Summer Fun in Our GTO !

Our 1969 Pontiac GTO convertible is now 40 years old!

We bought the car new, and would never have believed that we would still have it 40 years later!

To celebrate the occasion I bought a new jacket to wear to the many car cruises we attend all summer (and have attended since 1980!). I knew I was going to embellish the jacket, but I didn’t have anything specific planned. Recently, however, my mind got in ‘gear’ (pardon the pun!) and I came up with some ideas!

GTO Jacket, with Tatted Embellishment (so far)


When I saw the sequined alphabet letters at the craft store, I HAD to buy them!

After I sewed the glittery letters on, I wanted to add even more ‘pizzazz’, so I naturally thought of tatting, and this little piece that I had in my ‘stash’ works well. I believe it was done in size 30


After sewing the tatting on, I carefully put silver glitter glue over the tatting, which sparkles in the sun. I also added more ‘bling’ by gluing on some gems

This is basically a ‘work in progress’ as I have other ideas in mind – such as adding tatting to the sleeves and cuffs. We’ll see how it evolves!

I love the front of the jacket! (I forgot to button up the other pocket for the photo).
You can see there are lots of possibilities here, too!



So now I have a special jacket to wear when we go to the car cruises.



And when I do some tatting while sitting by the car, I’ll be able to show how tatting can be used today as a fashion ‘statement.’





1969 Pontiac GTO convertible

And here’s the car, as it looked in 1977 at 8 years young (and me 33 years young – and still 12 years away from learning to tat!). I’m standing in the driveway of our then 4-year-old house.


The flag decal on the front fender was for the US Bicentennial in 1976.









This is how the GTO looks today, 40 years and 120,000 miles from the day we left the dealership






As for me, I guess I have to admit that I’m now 65! (*sigh*)

The GTO is associated with tigers and goats – that’s why we have the stuffed animals on the roof. Plus we sometimes display a food tray, reminiscent of the ‘eat in your car’ drive-in restaurants, which were common back then

Here’s another view.

This photo was taken from Mt. Washington, which has amazing views of the city of Pittsburgh









Here’s some more trivia about the car, if you’re interested in old cars:

- It has a 4-speed manual shift, and has an ‘AM-only’ radio. Back then, FM stations did not play rock ‘n roll! That was for ‘square’ adults!

- Everything is still original – vinyl top, paint (‘Mayfair Maize’), and interior (bucket seats). It has not been restored

- The engine has had some work done (including a new carburetor and radiator), but has authentic parts.

- We had to be towed once (in 1972) when the timing chain broke, 30 miles from home!


Car ‘Connection’ to Moon Landing – also 40th Anniversary this year
In researching info about the car, we discovered that it was rolling off the assembly line at GM’s plant in Baltimore, MD the same week that the first Moon Landing mission was taking place (July 16 launch - July 20 landing on Moon - July 24 return to earth).

Other events of 1969
The spectacular moon landing was a welcome reprieve from other unsettling events of the time – there was a lot of unrest in America about many social issues, especially Vietnam. (I was a very confused, mini-skirt-wearing, 25-year-old secretary, married four years, and having grown up in a happier time with poodle skirts, bobby socks and Elvis! My husband was in the Army Reserves, and was in his third year of a six-year commitment, so it was tricky for us to take on a car payment, as we didn’t know what the future held for us. We still lived in an apartment, and building a house wasn’t even on the agenda!

Therefore, the car represents our youth, the uncertainties of the ‘60s, and with the moon landing, hope for a fabulous future - and I remember all of it very well. It’s also been a great car to ride in, and we’ve met many people through the car cruises. Also at the cruise we get to see other cars that we’ve owned over the years, plus the cars of our parents. It’s amazing how many people have restored or saved old cars, especially here in Pennsylvania

Car Songs of the Era
We especially enjoy listening to the music of our era (‘50s and ‘60s), which they always play at the cruises, especially the car songs (“Little Old Lady from Pasadena”, “Til Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away”, “She’s Real Fine, My 409”, “Mustang Sally”, and, of course our favorite:

“Little GTO” by Ronnie and the Daytonas. My husband INSISTED that I include the link below (for car enthusiasts) so that you can hear the song and see a slide show of the various GTO models from 1964-1972 (although they don’t label them). The slide show begins about 25 seconds into the song.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_FSicQWimU

Hope you enjoyed my little 'Cruise' down Memory Lane!

One of our nieces will be graduating from high school tomorrow. Here's to the Class of 2009 as they begin a new journey of their own!

Motif #20 - Red, White and Blue PIn (two versions)

Plus photo of 111-year-old Christening gown, mentioned in my St. Patrick’s Day post.

* * *

In the United States, three Patriotic holidays are coming up (Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Fourth of July), so I’m sharing two versions of a Celtic motif designed by Sue Hanson in 1999, which appeared on the Internet. Here I incorporated the colors red, white and blue, all DMC perle cotton, size 8.

Back around 2000, I apparently was surfing the Net at the library and was able to print out Sue Hanson’s 5-point Celtic Motif, which she did in two colors. The easiest way to see Sue’s basic pattern is to Google “Sue Hanson’s Tatting Patterns”. There’s a nice chart which lists several of her clever patterns, including this one. Her heart pattern is also very attractive.

I believe I independently came up with the idea of attaching (sewing) the motif to a tri-colored ribbon. (The pin backing is also sewn on.)


Motif #20 – Version A

I used red white and blue for the colors in the 3-section motif.

1st section –white rings and chains,
2nd section – (‘star’) blue rings and chains
3rd section – red rings and white chains

I changed the 3rd (outer) section to have longer chains to include three picots in each chain, rather than two. Adding the longer chain definitely gives the motif a different look.

I sewed a brass star (from scrapbooking supplies) in the middle, and added a tiny gold bead through the center hole in the star.

Motif #20 – Version B

Here, tatting-wise, is Sue's original motif (shorter outer chains, having two picots each.)

A slight change to the colors also gives a different look to this motif from the one above.

1st section – white rings and chains
2nd section – blue chains, red rings
3rd section – white rings and chains

I glued a red gem to the center of this motif.

These holidays mean that summer is finally on the way (although I don’t want to ‘rush’ it, and I will savor every moment). This week we have been blessed by the most fantastic weather! My mood has improved considerably, and the back yard is a wonderful place for contemplation and admiration of nature. Lots of birds and rabbits, and occasionally some deer. I’d love to have a butterfly garden, but haven’t been successful in planting one so far.

Christening gown made in 1898 !

In my St. Patrick’s Day post, I mentioned my grandparents, whose parents (English and Irish, although they all lived in Ireland) emigrated to America between 1850 and 1870. My English grandfather had tailoring skills, and in 1898 for his firstborn child (my uncle ) he made a Christening gown, which is still in the family and has been worn by my uncle’s children, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And now it’s been worn by my uncle’s great-great granddaughter. Here is a very recent photo of the gown, which looks new! Lots of pin-tucks and some nice wide eyelet-type 'lace' for insertions, the hem and sleeves. I believe my mother (b. 1907) also wore the gown as did two other uncles. Fortunately, it has been lovingly stored and cherished down through the generations

Interestingly, it was my grandfather, not grandmother, who did the sewing in the family, and had a laundry business – very important to the community back in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, I never met him, as he died in 1929. I remember my mother saying how her father helped her with her 'school' embroidery projects, of which she did only a few, so I’m delighted to have four napkins she embroidered. She did not have an interest in needle arts, but was a great cook, which, unfortunately, did not ‘rub off’ on me! :-(

My mother graduated from a ‘big city’ school (Springfield, Mass.) in 1924 and went to “Normal” school for two years (now Westfield State Teachers College); then she taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Vermont for six months. (1926-27). I have photos of her standing in front of that schoolhouse (wood siding - no longer there), and actually saw (in 1993) the home where she boarded. She mentioned how she had to start the potbelly stove – like ‘Little House on the Prairie”! The location of the small Vermont town is not far from Arlington, VT, where Norman Rockwell set up a studio in the 1930s, although that was several years after her teaching stint. However, she may have taught some of the children who later became his ‘models’.

Looking forward to picnics, trips to lakes, and nice summer weather!

While Strolling Through the Park One Day, in the Merry Merry Month of May ...

(A popular “Parlor” song from 1884 – see below)

Motif #19 – Edging Used on Victorian Handkerchief Doll, Hat and 3-D Parasol.

(Edging # 8834 from the Tatters Treasure Chest – Dover Publications)

In honor of Month of May, and also Mother’s Day, I’m showing my Victorian ‘handkerchief’ doll, which I created back in 1992, after I saw a McCall’s pattern for making dinner napkins into Victorian dolls

I thought the idea would also work with handkerchiefs which otherwise would be stored out of sight in linen closets

Of course, two handkerchiefs with tatted edging are ideal!

The two handkerchiefs used for the doll can be completely ‘untied’ and used again as handkerchiefs. No sewing or cutting is involved. As I recall, I used size 30 DMC ecru thread for the tatting.

I’m going on memory here, as far as the instructions. The basic idea is to take a Styrofoam cone and cover it with plain fabric, providing an underskirt. A thin dowel rod is stuck into the top of the cone so that the upper body and head are supported

The lower handkerchief (put on first) is draped over the cone, showing off the tatted lace to best advantage.

The upper handkerchief forms the head, sleeves and upper ‘apron’. This particular handkerchief has a simple chain edging, and an appliqué in one corner, which becomes the ‘apron’ of the skirt. The head is formed over some cotton batting, and a ribbon is tied at the neck. She also has a piece of scrap tatting for a ‘collar’. The puffy sleeves also have quilt batting, and the ends are tied in a knot to form ‘hands’. The handkerchief is also tied with a ribbon at the ‘waist’

Here is a the back of the doll. Her hair is ‘tacked’ onto the top of her head with some small stitches. and her hat is a very small doily stiffened into a hat shape, using the same lace edging as that on the lower handkerchief

The parasol is basically rings and chains and is topped with the same lace used on the bottom handkerchief and hat.

I’ll feature the parasol on another post

The basket is from Rebecca Jones’ book, and I’ll also feature it on another post

She’s sure carrying a lot of stuff !!!

Imagine what you could do with all those handkerchiefs stored hidden away. The dolls would make great gifts and wonderful curio keepsakes

Here’s some information about the song

You can check the website www.geocities.com/holidaysfun/strollpark.html to hear this melody and see the lyrics. You might even do a little “soft shoe” tap dance!

Younger folks may not be aware of this quaint 1880’s Victorian parlor song (although the original title was “The Fountain in the Park”) , as that kind of music (sadly) doesn’t seem to be popular anymore. This is one of those ditties which remained a staple in most barbershop quartet repertoires and in family sing-alongs

Because of my interest in Victorian things and in playing music, I find it to be a charming reminder of a more ‘innocent’ time, when “June, croon, tune, honeymoon and spoon” were popular rhyming words

Although the author of the song is listed as “Ed Haley”, further research on the amazing web indicates that the actual writer of the song is a fellow named Robert Keiser (1862-1932) , also known as Robert King. For whatever reason, he wrote music under several different pseudonyms, even using women’s names! Ohio’s theme song “Beautiful Ohio”, was published under the name “Mary Earl” but the writer was actually Robert Keiser/King again. (Go figure!)

I hope you all have a Happy Mother’s Day! Although I’m not a mother myself, I’ve enjoyed my role as “Aunt Kathy” to several nieces and nephews, ranging in age from 48 to 18. However, being an aunt is definitely easier than being a mother! My hat is off to all of you who have children! You deserve to have a special day! I’ll fondly be remembering my own wonderful mother, and other older women in my life who were mentors and friends, especially those who shared my love of needlecrafts.

A Card for You, a Bunny, and More Eggs !

HAPPY EASTER 2009 !


I hope you have a pleasant Easter holiday with your families. It’s a time to reflect on all of our Blessings. and to look forward to a new spirit of personal growth, as we witness the miracle of rebirth all around us with the coming of Spring!











I wanted very much to tat with my new Lizbeth thread (color 661), and it definitely lives up to all your praise! I am very impressed with its crispness! I quickly tatted up a simple cross, then decided to put it on a card to share with you.

Easter Bunny drops by !




I was excited that a sweet bunny stopped by long enough to be photographed with some beaded eggs that I added tatting to last year, but then added sparkly gems to this year!









The eggs came from Michaels and are 3-1/2 inches high. They are not only covered nicely with microbeads, but also have a variation of color from light to dark. Of course I bought as many eggs as I could last year, anticipating that they would not appear again this year, and I was correct. I'm disappointed about that, as they are of such a high quality, and there seem to be very few microbead eggs available on the internet. They each came with a small bow, which I removed so that I could fashion a fancier bow, and added flowers and some gold wire ribbon.

Just a quick post on this very special Holiday. Although it will only be 53 degrees today, I’m delighted to see sunshine and blue skies!

You might want to look at some "pysanky" sites on the web for some wonderful egg designs done in the Ukrainian tradition! I dabbled in this art years ago and will show some of those eggs on a future post!

Festive Beaded Eggs with Tatting and "Bling"!

Also – some amazing finds during yesterday’s trip (April 9) to Hobby Lobby.

Plus THREE CHEERS to Janette Baker!!!

I’m doing a quick post to show two recent egg designs, which I came up with last week while experimenting with pretty adhesive gems found in the scrapbook section at Michaels. I was able to display the eggs at the Maple Festival last weekend, and they received many favorable comments.

The two eggs below (normal size) were part of a set of six ‘microbead’ eggs I found at Jo Ann Fabrics last year (but are not available this year, of course!). The gem embellishments are from the scrapbook section at Michaels – adhesive, one-piece gem stickers I found this year. The neat thing is that the gems come in ONE PIECE on a single sticker, which makes them super easy to attach.

This tatted motif, done with a cranberry perle cotton (size 8). consists of eight rings and chains that I made up to accommodate the gems, so that each green
gem sits under a chain, and keeps the tatted ring visible.

The package had a duplicate sticker, which I hope to attach to the reverse side, after I tat another motif!

An adhesive strip of rhinestones (also very convenient!) divides the egg vertically, and makes it sparkly from the side.

Four metallic ‘bell caps’ are pinned on to add to the design, and the tatting itself is held on with gold bead pins. This egg is sitting on my special brass egg holder.




I had an extra tatted green wreath in my ‘stash’ (I believe it’s Patti Duff’s), so I thought I’d see how it looked on the yellow beaded egg, and it worked out nicely. I used different color bead pins to give it a festive look, and, added a one-piece ‘gem’ sticker in the center.

The gold beads (also self-adhesive, on a strip) worked great to section off the egg

This egg is sitting on a plastic egg holder but also has a hanger. I can’t seem to find these egg holders anymore, but they’re probably on the internet.







I hope to show more eggs from past years (it will have to be after Easter), but I wanted to share with you my recent EXCITING FINDS at a Hobby Lobby in our area.

Shopping Trip to Hobby Lobby on Thursday, April 9.
I have been upset that Jo Ann’s seems to have NO tatting supplies anymore, although Michaels has at least a few shuttles and some basic thread, and possibly the Big Book of Tatting by Darlene Polachic (mentioned in my previous post). .

But yesterday (Thursday) when I went to Hobby Lobby in Boardman, Ohio, I was bowled over when I saw their EXCELLENT tatting section, containing rarely seen metal Boye shuttles with bobbins (plus extra bobbins in a separate package -also rarely seen), plus a couple of Aero shuttles with metal hooks, plus clover shuttles! They also had needle tatting supplies and books and a video on needle tatting.

But my BIGGEST SURPRISES were the two books staring at me:

- The new Learn to Tat book by Janette Baker, complete with “interactive DVD”.

At my local Barnes and Noble, you have to ORDER the book. I want them to DISPLAY IT so visitors to the store can SEE it, although I haven’t told them that - YET!! Therefore, I was amazed to see it prominently displayed at Hobby Lobby! I first learned about this book from Diane’s blog http://lacelovinlibrarian.blogspot.com/ (Thanks, Diane!) and was excited when Diane mentioned that it had a DVD with it. I've been curious to see the DVD - a major step forward in the technology for our times! I believe this is the first commercial DVD.

I have so much more to say about this DVD, but will save it for another post. I can definitely tell you this: THIS IMPRESSIVE DVD IS A "MUST HAVE" FOR ALL NEW TATTERS !!!! Not to mention some of us 'intermediates'. She even goes into "right-side, wrong-side"! CONGRATULATIONS to JANETTE for an amazing DVD!!! I’m delighted that Hobby Lobby has the book prominently displayed to catch the eye of passers-by. (How’s that for a rhyme? :- )

- Celtic Tatting Knots and Patterns by Rosella Linden (aka Ruth Perry).
It was also exciting to see this book ‘in person’. I finally discovered why Ruth has chosen “Rozella Linden” as her ‘pen name”. I love Ruth’s designs and am delighted to have this Celtic ‘tutorial’ in my library!.

My next shock:

- Lizbeth thread, which has been given high marks by so many of you. Hobby Lobby doesn’t have a full range of the colors, but enough of both solid and variegated to keep me busy!!! I’ll report back on my results with it! I assumed I would have to order it from the internet, so I couldn’t believe that I was seeing it ‘in person’!

The main thing for me is that NON-TATTERS will SEE all these items – especially the books – and then become INSPIRED to learn to tat. (Yoo-Hoo! Anyone at Jo Ann’s listening?!!) I told the clerk in the fabric department how THRILLED I am with their tatting display, and she appreciated my comments. I will be writing to the ‘Management’ to express my delight.

I have so much more to write about - plus I have some things to share from the very successful Maple Festival this past weekend. We REALLY lucked out with the weather. It was sunny and warm both days (although a little windy and chilly on Saturday morning) and they again got HUGE crowds. Then on Tuesday it snowed here in Pittsburgh. Yikes – but, normal, I’m afraid.

However, I must close for now, as I want to get this post in today!

I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY EASTER!

I have to admit that after my shopping trip yesterday , for me it feels more like Christmas!!!

"I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket . . ."

From a song by Irving Berlin, featured in the Astaire-Rogers 1936 movie, “Follow the Fleet.” I now have all ten Fred Astaire–Ginger Rogers movies in a DVD collection! My favorite dancers!)

Well, maybe not ALL my eggs – I have too many to put in just ONE basket!

I’ll be showing more eggs soon (before Easter), but below is a grouping of my first eggs – satin ones, to which I added simple motifs back around 1991.

Plus – the Maple Festival is coming up this weekend. More about that at the end of this post.

Also below, – I have a tatting story from a recent shopping trip to share with you.

Let’s see, I think I’m missing something - Oh, yes –

HAPPY TATTING DAY!!

Satin Eggs - from the early 1990s

My Motif #18 is on the pink egg (see below)

You could find these satin eggs (non-shiny) in craft stores in the 1990s. . They’re a ‘larger’ egg, at 3-1/2” high.

They are ‘hollow’ inside and therefore allow pins to be used to either tack the motif down or to use as an embellishment.


The motifs are mostly simple ring-and- chain patterns, and I admit I put the motifs only on one side! On most of the eggs in this photo, I glued down cording as a design element.

Fortunately, there is a hole (unseen) on the one end of the egg, where I was able to ‘hide’ the ends of the cord.

The lovely doily is one I ‘rescued’ from an antique store years ago. We all feel a ‘connection’ to those who tatted these items! As with the doily shown below, it has a solid fabric center.

In the next photos, I’ve singled out two of the eggs.

Motif #18 – from book by Rebecca Jones

This satin egg (from 1991) is sitting on a doily that I wish I could take credit for, but it’s one that I purchased at a local boutique and felt lucky to have found. The shop owner was thrilled that it was going home with a tatter! It is made with a ‘fine’ thread and is so delicate. I’m also impressed by the skill involved in adding lace to a ‘solid’ center.

The motif on the egg is from Complete Book of Tatting by Rebecca Jones. I used a coral color DMC perle cotton, size 8.

I made several of this motif, especially to decorate small boxes.




I like to add embroidered flowers for a Victorian look; however these particular flowers, which were easily found in sewing stores back then, are now difficult to find – and are more expensive! I also used pins/ beads as a design element here. (Oops - I just noticed I’m missing a pin and bead on the left side! Wonder where it went?!!) Back then I simply used a straight pin through a gold bead (as in the above egg), but later I found gold beads already attached to pins. This egg sits on an special egg holder, and has a prominent spot in my china closet.

Right now I can’t find the designer of the motif on this egg, so I won’t count it here.

I see I’m also missing a rhinestone on the left side! This is what happens when transporting items to show after show. I’ll have to fix it!

This is the side view where I used hens and checks as another design element















More eggs to come in future posts.

In the meantime, here’s my recent shopping story, which I just HAD to share with you, especially on International Tatting Day!

I was in a Michaels store over the PA border in Ohio and, as usual, I checked out the status of tatting supplies, which, to my dismay, are becoming more scarce – if not entirely DISAPPEARING from the chain craft stores. (Most unsettling and a subject for a whole other post.)

I had scanned all the books in the different areas of Michaels, especially the knitting and crocheting books – and, as usual (sadly), saw nothing about tatting.

Then while still in the ‘yarn’ vicinity, I overheard one gal talking to another – “Oh, look – TATTING (as she picked up a book) – that’s a dying art.”

Naturally, THAT got my attention! Tatting Book??? (Turns out it was the Big Book of Tatting by Darlene Polachic, which, happily, can still be found in Michaels stores, although I somehow missed seeing it that day!)

But here’s the amazing part: The gal put the book down and was commenting to her friend,
“I remember when Mrs. ____ used to sit all day on her porch tatting away.”

[Of course, I’m eavesdropping with REALLY big ears at this point!]

“She used to have that big frame and she’d work away all day on it.”

Whoa! ‘Big Frame”???? Well, I just HAD to find out what that was about, so I piped up – “Oh, excuse me, I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. I just wanted you to know that tatting isn’t a dying art and many people around the world are tatting, and even making jewelry – there’s lots of information on the internet these days!”

She was very nice and didn’t seem annoyed with my ‘intrusion’, so she told me her story about the lady with the Big Frame and how she used it to tat ‘lots’ of things – especially table cloths! !!

I said, “Are you sure she was ‘tatting’? Because all you need is a small shuttle and don’t need any kind of frame.” But she said – “Oh, yes, I know it was tatting – she used to sit there all day. She would work for hours and hours working with that big frame,”

I decided not to argue the point, so I just said – “Oh, that’s pretty amazing. I hope whoever got them [the tablecloths? Wow!] appreciated them.” And she said, “Well, she had only sons, so I hope they appreciated them, too.” I wished her a ‘good day’ and thanked her for sharing her story.

It was one of those “Twilight Zone” moments, and I couldn’t help being amazed that I happened to be in that area of that store at that particular moment. Here’s the ONLY book in the store on tatting (which I missed seeing!), and this gal finds it within earshot of me and talks about tatting being a dying art - and then talks about this Big Frame!

OK - I’m open for suggestions! What in the world do you think 'Mrs. ___' was doing? Weaving? Needle netting?? Or somehow - tatting?

* * * *

The Maple Festival at Brady’s Run (near Beaver, PA) is this weekend (Apr 4-5), always a big event here in Western PA, which brings thousands of visitors. Our tatting group, the Beaver County Tatters (4 of us at the moment) will demonstrate tatting, which the group has particupated in for at least 20 years and possibly more! This will be my 18th Maple Festival - except I missed actually demo-ing in 2002 after the broken wrists (post of Feb. 27)!

Back in 1990 I had participated in my first 'demo' events at Old Economy, so 1991 was my first Maple Festival, and for the first time I had a few items to sell (two stars and three snowflakes), and was thrilled that they all sold that day! This marked the beginning of my tatting ‘frenzy’ when I tried to have inventory for each festival , plus I started thinking up 3-D ideas. Selling involves so much more than just the tatting – again, the subject of future posts!

Uh-oh – I’m having a sudden need to eat chocolate!
Happy Tatting Day!

Celtic Tatting - Motifs 16 and 17

St. Patrick’s Day !

Below are some “Irish” patterns in commemoration of St. Patrick’s Day

I’m proud to be part Irish, and was named for my maternal grandmother, Katherine (“Kate”) Flanagan. Can’t get much more Irish than that! She was born in America after her parents immigrated to New England around 1870. Sadly, I never knew her, as she died in 1944, the year I was born; but I understand she had a wonderful sense of humor and an infectious laugh, which my wonderful mother also inherited! My grandfather’s ancestors, although having an English name, lived in Ireland for generations, and his parents also immigrated to New England before he was born. My grandfather had tailoring skills and made a christening gown in 1899 that is still in the family!


Motif #16 consists of two parts, both associated with Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic Motif


Motif #16-A: Lenore English, Celtic Bookmark Motif
(based on Motif by Rosemarie Peel)


I love this Celtic tatted motif, which is only one section of an outstanding bookmark by Lenore English, found here:www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/6896/pbkmrk.html



It’s based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic motif, which apparently was on the internet at one time, but I can’t seem to find it. (Rosemarie’s motif is beautifully interpreted by Elizabeth Zipay in a delicate pair of earrings on her Jan. 21, 2008 post.) www.elizabeths-lace.blogspot.com/

On this motif I used two different DMC perle cotton threads, size 8. The label is missing on the lighter green ball of thread, but the dark green is #3346. In this instance, I think the two colors enhance the woven effect


Since I was doing only a single motif, I didn’t need to do a split ring in part 1 (lighter green thread), and therefore I used only one shuttle. I used the darker green for part 2, and back to the lighter green for part 3

The full bookmark is beautifully designed and executed by Lenore, but she admits it’s difficult to do, and after looking over the instructions, I’d have to agree. It will be awhile before I attempt it!


I’ll be wearing the pin on my hand-knit ‘Aran’ sweater, made in 1991, during my tatting-knitting-quilting-frenzy years.

I’m not so ‘driven’ these days, and I’m amused when I read how everyone has three or four projects going at once, and I can very much relate to it





My husband (not exactly Irish!) will also wear the fisherman-knit sweater I made for him way back in 1973 – different pattern (still fits, because I made it a little bigger!), which won a blue ribbon at the Allegheny County Fair back then. The pictured sweater won a blue at the Canfield Fair in Ohio. (Just a little bragging!). I find fisherman sweaters easier to knit than sweaters with color changes, although I’ve made many of those. As with all needle arts, we have our preferences, from types of knitting needles, yarns and patterns, to tatting shuttles, threads and patterns

Motif #16 –B: LaRae Mikulecky’s Celtic Bookmark
also based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic Motif
Lenore’s bookmark was inspired by LaRae Mikulecky’s famous Celtic bookmark from 1997 (below), which also was based on Rosemarie Peel’s Celtic motif




I tatted this bookmark sometime in the early 2000s, and was quite pleased with myself when I finished it




When “surfing the net” back in 1999 or 2000 at the library, I remember being stunned when I came across LaRae Mikulecky’s Celtic bookmark.

It was the first time I had ever seen ‘Celtic’ tatting, and I was mesmerized by all that weaving in and out. I just HAD to tat it! It has a wonderful texture and definitely has a “Wow” factor when seen in person. Fortunately, it was relatively easy to tat, thanks to LaRae’s excellent instructions, which she so generously shared. 

Update 2017: The pattern can still be found, but  I'm having difficulty getting a 'one-click'  link to it in this post.   You have to highlight the red url below,  then right click to bring up a box, then move the cursor down to  'go to http' , and left click it.  That will take you to the pattern.   

http://web.archive.org/web/20080801201719/http:/www.picotnet.com/Patterns/celtic/celtic_bookmark.htm   

I experimented with tatting the first layer (split rings) in dark green, but I think I’d prefer to do all four layers of the bookmark in one color, to add to its ‘mystery’, although it’s helpful here to see how the split rings are the foundation

Both Lenore’s and LaRue’s bookmarks are outstanding and attractive, but the Celtic motif is more clearly seen on Lenore’s three-step bookmark, and very much appeals to me

Motif #17 – Iris Niebach’s “Cactus” Motif

Even though this motif doesn’t involve ‘Celtic tatting’, the design sure looks Celtic to me, and was designed by world-famous Iris Niebach, from Italy!


Believe it or not, it’s made in one pass, and I’m delighted that it’s my first Iris Niebach pattern. Of course, this is one of her easier designs!
















I’m displaying it here on a candle-wicked pillow I made long, long ago, in a galaxy far away


The candlewick knots were fun to do, but at the time I didn’t know yet how to quilt a ‘running stitch’. I just sort of ‘stab stitched’ the ‘quilted’ areas






As mentioned above, Iris’s motif is an amazing one-pass pattern (without any special tricks) which is very easy to follow, and measures about 5” across.

I must give credit to Marty of Tat’s All She Wrote - http://www.marty-tatsall.blogspot.com// where I first saw this pattern. It is beautifully tatted and was her 20th motif, posted April 23, 2008. I was excited that the pattern was offered free from Iris Niebach, and Marty provides an easy link to it. You must visit Marty’s blog to see all her beautiful tatting! Marty has skillfully tatted many of Iris’s patterns!

The thread I used above has a unique history. itself, as it dates back at least 30 or more years!
It was made by American Thread Company at Fall River, Massachusetts, called “Silkateen” (100 yards) on wood spools (collectors’ items) and feels like size 8 perle cotton.





Amazingly, a few boxes of this thread sat on a shelf for who knows how many years in a hardware / general merchandise store owned by a relative of my sister-in-law. The store was being sold, so my sweet SIL gave the thread to me! I had to unwind it a bit to get past the more ‘brittle’ outside yardage; then it became stronger and darker as I removed the outer layers of thread

In researching the company, I haven’t been able to find a reference to the Fall River mill in Massachusetts. There is information about a Connecticut mill, and a nice photo of the ‘headquarters’ building in New York. The American Thread Company apparently began operations in 1899 here in America and had several mill sites in New England. Apparently the mills closed around the 1970s. I’d have to do more in-depth research to track down the story of the production of this thread. I made a few Christmas wreath pins out of this thread for my SIL and her daughters, as a memento of the store owned by their relative.

Have a great St. Patty’s Day!