Happy International Tatting Day! You thought it was April Fool’s Day? Well, yes, it is, but it is also a day to celebrate tatting.
I love tatting. I like the feel of the smooth shuttle in my hands, the way the thread slips through my fingers and the gentle click, click, as a thing of beauty emerges.
After my mother passed away, I badly needed something new to do, something I had to concentrate on, something to do with my hands. So, I took tatting lessons. At first, the thread knotted and tangled and I spent more time taking out bungles than tatting. I was about to decide I could never master it, but gave it on more try and, at last I got the hang of it. There’s a life lesson, isn’t it? Just give it one more try and the snarls and tangles will smooth out.
Tatting goes way, way back to–goodness, I don’t know where it originated. Ladies many years ago tatted, making lace to spiffy up even the simplest garment or handkerchief. When I tat, I feel a kinship with these lades. I also feel a connection with my mom. She tatted too.
This length of lace has a story behind it. A long time ago in our home at Manos Meadows, my husband and I got into the habit of watching a daily television program together. The show was one hour long. Feeling kind of guilty about sitting still so long in the middle of the day, I grabbed my tatting basket. 
As the show progressed, I tatted. It took exactly one hour to make an inch of the lace. So when I look at this lace now, I remember how it came about. Only thing is, I’m not quite sure of what to do with it. Maybe I should make it longer until some day in the dim and distant future I have enough lace to edge a tablecloth. I don’t know. But it was fun to make.
Tatting bears a close resemblance to writing. Think about it. With tatting, I start with a shuttle and a string. The thread slips through the shuttle, through a loop, around the fingers, and at the end of the day, there’s a pretty bit of lace. A writer takes words, strings them together, and at the end of the day, a story. Very similar!
Through the years, I’ve gotten out of the habit of tatting, but I need to get back into it. It is relaxing, soothing, and a nice way to fill in idle hours instead of watching television. If you are looking for some new craft to love, I recommend tatting. It’s a great way to solve problems. Seriously. Thinking about that beautiful bit of lace between your fingers gives the mind a rest and a rested mind is a creative mind. And, if at first it doesn’t look like a piece of lace, just forget the mistakes and begin again!
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