Sewing, tatting, and more by Nancy Tracy

My award-winning quilt!
This was my entry for the 2008 Hoffman Challenge. I was very excited to learn that I had won “Best First-Time Entry” in the pieced category!! Read more about it in the gallery.

Well, this is it, this is the new site at our new location.

We made a few minor changes/enhancements in the process. We’ve worked hard in transitioning this site and it is likely we missed something. So, we ask that if you find anything that doesn’t work, links to the wrong location, problems with your purchase, or anything at all – please use the contact link and send us a message to let us know so we can fix it. Your help is very much appreciated!

We were not able to transfer user accounts and comments. We apologize for this inconvenience.


Tatting
Tatting comprises a series of double-hitch knots we call double-stitches arranged in rings and chains, and ornamented with picots and sometimes beads. It is worked using either a tatting shuttle or tatting needle using tightly-twisted threads. Go to the tatting pages for free tatting patterns and for free articles about the history of tatting, how to shuttle tat, how to make a blocking board for finishing your tatting, and many other things.

Sewing
I have been sewing since I was a child, and spent seven years running my own business as a dressmaker. Visit the sewing section for free sewing tips that I learned on the job and while I was studying textiles in college. Learn about caring for your machine, sewing on specialty fabrics, how to make collars that curve beautifully, the correct way to press your projects, time-saving tips, selecting the right fabric and interfacing, and much more!

Gallery
This is the “eye-candy” section of Be-stitched where I post many of the tatting, sewing, quilting, and other projects I’ve done. Plus, now you can add your own projects! Just send me an email with a photo of your project and a short paragraph about it.


Latest from the blog

About Me

Ryan's quilt
Ryan’s Quilt

My name is Nancy Tracy and I’m a tatter and a quilter.  I love other techniques as well.  In fact, if it involves thread or fiber or fabric, I’m usually up for it!

When I was a teenager, my mother took a class and learned to tat.  She wanted to teach me then, but I wasn’t so interested (what was I thinking?!).  But years later when my daughter was a toddler, I decided I wanted to learn.  I bought a book and a shuttle, but I forgot thread, so I pulled out the thickest thread I had–some buttonhole thread.  I don’t recommend using buttonhole thread to learn.  It was hard!  But I persisted, and taught myself to tat.  I’ve been happily tatting ever since.

My husband, Bruce, and I are now empty nesters.  I had a little trouble adjusting at first, so we ended up with two cats because apparently I need something to take care of.

On weekdays, I work full-time as an electrical designer/drafter for a major corporation.  My free time I spend gardening, tatting, quilting, making temari, volunteering for my church, and taking care of my home and family.  (Sleep is optional)


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