Kiln Disaster

O.k. So I opened the kiln today at 500 degrees (I know better) but I was so excited I couldn't wait. I had 12 crystalline shuttles in there. Out of the 12 only two turned out and not really to my liking. This is something I have been working on for months and I've only encountered failure thus far.
This isn't the appropriate place to tell you about crystalline glaze pottery...but let's just say that it is far, far from an easy task.
On the plus side I did get some absolutely gorgeous medallions for my crystalline neck art out of this load:
WWW.MadMadPotter.Etsy.Com
I have some ideas for the future and I will keep trying until I succeed.
I was hoping to debut the crystalline shuttles today...ah well. Hopefully next month I'll have better success.

My first blog

Well, here I am. I suppose it was inevitable that I should end up here in a blog solely about all things tatting!
I just feel like my Great Grandma is up in Heaven smiling down upon me right now. She was so proud the day that I learned and if she could only see what the gift she has given me has blossomed into.
Thank you Grams!
Today I received an absolute treasure in the mail. It was a package of tatting things that I won in an ebay auction. I spent a lot of money on it but now that I see its value I would have spent much more.
In this lot are numerous tatted pieces, many of which I think might be original. Whoever this person was spent an enormous amount of time tatting and cataloging her work. I have over 50 note cards of tatted pieces along with their written instructions. Each tatted in size 80 or smaller thread. It is marvelous.
Several shuttles came with the lot as well as a couple books but nothing as extraordinary as the note cards.
I feel like this person was a kindred spirit! She (or possibly He) was an innovator in their tatting and an extraordinary person. I have many of their handwritten notes and I think he/she may have been a teacher of tatting.
Alas, I have zero personal information about whom this person may have been. All I know is that this came from an estate sale in Paris, Texas.

As you can see by this photo this person sewed every little tatted example onto the note cards and then hand wrote the pattern out. This is so special to me. I will treasure it forever!

This is another little treasure I found in the lot among the tatting. It is a tiny, tiny tatted flower bouquet. Wow!
Today is a great day in my world of tatting!

One of a kind Ceramic Tatting Shuttles

I make Ceramic Tatting Shuttles. What IS a tatting shuttle you might ask? Well, it is a tool for creating lace known as Tatting.
This lace work is fine and beautiful and very distinguishable from other forms of lacemaking.
Collecting tatting shuttles themselves has become an art form for many people around the world.

I myself collect tatting shuttles. As a ceramic artist I have had the idea for a very long time to make tatting shuttles out of clay. I have never seen them before, nor have I ever heard of any being in existance. As far as I can gather, I make the only ceramic tatting shuttles in the world.

Every shuttle I make is 100% handcrafted. I do not use molds but rather make each one individually. I painstakingly create, assemble, decorate and glaze every one. It takes about two weeks for a single shuttle to go from a lump of clay to the finished product. They are all truly one of a kind little functional pieces of art!

I just started selling these a short time ago. Before I went "public" I sent several shuttles out to fellow tatters to test them for me. I received so much positive feedback that I decided to "give it a go" and go public with my new shop at: WWW.LadyShuttleMaker.Etsy.Com

I have big shuttles, small shuttles, shuttles that accommodate large threads and some just for tiny threads but most work well for all sizes of thread.

Mark Myers a.k.a. "Tatman" suggested that my shuttles would be great for tatting with beads.

I definately think there is something for every kind of tatter here!
Below are a couple of recent favorites that came from the kiln.

This shuttle with button texture measures 2 3/4" from tip to tip by 3/4" wide. This is a small shuttle.

This is a large shuttle decorated with a lace texture. It measures 3 1/2" from tip to tip by 1" wide.

Recently, I have started making custom shuttles. You can send me an image of your choosing and I can create a ceramic decal to place on that shuttle. The possibilities are endless!


Whoo hoo! I am having soooo much fun! ....Working really hard...but having a lot of fun!
I have a kiln firing to finish tonight and I hope to have some more treasures from it tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.