Tuesday, August 10, 2010

I ♥ My Mailman, #4

I thank God for Handy Hands Tatting.  They are one of my favorite suppliers for all things tatting, both shuttle and needle...books, threads, and tools.  Usually when a tatter who meets me at a show asks me where I get my supplies, I send them to Handy Hands.  They cater specifically to tatters, which makes them very valuable and fairly rare - especially with the extensive line of supplies they offer.

DMC has been discontinuing thread colors right and left, especially in tatting thread and Cebelia, which are two of the most common threads I use in my work - they have discontinued most of the colors that are my staple colors.  That's why I am so thankful Handy Hands is around - they have developed their own line of thread, Lizbeth, which comes in lots of sizes and colors, including lovely variegated shades.  My favorites (so far) are a nice deep orange, a lovely silver - seen here:



...and my newest aquisition, Spring Garden.  I played with it for quite a few days this week. I also did some bead weaving to match my heart pattern - little hearts made of beads!  

I have read on other blogs and in forums that some people do not like Lizbeth thread, but I have not had any problems so far.  I like it much better than soft threads like Caron Wildflowers and embroidery floss.  I also like it better than Manuala (too stiff) probably a little better than DMC Cebelia.  I still prefer DMC Cordonnet but of course you are limited to black, white, and ecru unless you find someone hand-dying it.


I also ordered a Japanese book, one of my weaknesses, I confess.  I love foreign books, but I especially love the Japanese books with all their glorious photographs and wonderful diagrammed patterns.  I just drool over the photographs especially - such wonderful staging!  ;-)  This book is called."Tatting Lace" (actually, that's the name of several of my Japanese books, I think) and it contains mainly beaded necklaces.  They are a bit too beaded for my taste, I really prefer that my tatting looks more like tatting than like bead work - that's a personal preference.  There are two lovely scarves which I cannot imagine myself making because they would take forever and be too monotonous - I have difficulty with repeating patterns and pieces that take more than 10 hours.  But the pictures give me different ideas about displaying my work at shows so I did get something out of the purchase.
Thank you, Mr. Mailman (and Handy Hands Tatting)!

6 comments:

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I love looking at all your beautiful tatted pieces! I also enjoy my Japanese tatting books... the pictures are so inspirational!

I haven't had any trouble with Lizbeth either. I guess a few of us have been lucky, and a few have been unlucky. I can't think of why there have been different results. At any rate, I love experimenting with it, and I know if I have enough to make something with my precious HDT!

God's Kid said...

All your projects look wonderful! My favorite is the heart with the bead hearts!!! So beautiful! :)

Beelizabeth said...

These pieces are soooooooo pretty. I especially like the beaded heart chain added to the tatted heart>

IsDihara said...

Ooh, your tatting is so delicate and even! Love these latest photos.

Must confess, I too love the Japanese tatting books.

Add me to the "Lizbeth ♥" list! My current theory on why some people have such trouble with Lizbeth threads splitting perhaps has to do more with the way they unpick their stitches than the quality of the thread. But I cannot test my claim except on myself...

Unknown said...

I love the colors in your tatting. Everything is just beautiful!

Kathy Niklewicz said...

Springtime is also one of my favorite Lizbeth threads - looks GREAT on the earrings - and look at that bead match with the adorable heart! Lovely!

I also have had no problems so far with Lizbeth and enjoy tatting with it. I have yet to try a size other than 20, but I'd like to try 40.

I also prefer tatting that is not too beaded. Your work always has a beautiful balance of tatting and beads.

And I know I sound like a broken record, but your tatting is about as perfect as it can get. I marvel at the 'precise-ness' of your knots, and especially the smooth transition between rings and chains. I'm assuming you are still 'posting' the shuttle. I find that to be helpful, also.

I'm amazed that DMC is discontinuing thread colors - even in Cebelia.
I often wonder who makes these decisions!

P.S. Perfect photos :)