A Special Shuttle!

I collect tatting shuttles.  I never thought I would, but it's what I've ended up doing!  I thought, after I finally learned to tat, that I would be content with my little red "Boye" (the metal "Boye" being lost to the ages...).  Right. 

Is there a tatter among us who owns only one shuttle?  Honestly?  It starts with the one we use...and use...and use...and then we need another, because there's already thread on the one we've been using, and (pick one or all)

1. it's the wrong color for what I want to tat now
2. it's the wrong size thread for what I want to tat now
3. it's still attached to the unfinished ________________
4. that thread is just icky! (which leads us to the thread obsession, but that's for another post)

So I started buying more shuttles.  All, at this point, were the red "Boye" shuttles, because that's all that the big box chain store here carried.  One day I found a different, darker shade of red -- I bought it too, and so it wouldn't be lonely, a few playmates for it.  Then I discovered Clover shuttles -- the first ones I found were red and blue, then later on, imitation tortoise shell.  Bought 'em all.

Then David and I had a glorious Saturday in which he didn't have to work, I didn't have to work, nobody needed us for anything, and we took advantage of it...one of our favorite things to do...we went junkin'.  In an old (decrepit) house full of "ann-teeks," on a stack of occasional tables, was a metal tatting shuttle.  It was in less than pristine condition, having a lot of wear on both sides.  The saleslady told me it was priced to sell at only $25.  I didn't have that much (on me) -- between the two of us, we managed to scrape together $10.  She took it and I was the proud possessor of an old, worn tatting shuttle.

This is the "pretty" side...the other has a LOT more wear. 

Since then, I've discovered online auction houses and while I didn't win them all, I was a contender!  And I did win some.  They are kept in the same type of plastic boxes where the decorated Clovers reside.  I do use them occasionally - I've tatted at least one thing (like a 4-ring butterfly) with each - and some get more tatting action than the others (we have our favorites, don't we?).

I've enjoyed strolling down Memory Lane and pausing at the intersection of Shuttle Street!  Next time...books!