Tat Days in Indiana

Oh, how life gets the best of you! I didn’t think it had been this long since I last posted, but apparently it has. To anyone expecting updates, I am so sorry. I will try better from here on.

It is the season of tatting conferences. This weekend there is one in Georgia, then there’s another the end of this month in Cambridge, Ontario hosted by the Fringe Element Tatters. At the beginning of July I was privileged to attend the first ever “Tat Days” held at The Tatting Corner in Anderson, Indiana, just outside of Indianapolis.

Lots of these events are held all over the place, mostly in the United States. Why would I want to go to one? Well, there are many reasons, really. First, I needed to do something for myself. The last 5 years have been somewhat difficult and I finally had vacation time available to me that wasn’t earmarked to look after someone else or a medical problem for myself. I’ve not had a REAL vacation in a very long time. The time nd the funds were both available at the right time, so I went.

My next reason for doing this was so that I could put names to faces. I’m somewhat active in some of the Facebook groups dedicated to tatting and I wanted to see who I’ve been interacting with but had no real idea who they were. I’m old school; I like to see a flesh-and-blood person to complete the picture of who they are in my head. I sure enjoyed this part. I met some absolutely wonderful people!

I learned so much from other tatters, and I truly hope I contributed even a little bit to someone else’s experience. I only saw about 3 other Canadians but they were there, and just about as crazy as am I! I got to see a horse race! I saw how the Americans do fireworks (it is off the hook, people!) on the Fourth of July. I got to go shopping at a different Hobby Lobby (Michael’s could take a real lesson here). In a word, I had FUN!

If you’re able to attend these events regularly, you are a lucky person, indeed. I know that by the time I was ready to come home, I was exhausted, my mind was full, my heart Even more so, I had spent far more than I intended, met a wonderful person named Dawn that shared my hotel room, met lots of others I’m not sure I’ll ever see again (but hope I do!), learned so much, and just felt pleased beyond
measure that I had finally been in the same room with more than one tatter at a time. If you’re able to get to a tatting conference, or even just a regular tatting group meeting, you will be in the company of a wonderful group of people. Tatters!

Happy tatting, folks!

Vancouver Shopping, and Dropping the Shuttle

April 20, 2018

I will start right off in true Canadian tradition: With an apology.  I've been absent, but I have been busy for sure.  I had minor surgery on the 16th, my dog AND my cat have dental issues that need attending, and my daughter is having issues that have me concerned (she will be fine, but I'm the mom, so I worry.  It's written somewhere in the "handbook" that it comes with the territory).  Family first, as they say, but it took me away from my promise to find resources for Canadian Tatters.

So, my fine-feathered friends, I have another one for you!  I introduce to you: Dressew Supply, located on the mainland of British Columbia in Vancouver.  Now, I'm informed they don't do mail order OR online sales, but I'm also told they are absolutely stocked to the rafters with notions and many things a tatter would love.  Apparently, their prices are extremely reasonable and their staff is very knowledgeable in a great many crafts so that if one isn't able to help, someone else on staff likely will.  They are located at 337 W. Hastings St, Vancouver, BC in the heart of Gastown.  While they don't do mail order or online sales, they do come highly recommended by several people.  If you were to call them at 604-682-6196 and asked if they have something, I'm pretty sure they could tell you and you could plan your trip. Their website is www.yelp.com/biz/dressew-supply-vancouver and if you wander over there, I'm sure you'll see lots of wonderful reviews, just like I did.  According to David (who was my very kind contact at the store) all their Facebook and Twitter posts originate at their Instagram account, which is @dressew.  You have several ways to contact these folks other than just on the phone.  

Look at this!!  It is an entire wall of BUTTONS!!  I see Ice-Drop coming out of my ears!!

Just those buttons are tempting!!  Can you imagine all the wonderful tatted musings you could come up with with just those buttons?  I sure can!  (I have a thing for pretty buttons) Give them a look!! 

On a different note, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce some of the newer tatters that might be wandering in here to a  technique I once considered a "waste of time".  I must be getting mellow in my old age because I now swear by it, and that is "posting" your shuttle.

First, it's a technique where you put your shuttle through the ring before you close it.  Just take the shuttle from the top of the work to the backside of the work by dropping it through the ring you're working on and THEN closing the ring.  It is that simple, but has an amazing effect on your end product.

I know, "what the heck does THAT do?"  Well, for one thing, it moves the stitches into better alignment with each other so the ring closes better.  An added plus is that the ring is easier to open in the event you make a boo-boo that needs repairing.  Look here what it does for a ring.  One is not posted, one is posted.  Can you tell the difference?

         

                                                  Non Posted                                                       Posted 


The next thing I noted in this "what the heck does THAT do?"  answer was that subsequent elements were easier to butt up against the previous (you know, removing that awful gap some of us seem to always have between a ring and a chain coming away from it?).  Again, look here; one is off a ring that was posted, another isn't.  I like the look of the one off the ring with posted shuttle better, don't you?

          

                                         Not Posted                                         Posted

I don't know why I hadn't noticed any of this before, and I can't explain it.  I just know that one day I was tatting recently and put my shuttle through the ring for some reason before I closed it, and the ring closed smoothly and COMPLETELY!  I really didn't think anything of it.  The chain that came off it butted up really close to the ring, too.  The next ring I did the same way I always had, without posting the shuttle, and it didn't look as good.  "Hmm...what did I do different on that last ring?"  Why had I not seen that difference before?

Here's the other bonus:  The rings truly ARE easier to open.  There's no twisted bit at the base of the ring to struggle around.  I've opened rings I noticed an error on 2 or 3 back and they opened like a dream.

I now make a very definite effort to remember to post the shuttle and I curse myself when I have to open a ring to do that, cuz it's not as easy to do if you haven't posted the shuttle beforehand.  It really does make a difference!  I will try to show something with trefoils for my next post because the effects of this are far-reaching.  Until next time, my friends!

Happy Tatting!

Good News for Eastern Canada Tatters!

April 11, 2018

Oh my gracious, I'm so excited!  If I wasn't already in a chair I'd need to sit down.  I found a store in Eastern Canada that sells tatting supplies, and they have stores ALL OVER Nova Scotia!

Atlantic Fabrics has been serving the sewing and crafting community in Nova Scotia for a whopping THIRTY-THREE YEARS!!  When I lived in Nova Scotia (more than a few moons ago) I shopped at their store in New Glasgow.  They had so many things in there, and a crafting department second-to-none.  The really nice part of it was that if one clerk wasn't sure what you were asking about, another one would be available to help you with the information you were seeking. They are located in Halifax, Dartmouth, Bridgewater, Truro, Greenwood and New Glasgow.  Their website is atlanticfabrics.com and there are certain parts of it that are currently "Under Construction" because...

...THEY'RE GOING TO OFFER ONLINE SHOPPING IN THE COMING MONTHS!!

Folks, Eastern Canada will finally have a wonderful source of tatting materials available and you won't have to travel very far!  Open up your computer and you'll have a wealth of supplies at your fingertips! I hope the folks that are reading this from the Maritimes are seeing this.  I might be living out here on the open prairie, but I miss the Maritime provinces.  I'm so glad the needs of my fellow tatters are starting to be met the way they should.  

When I lived in Nova Scotia, I lived in a teeny little place called Bickerton W., I worked at Sherbrooke Village, and I'll tell you this for free:  it was a royal pain trying to keep my craft cupboard supplied.  I had to travel at least an hour to Antigonish, and even further if I wanted to go to New Glasgow (where the better supplies were, I'll be honest).  You better be sure you had a whole day and a list of everything you wanted before you went cuz you were hooped if you forgot something important.  Soon, that won't be an issue.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Atlantic Fabrics for getting  back to me so quickly with the "okay" to post their store details here, and thanks for continuing to serve the needs of the crafting community in Nova Scotia!

Okay, now I need to go have a cup of tea and pick up my own tatting before I explode.  This was great news!

Happy Tatting!

Another Hopeful Resource gone.

 April 3, 2018

Oh, my goodness!  I found a treasure trove!  This website lists lacemaking guilds and groups in Canada!!  I just about choked on my tea, I was so excited!  Have any of you found this?  I don't know how recent any of the links are, but this will prove extremely helpful in getting Canada properly onto the tatting map instead of just out here on the periphery.

http://www.arachne.com/guild/canada.html

There were all kinds of them and I just didn't have time to look at them all, but it was exciting nontheless.  If anyone with an internet connection at home and with time on your hands could go have a look at it and get back to me, I would truly appreciate the help.

I heard from another tatting resource.  They were very excited to be listed on our little corner of the website.  Stitch-it Central in Ingersoll, ON has been in business for quite some time, and Cindy, the kind lady I contacted, has written a little something for our blog:

Stitch-it Central started over 10 years ago when Maria Santos wanted to take her love of cross-stitching and be able to share it with more people, and meet some new friends.  The company started small, in the basement of their house with a small inventory, a small group of stitchers and a couple new customers popping in to check out the growing store.  It wasn't long before the inventory and the stitching group out-grew the basement location and Stitch-it Central found a home in the quaint little town of Ingersoll, Ontario in 2013.  We began catering more to the crafts that customers were asking about and soon expanded into needlepoint, rug hooking, tatting, yarns, quilting and even custom framing!  Proudly Canadian and boasting a website with over 50,000 products and a physical store of over 3000 square feet, we are meeting new customers and making new friends every day, all while sharing a love of hobbies and crafting.

We have a great selection of tatting supplies, including shuttles, needles, gauges, bobbin cases, books, threaders, and a wide variety of Lizbeth threads in different sizes.  

Please visit us at www.stitchitcentral.ca, come to our store at 189 Thames St. S, Ingersoll ON, call us at 519-303-1563, or email us at sales@stitchitcentral.ca.  You can also visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Stitchitcentral/?ref=bookmark

Their website seems very well laid-out and easily navigable.  Their selection of tatting tools is impressive, and I may invest in one of those threaders they have featured.  I can never seem to find one that will hold up to threading size 20 Lizbeth through the eye of the needle I use when I do break down and hide ends.  I absolutely HATE hiding ends and will find a creative way to insert a split chain or split ring into my work just so I can climb from one round to the next without cutting and tying!

You know, I need to sincerely thank everyone that has stepped up to volunteer as a mentor, consented to let me list their shop here, spread the word, or even just given encouragement. It's all very hard to put into words. This is truly important to me; something I've wanted to do for a long time.  It is both heartwarming and humbling to be part of such a wonderful group of people. Gives ya the warm fuzzies, it does!

I'm afraid tonight's post won't be a long one, sorry.  I twisted my knee on the ice yesterday evening while we were hurrying to get our dog to the dog wash in town (hey, everyone needs to have a bath before they go to the doctor, er, vet).  Nothing serious, but I broke out the ol' cane and have been taking steps rather gingerly today.  I need to get things ready to go back to work tomorrow.  Ah, why can't it be a 2-day work week and a 5 day-off situation?  I suppose it just makes you appreciate the time you do have.  Okay, the ice pack and the Tylenol are calling my name!

Happy Tatting!

Sad update, dear Tatters.  Seems the website for Arachne.com is no longer working.  Another resource gone.  Breaks my heart.

More Places to Shop, and New Metallic Thread!

April 2, 2018

If there was a day to dread, April 1 would be it.  Not because it was Easter Sunday (gotta love Easter, it's just a nice feeling) and it was also International Tatting Day, which you just gotta love if you're a tatter!  No, April 1 is also April Fool's Day.  Mr. Tatter, to whom I will soon have been married for 12 years, loves to play jokes on me.  I sometimes think the only reason he married me was so he would have a permanent straight man/person. I am glad this year I didn't have to see him until late as our shifts for work didn't allow us to see each other until either quite late or very early.  We both enjoy our sleep, so getting up to make me his April Fool this year didn't happen, and he was too pooped after work to make me his stooge (yay!).  It's all good.  He usually makes me laugh til I cry, and that's good for anyone.

On a tatty note, I ordered up some new metallic tatting threads that arrived yesterday, and more pattern books.  I have pattern books I've not yet looked at, but if you asked me what my favourite is, I can't say I have one.  I'm addicted to tatting, so I love 'em all!

I made a couple of little doo-dads called "Ice Drops" with my newest metallic Violet thread to celebrate International Tatting Day.  I like this one I'm showing you because it shows off the "sparkle" on the thread a bit better.  Ain't it purdy?

As threads go, it's a bit stiffer and a bit more coarse than I'm accustomed to using. I usually stick with Size 20 Lizbeth because I like the variety of colours and it's easily available.  Their colour consistency is fairly even between balls, which I like very much.  You're not falling into the "what dye lot is this" pit at the bottom of which you usually find yourself when knitting and are only 1/2 skein short of finishing that beautiful sweater you swore you had enough yarn to complete!  Been there, done that, burned the tee-shirt.

Speaking of supplies, I have another two for my list.  First up is L'Atéliér de Pénélope, which I'm very excited to list as my first contact for supplies in the Province of Quebec. It's located just outside lovely Quebec City.  I was so pleased to find this nice lady (whose name is Patricia, by the way) as I have a new tatter in that area looking for help with shuttle tatting.  See folks?  THIS is why I'm doing this!!  Connection!!! I hope it works out for them both.

I digress.  The website for L'Atéliér de Pénélope is at http://www.latelierdepenelope.com, and she does offer online shopping.  If you use Google and arrive at her shop, you may need to translate into whatever language you want, but the site is very well laid-out and easy to navigate.  The shop itself is located at 1368B St.Jacques Street, L'Ancienne-Lorette, QC G2E 2X1, the phone number is 418-634-0050, and the email address for the shop is info@latelierdepenelope.com.  The lovely lady I spoke with was Patricia.  If you're in the area, be sure to stop in and say "bonjour!"  Directions for their shop are provided on the shop's website below the address.

Next up is The Twisted Barn just outside of Rocky Mountain House, AB.  Now, they don't do online shopping but if you email them, or phone Shirley (the lady that runs the store), she is very familiar with tatting and can tell you all about what they have. She sent me a picture of inside her store.  Look at all these juicy colours of Lizbeth thread!  She said she carries all available sizes and colours in that line, and she does sell tatting tools, too, so make sure, when you're in the area, to drop in and have a look.  Directions to her shop are on her website in the sidebar on the left of your screen.

Everything you need to contact these fine folks is on their website at http://www.twistedbarn.ca/. They are actually in a barn, and it's painted bright red so you can't miss it. I'm definitely putting it on my list of places to visit if I get to Alberta any time soon.  I'm hoping the end of May, but I'm only planning at this stage.  Let's hope!

I think that's it for today, but I think that's enough!  I hope to have more info to add soon.  Oh, before I go, please contact Gloria Nelson (one of the mentors at the right of the screen here) and subscribe to her monthly newsletter, "Tatting Together".  Yes, she is predominantly a needle tatter, but I've seen her work and it's exquisite.  She has notes in her newsletters that are very helpful for both needle and shuttle tatters, and she usually includes a pattern that's not hard at all.

Anyway, happy belated Easter, Joyeuses Pâques, Felices Pascuas, Gelukkig Pasen, Frohe Ostern, Maligayang Pasko ng Pagkabuhay,Selamat Paskah,Счастливой Пасхи, Gelukkige Paasfees and in all the million other language I would love to put on here but just don't have room.

Happy Tatting!

First Mentors

March 31, 2018

Well, here I sit on a blustery and ABSOLUTELY FREEZING Saturday evening, looking out my window at a very big, brilliant, orange full moon rising.  Makes one wax poetic when you see things like that, and wondering where was this mysterious season called "spring". Then the cat jumps in your lap and demands you pay attention to her.  Ah, Mrs. Katz, you can be so demanding!

This has been a busy week.  I put out some feelers for folks to act as mentors for those of our growing community who need a little more personal assistance.  Hey, we've all been there.  No shame in questions.  Who was it that said "The road to knowledge begins with 'I don't know'"?  Well, whoever he/she was, it was well-stated. My question this past week was "will you please put your hand up to help others?" and the response has been astounding!!  I'm so proud of the Canadian tatters that have humbly admitted that their skills might not be the best, but they're willing to help someone with basics.  My response is always that you learn by teaching.  You might not realize it at first, but it will hit you one day that your student helped you learn something.  It's a beautiful circle. 

Before I go any further, I have only asked for an email address from the mentors that have stepped up, and the general area they live in, plus whether they will mentor shuttle or needle.  At no time have I advocated a committment from anyone to travel, and leave any method or contact decisions to the two or more of you.

So I have a list of very kind people from BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, a few from Ontario, and one lady from New Brunswick that actually knows some of the places I grew up so many long moons ago!  I love the internet.  It brings so many people together over shared memories.

I did get a question from a young lady shuttle tatter near Quebec City wondering if there was someone nearby there that could help her out with some questions.  She didn't care if instruction was in English or French, she just needs help.  Please contact me and I will do my best to connect the two of you.

As I compiled the list of mentors I have collected thus far, I noticed that Blogger was alphabetizing them for me according to shuttle or needle!  I do learn something I like about this little whatever-you-call-it that I'm using to write this blog every time I use it.  I hope to learn how to better categorize things as I go along.

I think I'm done for now.  I'm feeling very happy and proud of what I've started with so many folks' generous help.  I just knew in the back of my mind that if there was a place to get Canadian tatters together to help each other, that we would be up for the call.  We are, after all, Canadians and volunteering to make good things happen is what we do.

Happy Tatting!

A Start On My List!

March 28, 2018

So I've managed to figure out how to at least add a link to some shops for supplies in Canada to my blog. Yay me! I really should say: "Yay Sandi!" Without her pointing me in the right direction, I'd be stuck and this would be a boring blog, indeed!

The four shops I've posted at the right are all located in Canada. Two in Southern Ontario, one in Northern Ontario and one in Nanaimo, BC. If I'm not mistaken, all ship at least Canada-wide if not internationally. I specifically asked their permission to post their name and web page here. I'm hoping to add more names as I go along, but I won't do it until I have contacted the owners of the pages to ask their permission. You just never know, and I want to err on the side of caution.

I will be making a little blurb about each one here. These folks have sent to me what they wish to say about their store, so I'm putting it here. There is contact information and a name to use when reaching out to them. I truly hope to be adding to this list. 

I would ask you, please, to support these kind people. If we don't, we won't have resources in Canada to continue our chosen arts and our already dwindling community will wither away simply because we can't find resources for decent materials closer to home.

I will start with Artisanthropy simply because it's the first in alphabetical order:

Artisanthropy is your go-to needlecraft supply shop in Canada. Shipping worldwide from their home bases in Cobourg and Whitby, Ontario, they offer tatting classes, quality threads, popular pattern books, and brand-name supplies for needle and shuttle tatters alike.Shop online at https://www.artisanthropy.ca, or visit their shops at 124 Dundas St West in , Ontario and 79C King St West in Cobourg, Ontario. Questions? Product requests? Need advice? Email Christina at info@artisanthropy.ca.

Sticking with alphabetical order, next up is iBead in Northern Ontario. If you're trying to say the name of the town without hearing it first, you're in for a tongue-twister, but once you know how to say it, it's a rather fun word to say! I am originally from North Bay, ON, and I learned how to say "Wahnapitae" from a young age (try: "wanna p'tie"). It's a First Nations word that describes the shape of the lake on whose shores the community rests (I think).

i-Bead Inc.

819 Highway 17 East

Wahnapitae, ON

P0M 3C0

1-877-22-iBead

tel 705-694-0065

fax 705-694-1594

email info@ibeadcanada.com

web www.ibeadcanada.com

Owner: Ingride Mogensen

We are a Canadian distributor of beads and craft supplies based out of Ontario. Specializing in seed beads, Czech glass, gemstone beads, a many other styles of beads. At i-Bead, you will also find a large selection of findings, charms, wire & stringing materials, Native American supplies, tools, kits, books & patterns. Jewelry classes are also available. Visit us online or in store.

Next up is Sew Fancy in Guelph, Ontario. I've shopped here once or twice, and her service was very efficient and reasonably priced. Alma is very approachable with any questions you might have.

I didn't get a lot from Alma in the way of information about her shop, but her website is nicely laid out and easy enough to navigate. You will need to look under "Needle Tatting" to find any references to tatting tools, but many of the tools we use are effective for both shuttle and needle.

Last, but certainly not least at all, is The Stitcher's Muse Needleart in Nanaimo, BC. This is what Dione wrote about her shop:

Next time you're on the West Coast, stop in at The Stitcher's Muse, located in the heart of downtown Nanaimo, BC. Not planning on visiting? No problem – we ship all over the world. We're stocked with a broad variety of needlework and lace making supplies, and we love doing special orders! The owner, Dione van Beynum, and her team Renée and Kathy are passionate about all types of stitching and lace making. Shop with us for all the supplies for your next lace making adventure!

Location: 99 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5G3

Telephone: 250-591-MUSE (6873), toll-free: 888-591-MUSE (6873)

Web: http://thestitchersmuse.com

email: info@thestitchersmuse.com

I hope to have more shops based in Canada in the near future. My list is nowhere near complete, that's for sure! If you know of any near you, PLEASE let me know!

I'm putting international suppliers on here simply because there are those of us that are close to a border crossing and seem to think shopping across the line is okay, and that's fine too. So, here we go, again in alphabetical order:

Handy Hands Tatting in the United States has all kinds of stuff, but they're big. I mean, they're really big. There's no quick interaction with anyone if you want to ask questions before you make your final purchase while you have it saved in your cart, and while their selection of books and materials is vast, I find it hard to find anything quickly if you don't know specifically for what you're searching. I'm sure if I spent more time at their website I would likely get better at navigation, but I work full time, I have a family, I have more than tatting for a pass time, and I just don't have that "time" luxury. I also have to go into town 20 minutes away to use the Internet, so again, it gets problematic with the time.

The Tatting Corner, however, is quite a different matter. Although Lisa Greenlee Adams is the owner/proprietor of the shop, and her inventory is growing all the time, her shop in Anderson, Indiana is run with a true personal touch. If you want to shop at her establishment, she has an actual store-front as well as a very busy online business and she will work with you to ensure you receive your order in the quickest and most cost-efficient manner. If you want to ask her a question, she is online, or you can call her, or you can email her, or you can go to Anderson and ask her to her face; whatever works for you. She will answer your questions with a friendly and personable efficiency that is lacking with most big-box corporate stores.

The major drawback to shopping online in the 'States, if you're in Canada and don't have quick access to an American postal point near the border, is the currency exchange and duty on what you bring across the border. You're also dealing with Canada Post. 'Nuff said about that, although it seems to really depend on the PostMaster/Mistress where you are located as to how your service is run. For me, I do my utmost to avoid mine. :o(

I need to get this posted or it won't be news and my next post is going to be huge! For now, we will leave it as is and hope the stretch between posts next time won't be as long.

HAPPY TATTING!

The First Day of the Rest of My Life?

• March 21, 2018

A  happy post-St. Patrick's 2018 to you all!  This is my first post on my brand new blog.  It looks to be a bit rough at the moment, but please do come back.  This is a learning process for me and I do plan to learn!! 

So, I have been asked what I want this to be.  Good question!  What do I want to be able to do with this corner of the Internet that I have claimed as mine?

Well, to get this started, this is about making lace.  Not for drawing pictures on skin, but the very old art of making lace by tying knots with thread.  I want to list resources in Canada for making lace, links to places for information or supplies that are either Canadian or Canada friendly and/or people who might be able to answer a question or offer help where you might be.

Why do I want to do this?  Well, I started tatting when I was in my late 20's and could not find anyone to teach me, and before the internet was the the resource it is today.  I finally found a book that would give me some basics, but it wasn't enough.  I found a Greek lady that had a book with detailed instructions that she offered to translate.  I was in Heaven!

She forgot one thing:  the flip.  If you are familiar with the process of shuttle tatting, you will know that making a knot on a thread with a tatting shuttle involves something called the "flip" that will allow the knots to slide and rings to close smoothly.  Unfortunately for me, I wasted a great deal of time and thread trying to accomplish what would never happen.  I finally got very frustrated one day and as my former spouse was coming around a corner, I had launched the thread ball, shuttles and a poorly executed ring across the room and barely missed his nose.  He peeked around the corner, his eyes huge with surprise, and asked if I was going to patent my version of "projectile tatting".

A couple of days later I was speaking with the lady that had given me the instructions and lamented my lack of success.  She asked me for the directions, thinking she might have misinterpreted something.  Suddenly her eyes got big and she said "oops!"  In her excitement to help me, she had forgotten to include the section that explained the flip.  She got it taken care of and the rest is history.  One little piece of the puzzle that is the foundation for the whole thing!

I am predominantly a shuttle tatter.  When I was learning, I had never heard that you could tat with a needle.  Having said that, I want it clear from the get-go that tatted lace is tatted lace.  The method used or the tools needed to accomplish the result are whatever is comfortable for the artist.  I really don't know what came first, nor do I care.  I've been privileged to see exquisitely executed pieces created with both tools, so the fact that there are people doing one, the other, or both types just means this lovely art form isn't going to wither away to a dusty memory all that soon.

So, on this blog you will see things that I hope inspire you, information you can access and use, inspiration that will keep you motivated, and support not to give up.  I also hope to demonstrate that although we are spread out (Canada is, let's face it, absolutely huge!), we are proudly Canadian and here to stay!  Of course, tatters from every walks of life are welcomed with open arms, but then again, we all speak the same language when it comes to tatting!

Happy tatting!