Friday, March 9, 2012

With Apologies to Winston

We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself
 the means of inspiration and survival. 
                                                                            Winston Churchill 

Good quote.  Peculiar application? Not really because - well - can you stand to see yet another?  This one is good...

#82

I have decided to make this heart of Frivole's my "companion heart." The reason? 

I was in a coffee shop tatting away at CWJs when a woman came up to me and said that she had seen that I was tatting. She had not seen anyone tatting in decades, and she remembered tatting many hankie borders. This woman would be about 80-somthing years old.  

She thought tatting was - you guessed it - a dying art. 

Enter Tatting-101!  

I told her about the global blogging community of tatters, classes, supplies and so on.  Before she left, I pulled out one of the recent Happy Hearts and gave it to her.  

She was delighted; I got over my feelings of inadequacy in short order when I saw her beaming expression.

That is when I decided to keep a supply of these hearts in my gear, as I am always giving tatting away and looking for another small motif to replenish the pocketbook stash. 

Frivole's Happy Heart, small and quickly made, is perfect for the cause!

21 comments:

  1. No matter what people say, the look on their face is always priceless when you give them a piece of tatting.

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  2. How wonderful- I bet you made her day!!
    And the CWJ is beautiful- did you do something different or is it just practice, practice, practice?

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  3. Now aren't you glad you kept at it with this little heart? BTW, I love the color on this one! ;)

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  4. Practice has paid off, Fox! It's perfect!
    Isn't it wonderful to bring a smile to the face of a stranger with a piece of tatting? It's a small gesture, perhaps, but large in the eyes of the receiver. Good one!

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  5. I read the quote and started laughing! My daughter Carol is a history teacher, and she loves Winston Churchill. Just wait until I tell her how Winnie relates to tatting!

    I'm glad you're showing that tatting is not yet dead or even dying! Keep those hearts coming!

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  6. You've made it!

    Wow, I think tatting rules! I did the same when someone asked about my tatting. And, lo and behold, she said she was meeting me the next day so she can learn a trick or two and eventually pick up the art!

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  7. I worked and worked on that CWJ and finally gave up in frustration! I do like the little heart. You inspire me. I will go back to it now and keep trying to get it right. Thank you for sharing your adventure.

    Sarah

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  8. Great idea - I'm sure you made that sweet woman's day! You amaze me with your tatting accomplishments, not to mention your kindness.

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    1. *sheesh* Cindy, you do say the nicest things. You should hear me in the car when rude drivers cut me off or do something stupid- which is all the time. You would pretend you never heard of me, sniff offendedly and hurry away!
      Fox : ))

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  9. Hi fox,

    Well done, I had a woman in her 70's last year who had trouble with a pattern, she was sent to me from the wool shop where I did a tatting display, She ended up with her eyes opened to the Internet and the world tatting community and new patterns. It's lovely to bring old tatters up to date. A lovely idea keeping a few hearts in your bag to give away, they won't take up much space and something to show anyone our "dying art"......not.
    Yesterday I had appointment with mothers social worker she had never seen tatting, I some with me so I showed her some bits I had which I had taken to show mother.

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  10. Fox, you never stop amazing me. I bet you totally made her day. Please keep sharing your love of tatting with others.

    Now I wonder what I could use as my "companion heart", hummm.

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  11. Oh Fox, great CWJ, beautiful colored thread, and now also with the little flowered ring inbetween! Perfect! And now tell us what was the trick? Just practise? I love it, it's my favorit green ^^. And I enjoyed the little story,..pocketbook stash, thats a good idea! Thank you!

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  12. The heart looks wonderful. It's great that both the lady and you had an uplifting moment, brought together by a tatted heart. Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when something like that happens?

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