The long days of summer are just right for exploring the needle arts of long ago. Let's look at the Barbour Brothers influence on tatting. Three Barbour brothers (Thomas, Robert and Samuel)established the mill in the late 1800's for spinning flax threads. By 1898 after mergers, the company became the largest manufacturer of flax thread in the U. S. In order to help market their product, they devised the Prize series. They published a book named Barbour's Prize Needlework Series - A Treatise on Lace-Making, Embroidery and Needle Work, Book #1, which featured cash prizes ranging from $5 to $10. Flax thread from size 40- 120 was used. It is interesting reading. Tatting section. pgs 66 - 74.

The full document is available for free download at: http://www.handweaving.net/DAItemDetail.aspx?ItemID=1573

An Exercise Using the Split Ring, Mock Picot and Split Chain, Techniques in a pattern by Miss Jennie R. Welch, Barbour's Prize Needle-work Series #2 "Tatted Star" Pgs. 85-86.

Page 85 Tatted Star

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Page 86 Tatted Star

This antique pattern was originally created in five rounds with each row being tatted, cut and tied. However, since tatters hate ends, Study the motif with the intention of climbing out from the center to the outer rows without cutting and tying.

Here's the latest article from the Tatting site at BellaOnline.com. Josephine Knot (Ring) The Josephine Ring or Knot is easy to tat and offers many options for embellishing . http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art39203.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