More about the Shuttle Brother's book

As promised yesterday I am going to tell you more about this book but first you're going to have some 'history'!!!

Way back in the dark ages before the Internet was properly established I met up with Rosemarie Peel who lives about twenty miles away from me (just noticed - she's got a new book out!). I remember sitting having a picnic lunch with her in a local garden (I was working nearby) and talking tatting. She told me about a new book by Gary and Randy with a new technique called the Self Closing Mock Ring.

I quickly got hold of a copy (probably via an advertisement in the Ring of Tatters Newsletter) and I was gobsmacked. What a wonderful technique. Gary and Randy have always said that this technique wasn't 'theirs' but that they discovered it 'from history'. That makes them pioneers, I guess.

Now, after another ten years they've brought out this second SCMR book with promises of another in a few months.

OK. Let's talk about the new book. First of all it's in black and white with both visual and written instructions which are very clear. Actually the lack of colour makes this book clearer.

The first section of motifs in the book build on one basic pattern and thus take even the newest tatter from very basic rings and chains (motif number 1) building up to the final motif - number 10 in this section.

Edgings are included and again start with basic rings only, rings and chains and again building up to edgings with the SCMR.

Collars are also done in a similar way and I can see those as edgings on T-shirts, round table linens etc.

There is a section with bookmark patterns too - one just calls out for a woven ribbon down the centre!

Then there's a section on the split ring followed by the 'ring on ring on ring' which looks really good fun.

There is a pattern for a multiple SCMR 5 point motif and the pearl tatted SCMR is also explored. There are 41 patterns in this book which makes it excellent value and invaluable to both those who are new to the SCMR and even to those 'old gits' like me who have been twice round the block!!!!! If you look here then you'll see that Riet has been playing with the more advanced stuff and it DOES look good.

Tatting and Design here in the UK are currently awaiting stocks whilst the American market is covered by writing directly to Gary and Randy.