Gift Giving

Thank you for the great suggestions as comments to the previous post. I’ve come up with a flat shuttle to wrap the completed tatting around as it grows. I’m about a quarter of the way finished, so I’ll be using it soon.

Probably the biggest challenge I’ve had making a hobby activity my business is getting friends and family to understand the time thing. History tells us Piecework is not a way to get rich quick. Especially after the Industrial Age. Clever engineers are always suggesting a machine could create it cheaper than paying someone to tat the lace. After hours of discussion, if they hang in there that long, the conclusion seems to be reached that tatting is complicated. I’ve even had an Engin-nerd suggest that perhaps tatting should die out. I just let that one hang in the air. Didn’t even dare to look up from the shuttles!

So, do I abandon my quest?  I know I have a good idea! My lace represents music. It isn’t just a pretty batch of knots. My pieces don’t make good gifts, they’re usually too complicated and take too long to create. I know there are people out there who appreciate it. Not just because the lady in the big house tatted it. But, because it is art. If painters can put paint on a canvas and make money, I should be able to find a way to fill the world with my art. Turning a hobby into a business can be done; you just have to learn to be successful. I’m ready to get started. But first, I’ll tat up a few presents!