---- "Mark wrote: But while we were visiting these historical places I was always on the lookout for lace related items or any reading material that pertained to lace. We visited the usual tourist shops and the historical stores inside Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yortown. I noticed that every shop that carried marketed kits for the public(including the so called authentic stores in the towns), there was a tatting kit available by Historical Folk Toys http://www.historicalfolktoys.com/catalog/hcrafts1.html#4002 ----
I went to the "historical folk toys" site and they claim tatting goes back to the 16th century. Here's part of the blurb: "Tatting may have originated in 16th-century Italy. Tatting resembles macramé, which is considered to be one of the oldest types of lace. Examples of this kind of lace have been found in Egyptian tombs. Egyptian hieroglyphic texts give evidence that the method of manipulating thread with a shuttle (called a "makouk") into circles and rings was practiced. This may have been the craft that evolved into tatting. Tatting also resembles knotting, which is also made with a shuttle. Knotting may have spread from China westward after the Middle East was opened by Dutch trade routes." Now, I take issue with the claim that tatting is related to macrame. Tatting is a single thread, or two at most, worked in loops. Macrame is many threads, each following its own path and interacting in many ways with its neighbors. Very different! The blurb from historical folk toys goes on to describe paintings from the mid-1700s of women with their tatting shuttles. ----At the home of James Madison, Montpelier, outside of the museum was a display of some home objects. I asked if I can take a picture of these and YES I could. In this case was a curious object that was sort of recognizable, but strange. Below are the three pics I took for your review:---- The pics look rather like a tapestry bobbin, but I've only seen drawings, not the real thing. But I don't know of any lace bobbins that don't have a head, and only Honiton bobbins that come to a point at the bottom. just my opinion, Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
