Holding a piece of History.

This afternoon I began teaching a 98 year old knitter how to needle tat. We began forming double stitches with size 10. She had a bit of trouble, so we switched to size 3. She did better with the larger thread, and using her thumb to form the stitches.  By the end of the hour, Thelma was making double stitches and a few picots and was thrilled to have closed a couple of rings.

I held a piece of History in my hands. This bonnet was made for Thelma's mother. It was made in 1901. That makes it 118 years old. I think it's size 80 thread.

We  put her smallest mixing bowl inside for the photo.  It is all rings and bare thread spaces. No chains. Decorative picots are only used on the final round.

In the bag with the bonnet was this shuttle. I think it is celluloid, it is more blue than it looks in my photo.  Treasures! I got to look at, and hold and examine a piece of tatted history.