The Learn How Book

I found this booklet in my mother-in-laws stuff. Her name "Catherine L" is written very tiny and faint on pg. 3.

I could find no way to date the book but she used the initial of her married name, so it had to be after 1945 that she acquired it.

It was published by the Educational Bureau of the Spool Cotton Company

Here is what it says about Tatting on the inside of the front cover.

Tatting is believed by some to have originated from the Indian word, tattie - a mat it resembles. An old Icelandic word taeta, meaning to knot, may have been the inspiration - or it may be from the old provincial English word tat, meaning to entangle or weave. A small shuttle wound with thread and dexterous fingers fashion this knotted-type of lace. Edgings or medallions which may be joined together for larger articles constitute the chief designs made.

on the next page it tells you what materials you will need.

Tatting Shuttles may be of bone, celluloid or metal. the thread is wound around the bobbin between the two outer edges of the shuttle. In some of the more modern shuttles the bobbin is removable so that it may be more easily wound and then inserted. Some shuttles have a tiny hook on one end to pick up the loops in forming the designs, though some persons prefer a plain shuttle and a crochet hook for this part of the work.

There are 2 pages of instructions and 1 page of patterns for 3 edgings and 2 medallions.

I am planning on tatting this afternoon during the blizzard and I will do one of the medallions. I will however do it in modern tatting to avoid the constant cut and hide ends between rounds.

I will show you what I have done later this evening.