The Atlanta Chapter of

The International Old Lacers, Inc.

Lacy Tidbits

Here is an interesting list of tidbits and hints about lace and lace making.

Ketchup and Brass Pins - One of our members reported to us that ketchup can be used to make our brass pins shiny and clean again.  She demonstrated this for us, and it worked very well.  We believe that the acid in the tomatos was responsible.

Astronomical Fish Shuttle - A sterling silver shuttle recently sold at an online auction site for $1026.59.  This stunning shuttle features two fish on each side.  A picture of the shuttle can be seen on page 203 of Taunton Antique and Needlework's Tools.  When asked where the shuttle was found, the seller replied, "I found the shuttle in an antique shop specializing in fishing items and tools!"  This is the highest price we have ever heard of for a shuttle (other than the space shuttle).

Lace Maker Globes - Before electric lights, lace makers would use globes of water lit by a candle to illuminate their work.  A globe was filled with water (preferably snow water as this was reputed to be the purest water that would give the purest light) and placed on a pole on a tall table.  The table would have several globes on it lit by a candle in the center so that several lace makers could work in a circle from one candle.  The globe of water magnified the illumination of the candle greatly and could be focused onto the lacemaker's pillow.  One arachne lacemaker tried this recently during a blackout and said it worked great.

Tatting Crumbs - Tatters often have some thread left on their shuttle when they finish a project.  Rather than throw the thread away, you can make small butterflies, flowers, or other motifs and use them to decorate note cards.  One member of our group calls these tatting crumbs.  They have also been called waste knots.  One member of the tatting mailing list used a bunch of these tatting crumbs to decorate a stuffed bunny.  The entire bunny was covered in tatting.

 
 
 

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Crafted by Sherry Graham

Launch Date: 01/31/98