Unfinished Frivolous Objects: Shuttles

Welcome to my shuttle page!

Most of these are from my old website (which is now defunct), but I do have a few that never made it up there, so stay tuned. =)

And before you have heartfailure at the volume, it has taken over 20 years to accumulate this lot, and most were bought in the Stoneage ("B.C" - before children!)

Proof I'm nuts about tatting - My NATA shuttle and it's Nut case...

These are some of my handmade Heiko Pund shuttles. The cream coloured ones are bone, the yellowy one is amber.

An old Boye shuttle ( as different from the replica further down ). This must have been a favourite, that's a finger mark worn into the finish.

A replica Boye shuttle with removable bobbin. ( From the Lazy Daisy in Melbourne. ) Doesn't feel bad, but the hook gets caught when I don't want it to. One to get used to later.

A "Detach-a-spool" shuttle. Similar size to a Justrite, but has a removal round bobbin like a metal Boye. (Another model of "Detach-a-spool" has a long bobbin like a cotton spool, I think the one in the photo is a more recent model.) That pick is SHARP though!

A "Justrite" shuttle from America. Over 20 years old - bought from a retired tatter.

Twists apart to allow thread to be loaded ( and unloaded ) quicker. Maybe just a little big for me, but I love the extra size and the pick. =)

Replica silver-coloured shuttle... It's plated, and not sure if it's silver it's plated with... I've kept the "made in India" sticker in it so no-one gets fooled! From the Lazy Daisy in Melbourne, but the blurb has Lacis on it.

A "Pelc" double bobbin shuttle.

A 1917 "pat applied for" Boye shuttle. Bit rusty, but still working!

An aluminium English AERO. Very tight tips.

At long last... an English AERO. I can't bring myself to crack the box though...

The infamous "black Aero". Sure enough, as soon as I got it out of its (brand new)packet, the plastic hook broke! No wonder these were short lived.

Please note, it's a well known flaw of this particular shuttle, and the seller is in no way to blame!

Older white Susan Bates shuttle. Made in Mexico, but a dead ringer for the old Clovers.

Old versions of the tortoise-patterned clover shuttles.

New versions of the Clover tortoiseshell-pattern shuttles. Got these from "Punch with Judy" at a needlecraft show in Melbourne. Like the fluorescent Clovers, in that the tips aren't too tight.

Clovers - The flouro looking ones are the newer model. The dark blue and red ones are older. I like the newer model, as they require less attention with a nail file to smooth the edge down ( less harsh than the old ones when winding threads. )

A pickless "amber" clover. Got this from "Punch with Judy" at a craft show. (Think it comes in twin packs - one silver dot, one gold dot.)

A whopping huge old shuttle. Some sort of old plastic (bakelite?)

Possibly tortoiseshell, but I'm not game to do any definitive tests. Another one from my antique-diving friend. =) One thing is for sure, it's HUGE, but definitely a tatting shuttle (points nearly touching).

"Pumpkinseed" shuttle, bought from ebay. Rather big!

Smaller sibling of the pink "pumpkinseed". =)

Bought from ebay with some nice vintage hankies and threads. Shuttle is new, with a transfer for the flowers.

Purchased from John Beswick at the Australian Lace Guild lace day. The Beswick's sell lace supplies, and are based in Adelaide, South Australia. Looking in Pam Palmer's book, I think these are lemonwood shuttles made in Wales by Brian Whyman and decorated by Jenny Hester.

From an Australian Lace Guild lace day. Bought from John Beswick, and I think he made them too. (Little "JB" in the centre post of one.)

A shuttle commemorating 25 years of the Australian Lace Guild being in existence. Very kindly given to me by a Tatting Guild friend seeing as I'd won the "best lace" prize at the show that year. Think it's a John Beswick shuttle, same style.

This is my "Australian Tatter's Guild - Victorian Branch" commemorative shuttle. Details of the shuttle are on the paper in the picture. The shuttles were made by Neil Keats.

A "homegrown" shuttle. Got this at a Stitches and Craft show in Caulfield, Melbourne. I think Neil is from Sydney though. Native Olive wood.

Bought from Lynn Weston in the US via ebay. Very pretty with nice sharp picks.

Purchased from John Beswick at an Australian Lace Guild lace day. The Beswick's sell lace supplies, and are based in Adelaide, South Australia.
I think the ones with flowers are made from Maple by Chris Parsons in the UK, but I don't know who's painted these ones. (Similar shuttles are shown in Pam Palmer's book "Tatting Shuttles - Related Tools & Accessories")

A Heiko Pund shuttle. I never knew coconut could look so good polished up!

Dan & Dorothy Peacock's fund-raising shuttles. Their son has Opitz FG syndrome, and these were made to raise funds to go to a conference with him in June 2002.