GMArts commissioned shuttles. Top: Myrtle wood post shuttle, with Cascades image. Purple heart with inset Bisbee Turquoise Bobbin shuttle.
Hand painted by Zena Herbert ~"The Sea of Dreams" Shoppe, Moracambie, UK Post shuttle
SHUTTLESWhen you begin tatting, your first thought may be which shuttle? Shuttles come in all styles, sizes, and possess many different attributes.
The basic shuttle was a post shuttle. Post shuttles were plain, but often the wealthy and royalty had bejeweled shuttles (not Bedazzled!) They came in various woods, ivory, sterling. . .all the things royalty would want! Modern post shuttles may be ceramic, plastic, a variety of woods and precious metals. My personal favorite jeweled post shuttle has a blue opal set in purple heart.(TSS)
Then, there is a Bobbin shuttle with a few different attributes. The bobbin snaps in and the bobbin snaps out. They, too, come in various woods, metals, plastics. My favorite bobbin shuttles are wood; and, come from ("im in the garage" via JaneEborall's Etsy site) the UK, called Pop-a-Bobbin (I call them my 'poppins" A close favorite is my English Aero (plastic).
Many choices, many attributes, many pros and cons. Every tatter has their favorite. One of my prettiest shuttles is naturally shed deer antler. But it is a double bobbin shuttle (yes, you can!) and I haven't learned to work with that as yet (I have a How To Book).
Like the shuttle, we are all different. Some are difficult , some plain, some bejeweled, some plastic, some wooden (but beautiful in variety). None of this really matters because God loves us all, and He is able to take each of us and make each of us both beautiful and beneficial . Ask yourself today, Am I in His hands? He has a design, am I willing to be made willing to follow that design? Do I trust Him as much as He loves me? No matter what happens: if I'm dropped or tossed, do I still have hope?
I was just going to give you scripture references to go with the point of the devotional; but, it occurred to me that some of you may not have a Bible, or even own one. It isn't a requisite to be a christian to read this little homily; so scriptures printed out might be helpful. At least it would make it easier for each of you to follow.
"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you, he will never let the righteous fail." Psalms 55:22
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" Romans 15:4
