Tatting Trumps Darth Vader

My four year old grandson is an unusual and gifted child. Last week, he saw me tatting (of course!) and asked what I was doing. I said I was tatting a gift for someone and he said he would like to have it. I asked if he would not prefer something in his favourite colour, instead of the orange motif. He informed me that although blue was his choice, he wanted the one I was working on. He did indeed want an orange motif. Very, very much.

He has immense blue eyes, the colour of a clear sky, surrounded with luxurious lashes. What was I to do?

It is difficult for me to refuse this little boy, but this time even more so, for I was at his home to look after my daughter who was very ill (thankfully, on the mend now).

I noticed I could not tat at all. The coaster motif has caused no problems in the past; it is a simple pattern, but while in New York I could do nothing right - literally, not one thing.

Tatting was a disaster: many starts and stops; horrible tension; mistakes cut over and over. I re-tatted the entire motif twice! All the stress resulting from shingles in the eye was tatted into that small snowflake: a real mess!

In spite of all this, my grandson was enamoured with the piece. He wanted it: he thought it was beautiful!

So, I struggled to finish and tied off the ends. Yes, literally tied the ends! I was so disgusted by then I just wanted the wretched thing done! His sweet face lit up when I presented it to him, in a quiet moment before I left.


Tatting not only helped me through a scary situation, but also brought me even closer to my grand-baby. Wow - what can I say?
Anon,