I learned to tat in Feb. 1979. 30 years ago. This was the same year that Barbara Foster became a tatting supplies distributor. But I did not know that then. I was learning and collecting all the tatting books I could find. I did not know then that Barbara might well have the largest library of tatting books assembled.
Barbara Foster
But I did have the good fortune to know Mary Lou Tiffany. Mary Lou at that time must have had the most extensive reference library of "oldie" tatting books in the world! Beginning with a tattered copy of "Tatting Techniques" by Elgiva Nicholls, she gathered nearly all of the books of tatting patterns published the last century and some of the previous century, too. I am lucky to have known her as she introduced me to Barbara Foster's "Needle Tatting 1 & 2" in 1989.
And today Handy Hands Tatting under Barbara Foster's leadership has become a leader in the tatting industry. Not only publishing her own needle tatting books and videos but also offering a wide variety of tatting pattern books in many languages. She brought tatters around the world together to share our passion for tatted lace.
And she has introduced many beginning tatting designers and their first books to the tatting world... including my own humble book from 1993.
Handy Hands supplies will be found at many local, national and international tatting conventions and workshops.
Handy Hands offers so many books and beautiful threads for tatting that one can spend an hour on the website just looking at covers and luscious thread colors.
And as a tatting historian, Barbara makes it possible for tatters today to share the wonderful works of the last @175 yrs by reprinting old leaflets in the public domain. These are available in a friendly, informal publication which comes out three times/year - In the Winter (January), Spring/Summer (April or May), Fall (September). Each 12-page newsletter contains at least 1 easy pattern for the needle (which a shuttle tatter can also do) and the rest are vintage patterns. Newsletter Subscribers can expect a coupon in every issue for 10% off one order from Handy Hands. Please visit hhtatting.com.
A sample of pattern style of new patterns shared in the newsletter.
Best Wishes to Handy Hands Tatting and Barbara Foster for another 30 years!
Here's the latest article from the Tatting site at BellaOnline.com.
Angel Heart - AJ Sutton Here is a petite tatted heart with an angel in the center by AJ Sutton from the files of the Online Tatting Class 2012.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art305950.asp
Please visit tatting.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Tatting. To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Tatting located here -
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=39
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback! Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
Georgia Seitz, Tatting Editor
http://tatting.bellaonline.com
One of the hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com
