Free Split Ring Tatting Pattern

I finally got around to packaging another Split Ring Tatting pattern for distribution.

This pattern is from my first book Fun with Split Ring Tatting.

Go to:  www.TheShuttleSmith.com

Click on "Free Split Ring Tatting Pattern"

Another Way to USE Lace

My friend Susan and I were hosting 'book club' a couple of days ago and in the preparation process, Susan showed me a box of crocheted doilies that she had found while cleaning out her parent-in-laws house.  As we were looking through them, I tried to instill a sense of appreciation in her for what she had.  So I grabbed one of the doilies and showed her how to wet it, and block it out on the countertop so that it would look better.  However, the time came when we had to go on with our hostess prep and the doilies had to go away.  So I was looking for a way for Susan to take the (still wet) doily with her and in the process grabbed one of the clear, plastic plates that we had out to use for our party.  It fit perfectly.  Then we got the idea to put another plate on top of the bottom one and the doily....and we realized that we had just created a LACE PLATE!!!!  So we decided to use it for our goodies. 

At the end of the evening, Susan insisted that I keep this doily.  She promised me that she would love and appreciate the rest of the doilies in the box!!!

Susan using the LACE PLATE

Another Blast from the Past--Silver Shuttles 2

These 3 designs were my
biggest sellers.

I was cleaning through some old stuff the other day and came across a folder of my original artwork for The ShuttleSmith Sterling Silver Tatting Shuttle brochure.  I sold these things when the WWW was in its infancy.  So I made and sent out a brochure.  The picture is from my front cover.  I can't tell you how much time I spent trying to get good film-based photos of my sterling silver shuttles!!!!  Again I'm aging myself because this was before digital photography was commercially viable.  The problem was getting photos of something so shiny without getting yourself or some other reflection in the image.  Actually, come to think of it, I used to do alot of my photography in the medical center's (where I worked) morgue/autopsy suite.  They had a photography stand set up and I would bring my special light bulbs (after hours, of course) to get the right color of lighting.  I would set up the shots, shut out the overhead lights, and then run back (in the dark, in a morgue!-YIKES) to take the shot.  This was to keep the time down on my special lightbulbs (that were expensive and not long-lived).