Idea 1: Shuttles decorated with Scottish tartan patterns were sold in the 1800s as souvenirs and are now highly collectible. I got into a discussion with my tatting friend Anitra about how it would be fun to find authentic tartan patterns and use them to make our own tartan shuttles.
Idea 2: So if we did find photos of tartans that we wanted to use and if we then printed them using an inkjet printer, would the printed result hold up to multiple coats of decoupage medium or would the ink run, thus ruining the pattern?
There are several books that provide illustrations of the clan tartans, and I suspected, rightly, that I could find many more from online sources. One of the sources I use to search for designs is Spoonflower, a company that is just down the road from me in Durham, NC. Spoonflower allows designers to submit their work and then prints on-demand custom textiles and papers for their customers.
You can search their database for designs by color or by topic. My search using the term "tartan" resulted in 35 screens of designs, probably more than I could possibly find in any book of patterns.
Using a program to capture an image from the computer screen, I saved a sample tartan to a file which I then printed on my inkjet printer at the highest resolution. Once I had the image on paper, I treated it just as I did the origami paper that I usually use. I am pleased to say that even with multiple coats of Mod Podge and Martha Stewart Crafts High Gloss finish, the printer ink did not run or smear.
Here's the final result, Royal Stewart tartan on a Clover tatting shuttle:
1 comment:
Excellent study and I might add I bought some pretty shuttles that had a clear resin from Japan when I got it and studied it I realized they were using the nail resin that they use to put fake fingernails on with and this works super but need to be careful to not make too thick or it will bend the shuttle tips to where the thread will not hold in. It's great stuff and like a rock and you find it at Walmart or drug stores where you buy fake nails. I love this and great post I wondered if a copy of tartan would work too thanks for figuring this all out hugs from Carollyn
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