mini greenhouse with the E-factor

I love miniatures! In fact in dollrooms I found the perfect “second” hobby and the right set for displaying my tiny tatting! All the plants presented here have been tatted between the last couple of years and June of this year. I already shared some pics here in my blog and on Facebook, so maybe some of them would look familiar to you.
All tatting pieces were made with size 80 cotton thread.

Well, you would not believe that the difficult part was remembering the exact pattern used for tatting each piece, but I am absolutely sure they have the E-factor!

Most of them are slightly modified patterns from the E15 and E28 derivatives from Eleonore Endrucks’ original book, “Die Schiffchen-Spitzen”, included in the collection of the “Endrucks 1920 Project”. I had to consult my precious Partner in Crime, Muskaan, who saw sneak peeks of each part, to correct my list of patterns used in the little scenes. Apart from this little inconvenience, due to the fact that I can officially include myself among senior citizens, the result I think is just lovely!

I invite you to watch a short video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FHScN27KUUUC8CjxB5wuCfpJR_hsIMMl/view?usp=drive_link

With a few plants already tatted, in March I decided to buy a display case, but when it arrived I changed the position of the shelves. This pic shows it before the changes:

The case measures 30x19cm, depth 5cm.

Pots, tools, watering can, bucket, boots, bird house, they are all handmade by me with paper, glue and acrylic colours. Only the mini basket in the second scene was made by the master artisan Diana Poidimani, who's also well known for her original and creative macramè. For the case cover and interiors, I used the “Stamperia” paper block, double face “Spring Botanic”.

First scene -

The roses were tatted following a modified version of Jeanne Lugert's Rose pattern, actually the first 8 split rings of it. The leaves are clusters of rings, if I remember well they are all rings 6-6. If you were going to ask, this is a species without thorns!

All stems are wire (0.3mm), wrapped up with the end thread used for the leaves.

Second scene -

The Stringing plant was made with chains of tatted “nuts” of treble tatting stitches, alternating with segments of double stitches. For the “nuts”, you can read another post of mine, here: https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2020/06/we-call-them-nuts.html 

The Philodendron’s leaves are a modified version of the versatile E15 Leaf Doodle #1, designed by Muskaan. I started tatting from the tip of the pattern and added another ring 6+6 at the other side, so that the pointed side could be near the stem. 

I love her leaf doodles; there are 3 versions:
●    E15 Leaf Doodle #1 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NL5KHsLxOHkfILCTTKojfhHy6B9v9EG3/view 
●    E15 Leaf Doodle #2 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i8XWpjtcrvK8C_cfa8KyGvJiXNn_KPP7/view 
●    E15 Leaf Doodle #3 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m8chbwS1oD6Xjq4Uwm2R291zdAUL1VJ1/view 

Third scene -

For the leaves of the Mandevilla vine, I selected a motif from the E30 main pattern, and modified it to the shape I wanted. I've written the stitch count somewhere, and when I find it I'll update this post, with a proper pdf. The orange flowers are just 5 rings, I think they are 4-4-4-4, detached like a little daisy, then joined together and tightened in the middle at their very small picots, using a separate thread, so that it creates the effect of a calyx. Sorry that I didn't take pics and that would need a proper pdf too.
While I don't have the modified pattern, here is the pattern for the main E30 edging: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f7g8gIB7S3-ggRbdneLYmxfxPcDBoq7u/view 

In the little vases at the bottom of the scene, there are: on the left a geranium, and on the right a yellow flower. Well I cannot say what the botanical equivalent name could be for this last one, maybe we can call it the “Happyhands Officinalis”, lol!!! Petals are a modified version of the E1 Happy Hands (the main motif pattern without the two rings on the upper side), and leaves are a modified version of the E28 Heart, both patterns reworked/designed by Muskaan. 
Pattern E1 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IRlJ7bnx-c27PYtgXymx_ps-KL2pen_m/view 
E28 Heart - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rWqmDAd51VwxOqtt9spD-FIX5zYDAUE/view

Fourth scene -

Geraniums’ leaves are the E28 Heart, designed by Muskaan, reducing the stitch count by half, that is for example the big rings are 6-3-3. I didn’t tat the tip with 3 dot picots, just because geranium has rounded leaves. Petals are 2 or 3 clusters of rings with 3 or 4 rings 8ds, arranged to look like the real geranium, that grows in fluffy clusters made of many tiny little flowers.

Jug, trowel and vases are painted paper, made by me.

Fifth scene -

I already described the Anthurium, here - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2025/09/botanical-trend.html 
Thanks to Muskaan, the pattern PDF is underway.

Sixth scene -

 

The Marble Pothos’ leaves are a (oh well) faithful version of the E28 Heart pattern by Muskaan, just the stitch count is reduced by half. The hanging net was handmade by me too.

For the Caladium's leaves, I modified the E15 Leaf Doodle #2, making it a little wider and adding a trefoil for a dense centre. Initially I thought to set it with all the leaves standing up, but then I changed my mind, and that created the space in the scene for inserting the hanging plant.

Seventh scene -

 

Succulent plants: that is the best way to use leftovers! I had already used the E28 Heart to mimic a sempervivum plant, so tried with other little leaves that were left from the many prototypes tatted for the other scenes. On the right, I tried to resemble a cactus with a rose, using the Stacked development with Roda Auld's method, that I described here - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-contemporary-rope-by-rhoda.html 

(I'm particularly proud of the watering can, it's just paper, glue, and paint!)

Eighth scene -

In the last scene I put the violet, tatted in November 2024, already blogged here (again, it's the E28 Heart pattern) - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2025/09/botanical-trend.html 
And on the left, again the E15 Leaf Doodle #2 (or, was it #1?) slightly modified, for a kind of imaginary foxglove plant, with its tall flower.

That's all, but only for now! I love the #Endrucks1920Project and it is still an ongoing Project, with an ever growing international community!

Note: If you like exploring the vast range of patterns, ideas, models, information related to the Project, and tutorials too (from the perspective of Endrucks' original patterns and derivatives), all the important links are in one document called EPLinks - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Y/view 

Many thanks to my dear Partner in Crime, Muskaan, for the patience and generosity in starting the Project, and especially in leading it mainly alone during the last year, because of changes in my life.

Ciao, 

Ninetta

A year’s already passed

Luigia, there are so many things I’d like to tell you! But I can’t… Today I can only tell my readers about you, your passions and the emotions you left us.

Luigia’s work on display during the Exhibition ‘Threads and Schools – 3rd Edition’, held from 7th to 15th March 2026 in Aprilia (LT, Italy)

Luigia Tosin has always loved textile crafts and handwork, like crochet and knitting, embroidery, etc. In the 90s she approached bobbin lace and, thanks to the association "Comunità Gran Sasso d'Italia", she began to teach, sharing her manual skills and knowledge with adults and children. Teaching children was another of her passions, she did it with great joy and true love.

Luigia with children during the Exhibitions held in Aprilia in 2023 and 2024

Her passion for bobbin lace led her to attend a six-year intensive course at the Lace School Foundation in Gorizia, where in 2013 she obtained the certificate of Master Lacemaker, then continuing to attend intensive courses in the following years.

Her bobbin lace work created with wire. Angels were one of her favourite subjects.

In 2009 the "Ago Filo e Fuselli" Association was born, of which Luigia became President in 2014. Under her guidance, the association has reached very high standards, participating in prestigious competitions (including three Biennials in Sansepolcro and the International Competition in Gorizia) and organizing various lace courses in Aprilia (our city), from Punto Venezia to Cluny. Since 2016 she promoted important exhibitions of antique lace in collaboration with well-known experts and collectors, making our small local association known at a national level.

Edging, her own execution, design from "Nüw Modelbuch", a book of bobbin lace patterns published in Zurich in 1561. It is known to be the first book of patterns written in German by a woman, identified only by the initials R.M.

Every success was made possible by her extraordinary ability to inspire and engage members, who were also her friends. She deeply valued teamwork, mutual support, and collaboration, ensuring every lady played a part in bringing complex, beautiful designs (often her own) to life.

Designs by Luigia, execution by students. 

 

Luigia passed away on October 15, 2025, leaving a profound void. She left us so much, many projects and her enthusiasm, and we are determined to carry on her legacy with the same passion, looking to the future with optimism and continuing to pass down the love for the art of lace-making.

The following is a brief text that we shared with her in 2023, as a gesture of gratitude for her work.

Dear Maestra Luigia, 
Thank you for your enthusiasm, your great willpower, and the time you dedicate to the delicate world of lace. All of us at the 'Ago, Filo e Fuselli' Association could never thank you enough for everything you do. You always act with passion, competence, and positivity, managing to involve everyone: both the adults present here who are part of the association, and the school children who come to visit us and who are our future.

GRAZIE LUIGIA!

an angel to bring hope and love

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Italiano: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eXd1V9wCXnMQMN_A1XxxvhUzTptFCKiN/view 

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A previously unnamed and unpublished angel pattern I drew in 2012 has now been revised and corrected, thanks to my PIC Muskaan, who helped me and proofread the PDF, and thanks also for a wonderful initiative that gave me the opportunity to rediscover this forgotten pattern. You can find the pattern in both Italian and English. Here are the links to the two PDF versions:

Angelo Lia, Italian version: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KntC2p3UkZq8hQ1vEz7vmIAFCJ6AqeN9/view?usp=drivesdk  

Angelo Leah, English version: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cIY84JtmY3__tA5CpvQQpKFss90lLynM/view?usp=drivesdk 

I experimented with some interesting effects and techniques, something new to me in 2012, such as the large thrown off rings with dimples for the wings, the Long Picot Join used to make the arms, and a long double picot used to make the halo. I honestly don't remember if I was trying something I'd seen before, but Muskaan helped me organize, suggested the right names for the techniques (that I ignored in 2012) and even added links to tutorials for a few steps. She is the best!

For the large rings, I used a method described here: “Working with Large Rings by Patty Dowden 2013”, a Tutorial prepared by Muskaan for the #Endrucks1920Project: https://drive.google.com/file/d/161D5JeEPk4u_d6Pu6uAsaWjTTLzff4Fj/view

The “Long Picot Join” was described in a tutorial by Muskaan in her blog, here: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2017/03/marigolds-in-row.html  (look for “joining to adjacent flower : ( pictorial B)” )

In the next, I will tell you what prompted me to publish the pattern.

*********

Tamie Montgomery, who leads "The Online Tatting Class Founded by Georgia Seitz", has launched the "Heavenly Angels Challenge" in support of the "Angel Tree", a charity initiative promoted by the Salvation Army (an international organization), which helps parents in need give their children the Christmas gifts they desire. Children's names are usually written on paper angels and hung on Christmas trees at locations where donations are collected. TOTC's Challenge consists of tatting and donating angels, which are then kept as gifts for the donors or gifted to children. In the United States, the angels should be sent to the Palmetto Tatters Guild.

Anyone here in Italy can bring their Angels to any paediatric hospital, church, or charity, clearly specifying the purpose, or donate it to the families in need. Tamie writes:

“The hope is to help the children that are either underprivileged or entering a stage in their life that no parent wants to face alone. We hope it brings hope and love to everyone that is touched by an Angel tatted and donated. “

"The Heavenly Angels Challenge", as the initiative is called, begins by tatting 5 angels and then nominating 5 tatters who will each send their 5 angels, who in turn will nominate 5 more tatters, and so on, in a chain that will hopefully produce many more angels.

All the information on how to participate can be found on this page: https://www.theonlinetattingclass.com/tatting-angels-tribute 

The list of available patterns is on the same page, where you are also invited to participate as a designer.

For this noble purpose, Muskaan and I, on behalf of the Endrucks 1920 Project, have offered all the angel patterns available in the #Endrucks1920Project. Muskaan talked about it in her blog a few days ago: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2026/07/angels-needed.html 

Additionally, I can personally contribute offering the pattern shared in this post and another, the angel Ariel, which you can find here: https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-pattern-under-tree.html

 

************

I thank Tamie and The Online Tatting Class so much for this initiative. I hope many tatting angels will be sent and that many children and donors will appreciate and keep the tangible memory of this gesture of generosity.

Ciao, Ninetta

all things pass

Here you will find the continuation of the summary of my summer, what I've been putting off for a month. 
I warn you that this post is a little crowded. But but if I split it into separate posts, I'd probably still postpone them!

********************

Sunday, June 22nd: it was International Lace Day! I participated both with my friends of the association #agofiloefuselli I belong to, and with the tatting group of the #Endrucks1920Project.
In the local association we’re in a period of transition. Unfortunately, the association has not had its own venue for more than a year, and for our weekly meetings we had to move 4 times. For the International Lace Day we organized to work outdoors, in public, so a small part of us could spend a relaxing afternoon, chatting and working, despite the hot weather. We have also prepared a booth, to show our lace, inviting curious passers-by to stop and maybe come and visit us later for the courses. Some of us preferred to stay at home, but they did not fail to give their support and encouragement, as you can see from the pics they sent.

The International Lace Day, which takes place once a year, has a Facebook group in Italian - “INTERNATIONAL LACE DAY ITALIA” - https://www.facebook.com/groups/InternationalLaceDayItalia  -
As for me, I tatted a pattern from the #Endrucks1920Project, which is ever growing! On the occasion of June 22nd, we had a little surprise: the "E42 Roses" by Daniela Galli, which is a rose in two versions! They are nice and quick to tat, but I stopped at the second one. I used my usual thin size 80 thread and my little things went lost under all the other lace in the booth! Lol, I found them at the end of the day! Thank you Daniela! Here is the PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HiDjl4A_CkRcRGqpjhEItWqgEI1bGMhE/view 

Also, a big thank you to Muskaan, who prepared the document and the drawings for the pattern. She tatted a bunch of E42 roses and shared them here - https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2025/08/celebration-tatting.html  

********************

On June 28th was Frau Eleonore Endrucks' 140th birth anniversary. I wonder what she would say if she were here today, seeing her tatted designs still alive and inspiring tatters of the third millennium… We are a fantastic Facebook group, nearly 3000 members, with several times the original 44 patterns! We celebrated the anniversary by sharing another banner, tatted by me in February, when I wanted to tat something new for the exhibition we had in March, with the local association. The patterns for the letters had to wait some months to be ready. Then I had the help of my Partner In Crime, Muskaan, who saw a preview of my models and documents, and gifted me her tips for both the design and the presentation. She also suggested changes to the former letter S, and actually the new S gave birth to numbers 6 and 9, and to a lowercase ‘g’. I’m very grateful to my talented friend, she’s always present and positive, and always ready to encourage.
Here is the list of the patterns for the letters in the banner: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_arrhYZfmim2XEoczaLnZtW08ULYUvlW/view 
You can find many patterns for Letters and Numbers in our collection – thanks to the creativity of our talented group. The links to all patterns are listed in the “Lettering & Numerals from Endrucks” directory - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S4AP67BmSNIRJ2Vo36EHgUQ3yQMkrIjCv43YvYvWWRE/view 

If you like exploring the vast range of derivative patterns, ideas, models, information related to the Project, start from the document called EPLinks - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Y/view, choose one pattern from the vast collection and share it with us, you can reach us in Facebook or leave a comment under our blogposts, Muskaan and I will be happy to see your tatting and we will send you a gift too (that is another pattern). Due to the current updating of many of the PDFs, if you have saved a link to one or more documents in the past, just click on them again to refresh or check with your printed copies. When you post remember to write the name of the designer and pattern number (E1, E2, E3, etc.) or name in case of derivatives, and also always use the hashtag #Endrucks1920Project . Thank you.

********************

In July, I made for myself a recap of the tatting courses at the association #agofiloefuselli. Let’s welcome 4 new tatters in the world! I’m proud of the ladies who came to learn, and certainly I also always learn something back from them, on how to teach and what I can offer. I am lucky to have the opportunity to host in-person lessons, I really like the human relationship, beyond simply teaching a technique. 

But I really like to share online too. This summer I shared a video on Facebook, which I hope will be useful to understand how to insert beads with the AOSJ method. Here is the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aKqdDaRuX1Go188HR2gC2xU5LHCToOS3/view 
The photo-tutorial has been on my blog for some time, here: https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2021/01/aosj-for-adding-beads-in-split-ring.html 

 

********************

Every now and then I also tat patterns that are not from the Endrucks Project! In July I retat the pattern from the "Summer 2023" event of the Facebook group “Chiacchierino: Filo, Amore e Fantasia” – a pattern that I love, by Daniela Galli - Group link:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/796909010465227  🥰 Grazie Daniela!

********************

During the summer I went to Rome, more often than in the past. I visited Villa Farnese and Galleria Borghese, very rich in art (especially the latter), unmissable places, containers of precious art treasures of the capital.

Detail of a ceiling at Villa Farnese. It looks quite a pattern, isn’t it?

Detail of a room in the Borghese Gallery, a young man on a horse nearly to fall from the ceiling. The composed group has a fascinating story, to learn it read here - https://www.collezionegalleriaborghese.it/en/opere/marcus-curtius-throws-himself-into-the-chasm

On August 6, I visited the temporary exhibition of D&G at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome: it was exciting. I must say that it is not the type of fashion I would wear, but the atmosphere of the exhibition enchanted me! Above all, it is remarkable and absolutely admirable that, over the years, the two creative designers have involved many Italian artisans, enhancing the value of crafts made by hand and bringing niche activities to the world's attention. As a whole, I liked the exhibition tremendously, both for how it was conceived (every room had a theme and it was like an immersive experience), and for the great space and attention given to craftsmanship and to the creation of unique pieces. 

********************

To close the post, I will tell you about the visit to the Lace Museum of Pescocostanzo, on August 12, to reach it we made a car trip of about 3 hours and stayed overnight. I was also lucky enough to meet Paola Bevilacqua because the town is halfway between my city and the city where Paola spent her summer holidays. We worked it out and met!

The Museum has a website: https://museodelmerlettoatombolo.it/ . If you ever can go to Pescocostanzo, I recommend you visit the Museum, it contains real treasures. There are unique laces, once belonging to local families, now admired by visitors from all over the world. The director accompanied us on the visit, with great competence and kindness. He told me that they welcome many foreign tourists interested in seeing how the bobbin lace is worked, and local ladies go specifically to the museum to work in public, one of them is 86 years old. Their bobbin lace has unique style and designs. Unlike today, once it was well known and made in every home, every family used to have a rich trousseau; now  they struggle to pass these old traditions to the new generations. I admire those people who commit themselves to promote the knowledge and heritage of the lace, so the beautiful things don’t pass.

********************

Summer’s time passed. We have a proverb: "good weather and bad weather do not last the same amount of time". Well, I can assure you that this summer has really flown by for me.

Ciao, Ninetta

Botanical trend

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Italiano: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qa1X1KqDRsvnCfMAUVCSMzGur49ST1c-/view

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Before continuing the recap of my summer, I have to go back a bit, to last spring and more precisely to last May.

I usually keep shuttles with work attached in various purses, and without fail I forget their contents. I found one of these purses in May, with a good number of tatted leaves inside, made throughout several months. In fact, after the mini croton tatted during the game #LeafMeEndrucks (September 2024, included in the laceshop dollroom - https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-lace-shop-of-my-dreams.html ), I continued the production of the cute little leaves with Muskaan's "E15 Leaf Doodle #1" pattern:
E15 Leaf Doodle #1 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NL5KHsLxOHkfILCTTKojfhHy6B9v9EG3/view 

So, fresh from tatting the Iris for Orvieto, and still captured by this "botanical" trend, I took a bunch of those leaves and put them into a cheap bead cap for jewellery, to obtain the effect of a mini houseplant. The relaxing spot I built around it was a consequence: in fact the houseplant was so nice that I couldn't help but add all the rest of the furniture!

armchair, coffee table, shelf, vase and pot are all made by me

I invite you to watch a short video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16oaVsYrJgEFKRx2vqs0abikE5E8sHEJp/view

To tell the truth, I confess that I no longer remember if the leaves were all the same pattern, while I remember well that last year Muskaan shared 3 different versions and I tried them all. These are the other 2 versions:
E15 Leaf Doodle #2 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i8XWpjtcrvK8C_cfa8KyGvJiXNn_KPP7/view 
E15 Leaf Doodle #3 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m8chbwS1oD6Xjq4Uwm2R291zdAUL1VJ1/view

These are the three versions, worked with Lizbeth size 80, col.136.

In the next photos you see details taken from other pics, because in the mini boxroom everything is now glued and I cannot show you the various parts separately:

In the “vase” on the coffee table beside the houseplant, you can notice a rose made with the "Smiling Flowers" pattern that I shared here: https://ninettacaruso.blogspot.com/2024/07/smiling-flowers.html 

Also, at the top left on the shelf you can see another pot, where I tried to get the effect of a succulent plant, made with a single leaf worked according to Muskaan’s E28 HEART pattern (except for the string of "dot picot"): 
E28 HEART pattern - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rWqmDAd51VwxOqtt9spD-FIX5zYDAUE/view 

I want to use Muskaan's words, to describe what I consider a brilliant pattern: "This is a cute little motif to use for learning and applying techniques and effects (this one has CWJs and dot picot string); to embellish with beads or decorative picots; to use as a charm; to use as jewellery; ....” (https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/06/yet-another-heart.html )

You should try it now, whatever thread is already loaded in your shuttles!

The E28 heart-leaf was "a leftover" from the pot of African Violets made in November 2024, worked with DMC Special Dentelles size 80 thread, color 469:

The flowers are made of 5 rings without picots. I cannot remember the exact stitch count, perhaps rings are made of 16ds.

Muskaan’s leaves kept me company throughout this summer.
In fact I continued to tat them, sometimes just to empty the shuttles, but some other times with a rather ambitious idea in mind, of making a mini greenhouse of tatted plants... So far I only have two plants (the violet and the anthurium), I will definitely make more. I just have to stop using them for other mini rooms!! 

And now I’d tell you about the anthurium! So here it is... In November I made the red leaves with the precise plan of making an anthurium, and it took me several attempts to get the right shape. The starting pattern is again Muskaan's "E15 Leaf Doodle #1", but with two rings less (if you follow Muskaan's pattern, the ring J became 2-2, and I worked from ring C to chain Q, joining the last picot of P to the first picot of C). I don't remember the color of the thread I used, in any case it is the DMC Special Dentelles size 80. Let’s go fast forward to May, when I found all the leaves and began to assemble the plant:

I wound the leaf’s ending tails around the wire (0.3mm). I started attaching the wire to the picot of the upper central ring of the leaf (ring I in the pattern), then passed it in the picots below, then down to the base of the leaf, and lastly I started to wind the thread, absolutely with no glue on the leaf, only one drop at the very end of the stem.

For the pistils, I simply wrapped the thread around the wire (0.3mm)

The result is very naturalistic:

Thanks to Muskaan's creativity, the pattern E15 of the #Endrucks1920Project is in the subset of main patterns which have a large number of derivative patterns. I suggest you to read (or read again) her post where she shows the creative potential offered by the E15 design: https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-power-of-15.html 

Thread Lizbeth size 80, col. 134

In this blog, instead, you will soon find something more about my summer: events and short trips. Surely, in the recap of my summer I must include the International Lace Day on June 22nd, but I will tell you about that in the next post. Again, you’ll find a lot about the “Endrucks 1920 Project”. Muskaan and I are working with enthusiasm and dedication on all the PDFs, trying to improve the instructions, double-check everything and even sometimes tatting again the models... and luckily I always learn something new, that's what fascinates me in this Project!

Note: If you like exploring the vast range of derivative patterns, ideas, models, information related to the Project, start from the document called EPLinks - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Y/view, choose one pattern from the vast collection and share it with us, you can reach us in Facebook (we have a dedicated group!) or leave a comment under our blogposts, Muskaan and I will be happy to see your tatting and we will send you a gift too (that is another pattern). Due to the current updating of many of the PDFs, if you have saved a link to one or more documents in the past, just click on them again to refresh or check with your printed copies. When you post remember to write the name of the designer and pattern number (E1, E2, E3, etc.) or name in case of derivatives, and also always use the hashtag #Endrucks1920Project . Thank you.

Ciao, Ninetta

where did I take the shuttles?

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Italiano: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-59o3zbzk0jU1facPB5NtSHmHceLRUF2/view

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I know, I don't update my blog much, and yet there would be a lot to say. This summer Muskaan and I spent a lot of our time reviewing all documents in the “Endrucks 1920 Project” (#Endrucks1920Project), a titanic work and still ongoing. I feel as I worked a lot (on computer) but achieved nothing (with shuttles). To reassure myself, I need to take stock of my summer.

The title here is not for the fact that I cannot locate my shuttles ;-P on the contrary I even bought three amazing wooden shuttles (rosewood, birch root and mahogany), made by Laszlo Horvath aka Banyek, from Budapest (Purchased via his Ebay shop “smalcointattingshuttles”).

Rather, the title is a good pretext to tell you that on 7th June I took my shuttles to Orvieto, a city in Central Italy, a small city with ancient history, a monumental Cathedral and local delicacies, not far from Bolsena Lake. 

That day I went to the exhibition “An Iris for Orvieto”, that was initially held from 5th to 8th June 2025 and then extended to 14th and 15th June.

This is an annual event, among the organizers there is Mrs. Loretta Lovisa, Master of her lace “Merletto di Orvieto”, a tradition started at the end of the 19th century when the Irish lace was introduced in Italy in that area, and it soon became a distinct lace technique following the reproduction of the figures featured in the 14th century bas-reliefs of the Cathedral. Here is a very informative page prepared by Loretta: https://www.merlettodiorvieto.it/en/history-of-orvieto-lace/

Loretta is an enthusiastic promoter, and organizes and attends exhibitions, events and collaborations. Among these there is one recent collaboration with the brand Fendi for which she designed and realized one of their “Hand in Hand” Baguettes. The event “An Iris for Orvieto” was part of the annual “Orvieto in Fiore” (Orvieto in bloom) event which takes place on Pentecost (a religious festivity). This year Loretta chose the iris, since this flower is also a symbol of hope, in line with the theme chosen for Jubilee 2025: “The Thread of Hope.” 

There were really beautiful works of art, masterpieces of embroidery and lace, made with various techniques, sent from different parts of Italy. I took some photos, but here is a reel shared by Loretta in Facebook with all the flowers: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AYafu68Ri/ 

In spring she invited Luigia Tosin and me, both belonging to the Association "Ago, Filo e Fuselli", to send our flowers on behalf of the association, respectively in bobbin lace and tatting. 

Here is the flower designed and executed by Luigia, who is a Master in bobbin lace:

I received a wonderful welcome, I felt like I was visiting old friends, united by the same passion for lace. Our sincere thanks, from me on behalf of all in our association, goes to the organizers of the "An Iris for Orvieto" event, especially to Loretta and our hosts Maria Antonietta and Marco, who welcomed us so warmly. The exhibition was set up in a noble palace, “Palazzo Bisenzi”, one of Orvieto's historic residences. A curiosity: the palace is also famous for having hosted Sigmund Freud, who stayed in Orvieto several times, starting in 1897. 

During the exhibition, Loretta let me have a table for promoting our association, and I took the opportunity to display the models from the "Endrucks 1920 Project", and to briefly explain it to dozens of visitors, including foreign tourists, who came to admire the lace irises.

I designed my iris starting from pattern E11 (the 11th pattern) from the German book ‘Die Schiffchen-Spitzen’, 1920, by Frau Eleonore Endrucks-Leichtenstern. Thread is my favourite DMC Special Dentelles, size 80. I promise to share the pattern, sooner or later, but with the current schedule ongoing in the Endrucks 1920 Project, I could take long to transform my notes and scribbles into a shareable pattern!
The idea started because the shape of part of the edging E11 looks like a petal. I consulted a certain Smiling Lady you know, for one of her precious tips, and she approved the choice. As usual, several tests followed, but given the limited time available, I followed the advice of my aunt, an occasional painter, to use all the prototypes: she convinced me that the flower would look more natural if the petals weren't all perfectly identical!

 

For the leaves, I needed a compact, elongated structure, so I tried block tatting shaped into a long, narrow strip. Again, I made several prototypes before getting the right shape.

At the tip I attached the wire (0.3mm), sewed it along the leaf and then wrapped it to form the stems. In a similar way, I added wire to shape the petals (only along the middle of petal). The flower is 14cm high, from the bottom of the stem to the highest tip.

Here is a very short video of the tatted Iris, taken before sending it to the exhibition: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vy4Af5rN34Eh6BFRnx37ReVl8IwY9r3O/view 

Here is the link to the reworked pattern E11 from the German book ‘Die Schiffchen-Spitzen’: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qwj9o6vfjMUckkYB1t0z_HRBgOR9zJ15/view 

Note: If you like exploring the vast range of derivative patterns, ideas, models, information related to the Project, start your exploration from the document called EPLinks - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w1TZBg-HIzseGEUoJ-rko7tNbtSgZY5A18Oy2Y9Hh0Y/view

Muskaan and I will be happy to see your tatting. When you post remember to write the name of the designer and pattern number and also use the hashtag #Endrucks1920Project . Thank you.

Ciao,
Ninetta

P.S. Summer recap has just started!