Old-Fashioned Fruitcake
I have learned my lesson: before and after makeovers are much more impressive if you have a picture of Before.
I took the sleeves off my favourite dress last summer – despite the seams being both sewn and overlocked they were still coming adrift in places – and happily drafted a post about it. Only to find that I had no pictures of the dress from the four plus years I wore it avec sleeves. Despite wearing it probably twice a week, year round, all through that time.
As many of you know, I live in New Zealand, which is one of the countries doing pretty well pandemic-wise. But we are nonetheless encouraged to have masks on hand (actually, on face) when at close quarters with strangers at Level 2 or above, just as we are encouraged to have emergency supplies stashed about the place in case a big earthquake takes out all our infrastructure.
Now, there are, it turns out, some people who get huffy when asked to wear a mask. I am not one of them. I am always happy to don a mask and slip anonymously through the streets of the city. (Or at least, what would be anonymously if there was anyone else round here who dressed like me.) I mean, come on! This is your chance to let your inner superhero out for an airing at last, without people casting doubt on your adulthood. Masks are awesome.
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As those of you who have been reading this blog for more than a passing moment may recall, a few months ago I shared with you the new-found joy of tatting. The shuttle I had been using was a simple red plastic one, aided and abetted by a sewing machine bobbin where two shuttles were called for.
But if there’s one thing I really enjoy, it’s a well-made tool, and preferably not made of plastic. I have gone to great lengths in the past to avoid lumps of plastic in everyday use, and (with an occasional exception for fountain pens), I see no reason to change that position.
Surprisingly for such a seemingly obscure niche craft, there are plenty of options available to the shuttle tatter. Etsy hosts many makers of tatting shuttles, for a start. But after considering all the options, I decided to get a couple of shuttles from David Reed Smith. One in walnut, one in padouk, with pewter ends to allow adjustments for a) different thicknesses of thread, and b) silent tatting.
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