The promised shameless plug for Elgiva's book listing on eBay

As I said in my last post I would have a shameless plug for my book listing on eBay so here it is!

This is for the rarest of Elgiva Nicholl's amazing tatting books. It was published in 1959 and is SO before-its-time it is really incredible to think she was doing things like this over 50 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!

It really is very hard to find and the last one I remember seeing for sale (before the one I bought that is!) on eBay was Jane's one (over 2 years ago) that she posted about here & here. There isn't much point me giving much more info than Jane gave in her posts (it really is worth checking them out) as she really did cover it all - except to say that it is not a pattern book per se but instead gives instructions & ideas for various floral elements & in my personal opinion it is one of the most important books to own either for the serious collector or designer. I'm only selling this copy as I, very luckily, managed to get another copy.

As the listing says the book is in good to very good vintage condition - the covers have separated at some time and have 3 small strips of aged tape at the front and a line at the back, the very top & bottom of the spine have a split a little and are bit worn, and there is a supplier label stuck to the inside back cover but the inside pages of the book are in very good to immaculate vintage condition.

I haven't listed the Mary Konior duplicate as yet as I can't find my original copy!!! It is "Tatting in Lace" if any one is interested.

I have 3 more snowflakes to show but that is for a later post.


TTFN

Belated Happy New Year & Snowflake Challenge

Hope everyone had a very safe & prosperous New Year - ours was relatively quiet.

Perusing the blogs I came across Bree's post here about doing 100 snowflakes in a year and thought 100!!!!..........WOW that's alot, then thought oh, heck....give it a try..........so here we go

At no.1 we have Frivole's flocon from here (done in Lizbeth Spring Garden, I think)




At no.2 is a pattern of Wanda's that I was cheeky enough to ask for LOL - she mentioned it on this post (done in Lizbeth Cotton Candy)



Neither has been blocked and I don't think the background was the right colour choice.

No image of no.3 as yet but just to tease............it's another pattern of Wanda's but this time a new one that you may just get to see later on!!!

I've managed to get a few "new" books on eBay recently which are duplicates of ones I already own so there will be a shameless plug for them when I come to sell them in the next wee while. To mention a couple - one is a Konior book & the other Elgiva's rare one but as the replacements are not here as yet I won't tease you any further LOL.


By the way, anyone got any ideas about the previous post - all help gratefully received!


TTFN

What a coup!

Anybody else with eagle eyes spot the item below on eBayUK earlier on in the week?







Well I am very proud to announce that it now resides with ME!
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


According to Virginia Mescher in "Flitting Fingers" (2002) & I quote.......

".........[A copy of this book was unavailable as a primary reference, but was mentioned in several secondary sources (an aside: just wish she had said which secondary sources!). The only known copy that was located had been housed in the British Library, but was destroyed in World War II during the London Blitz.]......."

That would by definition, if she is right, mean that I now own the ONLY known copy!!!!!! Sorry but I can't stop crowing - I am just SO EXCITED!

I have a question for all out there in tatland - if I reissued it, would there be any interest in buying it? I am planning on it being an actual hardcopy not in pdf form and it wouldn't be an exact reproduction (too easy to rip off) but a true facsmilie. As I have not been at work for 7 weeks with the problems with my eye (& won't be back for at least another week) I am not being paid so need to try & earn some money somehow to tide us over, particularly with Xmas fast approaching (& a 9yr old that has a hard time understanding cost-cutting LOL) so there would need to be a charge & to cover printing costs etc as well.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? Or would there be some interest? Please give me your feedback!

Patti Duff's Minitats

Well, long time no see LOL - no excuses just haven't been in tatting mode :(

Anyway, just thought I'd let you know I made an interesting discovery at the weekend entirely by accident but serendipidous anyway............Deb at DS9Designs has a few copies of Patti Duff's Mintats available - see here . She says 10 copies available on her website but make that 9 at least as I have been hunting for it for ages - spent way too much when you include postage to the UK but hey ho that's the way the cookie crumbles when you want something enough!

Hope to get back into tatting mode ASAP

Finally I've caught up with myself LOL

As the heading says.... finally I've caught up. I had 4 Secret Santa's to do (my own fault for thinking I could get 3 done for the intatters exchange and 1 for the tattinggoddess exchange). I LOVE doing them but always worry - have I put enough in?, or too much? I don't want the recipient to feel either slighted or guilty about what they sent to their own partner. I'll post the pattern links and photos once I know the recipients have got them.

Now onto the AMAZING giveaway present I got from Wanda. I truly was lost for words as just one of the items would have been more than enough. As Wanda has shown in her blog here. - she sent me the most stunning doily done in Lizbeth Falling Leaves. It is based on her Arches over Arches doily that she blogged about here.



There was also a ball of Lizbeth Falling Leaves thread and a shuttle.


A great mug and a box of tea for Tatting Tea Tuesdays - only going to be used for extra special occasions as it is far to nice to risk for everyday use.


Three (yes - 3!!!!) books - two tatting ones and a lovely little photo book all about Kansas. The tatting ones were Martha Ess' Holidays on the Block and Just Tat by Michelle Goldsborough - neither of which do I own so I've been spoilt rotten.




And a bag of Hershey's choccies- yummy!

I really can't say a big enough THANK YOU to Wanda

Enough for now - take care

The Dutch Tatting Books

I finally have a chance of posting about the Dutch tatting books I managed to find online. I paid for 5 and the VERY kind lady sent me six - the sixth is also a hardback book whereas the others are paperback books/booklets.

This is a pretty blurry photo of the first three - they are a "set" of books published in the 1940's.


The next is a book that I have seen in at least 3 languages - french, german & here dutch.

















This is a stunning book that I hadn't seen before

















And the free book was the following



I'll give you a quick tour of them - the first of the "set" of books must have been published in 1947 as #2 was published in 1948 & #3 in 1949. It shows the basics of tatting and has 22 fairly basic patterns starting with very simple edgings going through to more complex collars and doilies.


#2 continues from #1 with 18 patterns for again, edgings, collars and doilies involving more techniques including node stitch.

#3 doesn't seem to include any more techniques but offers 23 patterns for a butterfly, flowers, edgings, a bag, bow, collars and more doilies.


The hardback book "Frivolite Vroeger En Nu" which translates as "Tatting Past & Present" is by Sytske Stratenus published in 1977. It starts with some history and the basics of tatting before the first chapter of "Frivolite van Vroeger" (Tatting from the Past) with patterns for edgings, a motif and collars. The chapter "Frivolite van Nu" (Tatting from the Present" shows edgings, a brooch, glass cover, insertion and collar. The last chapter is on tatting with other techniques including embroidery and has patterns for brooches, letters and the decoration on a cloak done in wool tatting and embroidery.

The "Frivolites" book I find odd - simply as there are no written or visual (as we would recognise visual patterns today) patterns - it simply shows enlarged line drawings of the patterns and to do the item you would have to stitch count the line drawing and work out the order etc. No wonder it has appeared in many languages as there are a very limited number of words to translate!!! It has 60 patterns with all but 3 patterns for mat & 2 doilies being edgings or hankie corners. I would say it dates from the 1970's or 80's.

I think the last little book "frivolite-boek" is simply stunning. I think it dates to the 1950's but I'm not sure as there is not any thing in it that is easily datable. It also starts with a brief basics of tatting but then explains how to measure picots and how to do node stitch. It has 30 patterns of edgings, motifs, a bow, a jabot, a baby bonnet, corsage, collars and cuffs, insertions and some absolutely gorgeous doilies. The doilies appeal so much that after doing Iris's TIAS, that I had planned to redo in better colours and complete the whole doily this time, has been sidelined and I have started one of these instead. I have altered the pattern to include mock picots and split chains so I don't have to keep tying & cutting. Once I am a healthy way into it (or finished even) I'll post a picture.

Part 1 of thread exchange

Having participated in the thread exchange, I am now the proud possessor of (at this moment in time) 3 new (to me) threads. Why 3? Well, 2 haven't arrived as yet - this is why I made this part 1. I'll wait and post pictures once all are here. For the moment I'll just describe.

First to arrive was a gorgeous pink holographic thread from Libby.
Then, yesterday I got a stunning 100% silk ladyshuttlemaker HDT from Karen and from Jeff I got a wonderful metallic Oren Bayan thread that I've seen talked about by various people.

Haven't I been spoilt?!!! Now all I have to do is find some extra special patterns to do with these special threads.

I have just bought some vintage Dutch tatting books I found online, so when they arrive I'll post some photos and maybe I'll find some patterns to do in them. I love the patterns in the Finnish book and have done one of them but don't have a photo as I gave it away (the story of all my tatting) to DS's teacher at the end of the school year last year.

Which book is this in? & Thanks

I came across this online today and think it is from one of the japanese tatting books - does anyone know which one?



I would also like to thank everyone that has made comments on my blog it is much appreciated and I look forward to reading them - just wish sometimes there were a few more!!! ;).