Off the Shuttle (finally!): Tatted Edging on Blue Handkerchief

In the late 1980s my mother and I took a trip to England and Scotland. As souvenirs I bought a couple of handkerchiefs at this shop in the Lake District. I bought the tatting thread, Anchor, size 80, color 1210, at Jenners Department Store in Edinburgh. I finished the edging years ago when I was still a fairly new tatter, but just got around to sewing it onto the handkerchief.

Off the Shuttle: Black & White Handkerchief Edging

This is another from my collection of vintage handkerchiefs. This one is cream with a black border. The thread I used for the tatted edging is also vintage: J & P Coats Tatting-Crochet thread in size 80, color 12-D. The pattern is a simple one of single rings separated by chains. I think I found it in an Anne Orr book, but it's a pretty commonly-found pattern.

Off the Shuttle: Blue Handkerchief Edging

Here's another edging I tatted for one of my vintage handkerchiefs. The pattern is "Anniversary" from Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns. The thread is Omega, size 50, color #852, which has been discontinued.

Off the Shuttle: Handkerchief Edging

I tatted this edging for one of my vintage handkerchiefs. The pattern is from The 3rd Tatting Book by Kirstine Nikolajsen and Inge Lisa Nikolajsen (Akacia, 1999, pg. 85). The thread is Omega, size 50, color #850. Like a lot of threads from my stash, this brand is being/has been discontinued.

Off the Shuttle: Hearts!

I tatted these hearts for Valentine's Day cards. The pattern is Rosemarie Peel's heart pattern. Most are tatted in DMC Cebelia size 20 in red (#666), burgundy (#816) and salmon pink (#224). The bright pink hearts are Lizbeth size 20 in color 620. The tiny heart is DMC size 80 in color 666. One of the red hearts has silver beads in place of the picots:

I love this pattern because it's mostly chains so most of the thread comes from the ball not the shuttle. There are only 4 rings in the pattern. I wound less than a yard on the shuttle for each heart I made.