Tuesday 8 September 2009

Please stop me bidding!

I have become a little hooked on e.bay over the last week which has resulted in, so far, three purchases, two of which are shown here. I was the only one to place a bid for this vintage box of Coats cottons below. Accordingly to the seller it was just taking up room in her house, so now its in a new home and being used.

The bookmark is the first thing I made with the vintage cotton. The pattern has been in my file for ages (vintage in itself!) and I've never bothered with it before, but then I thought this will be quick and easy to make, and thankfully it was! It is a design by Ruth Baker and can be adapted to take narrower ribbon.


I was not the only bidder on the set below, but I was really interested in the tatting shuttles. The top one is plastic (Susan Bates) the middle one metal and the last one is an aero shuttle which are my working shuttles. The piece of tatting is not mine it came with the shuttles!

The DMC pamphlet is mainly edgings and small motifs, my eye however, latched on to the section entitled "Church Lace" when it said "Tatting can be used, in many cases, to create beautiful designs for church lace". Sadly though I've found that churches are going for a more modern look and don't want fancy detail on vestments and altar linen these days.


I'm now waiting for the postman to deliver some "retro cottons", well thats what they were listed as being, Coats cottons but in an orange/red colour. If I would stop looking at e.bay I would get more tatting done!

7 comments:

  1. Careful! E-Bay can become addictive! LOL Very pretty bookmark!
    Church Lace: Happily, our Rev. is still wearing robes adorned with lace; and the paraments also have lace and lovely embroidery.
    However, much of it is bought (a dear lady left monies for the paraments). I did tat a 3" border for the silk cover (large hankie size) for the chalice.
    We attend a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church and our particular church is still conservative in teaching and vestments. Thankfully.
    Drums were a bit loud in our home church (new innovations). LOL
    I enjoy looking at the lovely laces. Bev

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  2. I bid so much on eBay that I'm actually relieved when I get outbid. LOL! You do realize a post like that makes some people want to bid more, LOL!

    I'm not going to pay an excessive amount for a "vintage" aero or Susan Bates or Clover shuttle when I can get one in "mint" condition for much cheaper, LOL!

    Have fun with the threads they are pretty. I stopped using vintage thread because they tend to be dry, brittle and break easily. If they are working out well for you they can be an inexpensive alternative for tatting thread.

    The bookmark you made is very pretty! Do you have the link to the pattern? Is it online?

    ~TattingChic ♥

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  3. You're such a brave lady to bid on threads on eBay. I simply don't have the willpower to stop. So I browse Etsy instead, ha, ha!

    Have fun with your new treasures. They found their way to a fan-tat-stic new home!

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  4. I browsed ebay the other day. I guess I got my fill a few years ago - hardly ever go there now. Especially with the shipping charges these days, but once in a while there is a great deal! Looks like you've got a few of them.

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  5. My blog is really a plea for help Bev because I'm finding e.bay addictive and I don't want it to be. Our present Vicar isn't keen on too much lace although I do get away with my surplice having a lace trim on it. http://tatsheaven-churchlog.blogspot.com/2009/04/not-another-angel.html. Pleased you have been able to use your tatting for church linen. Not keen on too much noise in church services either, I'm very traditional!

    TattingChic you are a very sensible gal! Thanks for your comments, most helpful - I really don't want to encourage people to use e.bay, honestly!The bookmark was in the ROT book but you start off with a clover and then work your way down and around joining the centre rings, the ribbon is woven in between them.

    Isdihara Um well I'm fast loosing my will power to stop, perhaps I should try Etsy - thanks

    Gina, well these were good deals, but since then I've got very silly because "I want" has crept in and so have begun to spend far too much than is necessary. Need my sister back to tell me what to do!!!!

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  6. I once bought a most wonderful little book on ebay, all about an order of nuns who spent their time making church lace. There were patterns for crocheting and tatting,and a section on how to care for the lace, even detailing how each piece was to be folded and stored!
    I can't find the book just now, as it hasn't been unpacked yet after the big move - but it is an absolute gem!
    These days, I don't bother much about ebay - I think it's something you just have to get out of your system. It's the thrill of the chase, but it does pass eventually! It's useful for matching broken china... :(

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  7. Maureen that little book must have been a wonderful find, a treasure.
    Today I received two more lots of cotton and I've bid on my last one (the only bid!) which has its last day tomorrow and I'm not going to even watch!! Think its nearly out of the system! Could spend my time doing better things!

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