Tatted pillowcase-edging

I started this tatted edging in college.  (The year on my UFO page is 2010 with a question mark, but I think it's older than that.  2010 is the year I finished college and moved for grad school, and I remember working on it that fall, but looking back I think it was already a long-term UFO.)

When I started grad school, I set the pillowcase aside, measured the lace, and joined the ends together in a loop, and then let the whole thing go into long-term UFO storage. I pulled it out last week because it seemed like the best candidate for a quick finish before starting a Christmas present project. I hid several thread ends and then stitched the lace to the hem of the pillowcase. I like this edging . I found the vintage pattern online when I was first learning to tat, and it was pretty easy. I would definitely use this pattern again.

A tatted bookmark

One craft that I would like to do more of is tatting.  My great-grandmother on my mother's side was a tatter, and my Farmor tatted also (both of them did many, many kinds of handwork).  Several years ago, my mom decided she wanted to learn, and she printed out some directions online.  I picked it up some, too.  It's a great project to have in a small bag to take with you, since it doesn't take up much space and doesn't unravel when you put it down. 

A few years ago, I brought some tatting with me to Denmark, and my Farmor told me about how she and her mother used to tat.  It was so wonderful to hear her talk about it.  My cousin saw my mom and I tatting, and she picked it up, too!  She's much better at it than I am - the last time I saw her, she was working on a tatted hat!

My skills are not so great - I pretty much only know the double stitch, picots, chains, and rings - no fancy split rings or anything like that.  But I have made a few bookmarks, and when I decided to make this bookmark last weekend, it seemed pretty fast and easy. 

I used this pattern.  My only complaint is that it wasn't always clear when to reverse work and when not to - but I imagine it would be obvious to a more experienced tatter. 

This bookmark is headed for a Christmas stocking belonging to someone who I am 99.5% certain does not read this blog.