Tatting

Imagine: no TV, no video games, no mp3 players, no laptops, no cell phones, no electricity! What on earth are you going to do? And remember, if it’s a winter month like it is now it’s getting dark pretty early so all you have is the light from the lanterns discussed in the last article. Pioneers to this region didn’t have any of our electronic luxuries and so were used to working and creating things by hand. What they were able to create were some amazing items. For example, we have a tatted baby cap made by Nellie Taylor in 1922 for Bruce Alene Linam, according to the label from the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection.

Tatting is a very delicate and beautiful art where you create a durable lace from a series of knots and loops. According to Victoriana Magazine (at victoriana.com) the art of tatting started with fishermen. Fishermen would use a shuttle, heavy cord, and a number of various knots to create their fishing nets. These knots were then handed down to weavers who used finer thread to make lace. To accommodate this finer thread a smaller shuttle was used. Tatting can also be done with a needle or it can be combined with crocheting for a different effect. Many different patterns for tatting exist, in fact, Harper’s Bazaar and a magazine called The Work Basket used to publish various tatting patterns. With so many styles of knots, however, and the right creativity you could create your own pattern and make something truly unique and beautiful.

Here in America we call tatting tatting, obviously, but in England it was called knotting, and in France it was called frivolet. No matter what name you give it, this art is truly amazing. I am not sure that I have the coordination or patience to do something like this! Come down to the Western Heritage Museum Complex and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, take a look at the tatted baby cap from the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection, and get inspired to make your own creation.