Saturday, May 24, 2008

20 years of tatting....who knew??? and a little treat for you....

So before I moved to S.Korea my mother brought me a box of items that I have not seen since I was 15 years old. I was a bit of a pack rat and had saved every letter that anyone had ever written me...so it was fun to go through and read some of them again. I found two letters of particular interest. One was a letter from my Great Aunt Lilas and the other a letter from a sweet little old lady named Dorothy who lived next door to my grandparents. I stayed with my grandparents one summer when I was 13 and I hung out with these sweet ladies a lot. I helped them plant flowers and mow their lawns and just sat and talked for hours. I loved it!
(My husband always calls me a little old lady.) Those just happen to be the people that I seem to like best.
Anyhow, in these letters they were thanking me for the beautiful tatted bookmarks I had sent them. I can even picture those bookmarks in my head today. They were purple and white.
The gears in my brain started spinning. I've been saying all along that I learned to tat at the age of 16....but it was much earlier than that.
And I now know the reason for the confusion. That summer I also hung out with my great gran and that is when she taught me to tat. When I was 16 I moved in with my granparents and helped take care of my great gran before she died. So naturally I thought that is when she taught me. But these letters prove otherwise. Whaddya know??? I'm going to have to change all my bio information.
All those precious ladies are no longer in my life but I miss them and think of them often...especially great gran since I think she would be proud of what I am doing with tatting.
I don't have any eye candy to show today. I've been down with strep throat which is turning into bronchitus. Blast it all!!!!
But I won't leave you without a little treat. I found this in the public photobucket archives:
ENJOY!
Picot Fun!

12 comments:

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I think it's wonderful that your mom saved that box for you! Thanks for sharing the story. I hope that some day I will be remembered as the little old lady who taught someone to tat!

Unknown said...

Sherry, I'm sorry to hear you have strep throat. Take care and gargle with warm water with salt in it. That will help kill the bugs.

That is such a sweet story about the friends you made with those sweet little old ladies. I tend to make friends with that age group, too. I call it "I'm in touch with my INNER Grandma"...LOL. I totally understand. I've always had one sort of adopted grandma or another. They have so many wonderful things to teach and are usually so delightful to be around. That was a great story. Thanks for the link. You're awesome. Take care of yourself.

Tatskool said...

Lovely story, great to have learned to tat so young isn't it, most of the world is missing out on this treat.

The link is fab, thanks.

Tattycat said...

What a sweet story. I grew up next door to my grandmother and aunts so I know what you are talking about. I have always felt like a "little old lady." However, Bill calls me his 12 year old. I tell him he is just jealous because I am so very much younger than he is, (not true.) I'm glad your mom saved these for you and it brought back such good memories for you. I hope you will soon be over your bronchitus.

Susanne said...

It is a great story and I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing it and get well soon.

LadyShuttleMaker aka MadMadPotter said...

Thank you for the kind comments everybody!

Grizzly Mountain Arts said...

What a wonderful memory! Thanks for sharing it with us! I know what you mean about preferring the company of wise women as I've always felt the same. Most women my age just want to sit around and kvetch about the spouses ;) Hope you get to feeling better soon!

Tat-a-Renda said...

What a wonderful memory.... I enjoyed reading what you wrote. I find that most children nowadays don't relate with their elders very well. It happens with my children too, and I am always trying very hard to make them do it. What a shame, and there are so much that we can learn from them.

Unknown said...

Isn't nice to have a box of memories. Sorry to hear you are sick. Hope you get well soon.

Marty said...

Ick! Strep throat and bronchitis sound really unpleasant. At least you've got some really good reading material. Sounds like you've been tatting since you were little. No wonder your designs are so interesting. Hope you get feeling better quickly.

zarina said...

And my mum complains about the many boxes I have in my room. But she too has many keepsakes - which I got a few years back. Some brooches and jewelery she collected when she was studying in Birmingham. Love your new background - shows your latest work.

zarina said...

And you are one hour ahead of me (Kuala Lumpur Malaysia).