This section of a tatted collar is quite old. If you study the joins carefully, you will discover that there aren't any. Yes! This was made before the method of joining tatted pieces by means of the picots was popularized. The connections are sewn together. Any tatter can imagine the work involved.
The Caulfield and Elsternwick Leader (North Brighton, Vic. Australia: 1888 - 1902), published this poem on Saturday March 2, 1889, on page 4.
Tatting
With figure demure and downcast face,
And a tranquil air of quiet grace.
Her delicate fingers deftly wrought
A pattern as fine as a fairy's thought,
Tatting that day. A maiden fair,
with the silken hair,
And the shining eyes of a lustre rare,
What abracadabra, mysterious spell
Is thy flying shuttle weaving so well,
Tatting to-day. Ah, sir,
I work to have my way
In the perfumed air of a gracious day;
My nimble fingers are weaving a snare
To entangle human hearts.
Beware Of my tatting to-day.
So the lively fingers, entrancing, flew,
And the lustrous eyes were heavenly blue;
And the silken hair was shot with gold,
And down in a golden glory rolled,
Tatting that day.
And she had her will on a gracious day,
All clad in a cloud of white array;
And I bless the day and the perfumed air,
That kissed her cheek as she wove her snare,
Tatting that day.
Many thanks to the "trove.nla.gov.au" for saving this vintage article.
At Library thing.com I discovered a list of vintage needle work publications. Among them I found these titles that mention tatting. Since these are in the public domain they would make great tools for teaching tatting and learning how to modernize patterns using today's tatting techniques.
All tatters are welcome to help preserve the tatting patterns. If you like to help, please send a photo of new tatted model to tatting BellaOnline.com. Make note of any changes you made to modern the instructions. If you can draw a diagram, it would be most welcome, but we do have volunteers to help with diagrams.
Edgings: Crocheted, Knitted, Tatted, Hairpin Lace Star Doily Book
Crochet and Tatting - Heirloom Edition - Star Book No. 66
Edgings: Crocheted - Knitted - Tatted, Book 7, 10 cents
Beginner's manual : knitting, crocheting, tatting
Sparkling White Doilies Star Doily Book No. 91 Crochet, Tatted Hairpin
Doilies - Knitted, Crocheted and Tatted Star Book, No. 228
Tatted and Crocheted Designs, Star Book No. 30
Star Book for the Home: Crocheted-Knitted-Tatted Book 19
Edgings: crocheted, tatted, hair pin lace. Star Book; no. 81
Doilies: Crocheted, Knitted, Tatted, Beaded, Pineapples, Ruffles
Star Book Of Crocheted, Knitted, Tatted, Book 15
The Star Beginners Handbook of Crocheting Knitting Tatting (Book 24)
Doilies, Crocheted and Tatted. Star Book; no. 44.
Revised Beginner's Manual: Knitting, Crocheting, Tatting. 3. ed. Star Book
These booklets were priced between 10 cents and 25 cents at the time. Through the years they became known as "10-centers." They were published by thread companies most often as a marketing tool to sell thread and yarns.
Note: I have green eyes and brown hair but I have a love for tatting that I have enjoyed now for 37 years. It is the nimbleness of the fingers and willingness to teach others that makes tatting a joy to share.
Happy International Tatting Day.
Here's the latest article from the Tatting site at BellaOnline.com.
NHY Arrow Edging #29 Nellie Hall Youngburg Arrow Head Edging for Centerpiece #29 pg. 10
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art302619.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 hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com
