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!