I just finished the tatting of this cross this morning. The ‘almost’ done part of this project is all the ends (2 ends X 20 motifs = 40 thread ends) to complete. I have a train trip planned in about two weeks that this project is perfect for! This cross has 3 of my favorite colors in it. It is a bold color choice….but it is MY color choice.
Just added 4 new Glass/Enamel Tatting Shuttles to my Etsy store: TheShuttleSmith
Coming Soon: Custom Enamel Shuttles with your monograms/initial(s)!!!!
I have been determined to stay away from engaging in 3 things: bobbin lace, quilting, & beading. I KNOW I would enjoy doing all three. BUT I know that all three of these artforms require a considerable outlay of time and money for supplies/materials. In otherwords, these artforms can ‘consume’ a person such as myself. Thus, I have stayed focused first on tatting (and other things relating to tatting: designing, publishing, shuttle-making–sterling silver & enameling) and specialty needlework techniques including needlelaces.
However, once a year I go to the local rock club’s (which I just joined this year!) Rock, Gem & Mineral Show with a good friend. Once there, I am tempted and do buy some strands of natural beads. This same friend (Thanks Lisa L.S.!) also taught me how to turn my bead strands into jewelry using stringing/finishing techniques.
Just recently, I pulled out all the beads that I had strung and finished them into necklaces–the four from L to R.
The bottom photo is of my handmade enameled jewelry. I have a cobalt blue blouse I wear the right set with. I still need to find the perfect outfit for the purple jewelry set.
The photos shows what my tatting shuttle collection looks like. This is the glass case that I have and the reason why I didn’t buy any of the metal/glass boxes I found recently in The Pottery Barn store.
I have had this glass/metal box for several years now. I prompted my husband to buy it for me as a Mother’s Day present from this kids about 10-15 years ago. It was for sale in a Hallmark store. I actually got something that I wanted and liked that year for Mother’s Day!
I don’t consider myself a true tatting shuttle collector. I first started looking for shuttles about 30 years ago in antique stores while my husband I were traveling. I seemed always be there ‘the day after’ a really beautiful/unique one had sold previously. Later, I found out that my tatting friend Cindy Costantinou was probably the one who had gotten them! But I kept looking in the late 80’s and as the years progressed started seeing the prices of antique tatting shuttles rise quite dramatically. At one point when I had found a rather beautiful, but pricey, tatting shuttle and was contemplating its purchase, my husband told me that I needed to decide whether I was a ‘collector’ or not. I walked away from the purchase of that shuttle with the realization that I was a ‘Tatter’ not a ‘collector’. That decision saved me from spending a lot of money on a true tatting shuttle collection. However, I still enjoyed (and still do today) the hunt for tatting shuttles and will occasionally buy one IF the price is reasonable.
I am fairly pleased still today that I am not a true shuttle collector. The high prices that antique tatting shuttles (and other needlework tools) were going for in the late 80’s/early 90’s is not being realized today. The other issue I see with collecting antique tatting shuttles from an investment perspective is that there doesn’t seem to be a reference guide with prices that antique dealers and collectors can use (at least with my knowledge of the industry about 10-15 years ago). Sadly my friend, Cindy C. has passed away. Her brother has her collection. I am sure that he is not able to get the value that she paid for each piece.
I was having coffee with the neighborhood women this morning and decided afterward to pop into some of the stores of the shopping mall.
I wandered into Pottery Barn mostly to look at colors (for my enameling work–can’t really justify their prices + I really don’t need anything!) and found these wonderful glass and metal boxes. They were being marketed as ‘jewelry’ boxes….but I saw their beauty as being ‘tatting shuttle collection’ boxes.
I actually already have a glass/metal Tatting Shuttle Collection Box. I had seen this years ago and told my husband, who bought it and let the kids give it to me for Mother’s Day.