it. The pearl is usually shown as white with a golden flame. It represents the sum of all knowledge.
Tatting up a dragon would naturally bring the tatter good luck and expand their wisdom. Here on BellaOnline.com I have compiled a list of dragon patterns for us to work on. These dragons were found in England, in Norway, in China and in the Finger Lakes region of New York, USA. Enjoy! http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/5877.asp
PS. 2014 is the year of the Horse.
Here's the latest article from the Tatting site at BellaOnline.com.
Creationes Artime Frivolité 1
Creationes Artime Frivolité 1. Although the instructions are printed in Spanish, the excellent full color diagrams make the patterns easy to follow. The double stitch counts are clearly marked on the diagrams.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48681.asp
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Georgia Seitz, Tatting Editor
http://tatting.bellaonline.com
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