April 22 is celebrated as Earth Day in the USA. It is a time to reflect on how each of us can help to preserve the earth. Recycling is a major activity in these celebrations. But how can tatters recycle?

Here at BellaOnline.com we recycle vintage patterns and make them available to tatters around the world. Since we post them online we save on paper and ink. We can print only the patterns we want to try out. That keeps paper out of the landfill. We can use soy based inks in our printers, too.

We can't normally recycle thread, unless it is unused balls which you can donate at your local tatting guild or give to newbies. But if you have partial balls of thread leftover from your projects, you can recycle that thread in another way.

We all use plastic containers since our food comes packaged in them so often. Take these containers and keep them out of the landfill by recycling them into flat tatting shuttles for large projects or for giveaway to new tatters. Cut an oval shape from the plastic. Punch out two holes at opposite ends. Cut slits from the edge to the hole on both ends. Or you can get fancy and make the shape that of a bird or fish

Now you can wind that leftover thread on the plastic shuttles and give them away to any new tatter that you might want to teach. Carry them in your purse or pocket for impromptu tatting demonstrations as you wait at the dentist or doctor's office.

So as we do our part to save the earth we are also preserving the art of tatting!