Woman to show art of tatting at Heritage Festival

Naomi Russell

Naomi Russell can tat a cross during a football game and craft a bookmark during a baseball game.

But when she spends a day demonstrating the handcraft at the Piqua Heritage Festival, she doesn’t expect to complete either.

“I talk more than I demonstrate,” the Piqua woman said with a big smile.

Tatting is making handmade lace by looping and knotting a strand of thread on a hand shuttle or needle. Russell prefers needle tatting.

Using the craft, she’s made doilies, bookmarks, earrings, ornaments, and borders for blankets. She’s even used tatting to create borders and flowers on greeting cards.

“I can’t stand to waste any thread,” she said.

While the 81-year-old Russell has been doing needlework such as knitting, crocheting, needlepoint and cross-stitch since she was a teen, she took up tatting later in life. She learned from a book — and a little trial and error.

During the Piqua Heritage Festival on Saturday, Sept. 5, she plans to demonstrate the craft like she has during many past festivals. This year’s festival will be Saturday through Monday at Johnston Farm, Piqua Historical Area.

Russell said she’ll dress in period costume and set up a table with a tatting book and samples of items she has created. While she will tat during the festival, she expects to spend much of her time answering people’s questions. Some people recall their mothers or grandmothers tatting. Others, she said, have not heard of the craft.

“I think it’s kind of a dying art,” she said.

In addition to demonstrating at the Heritage Festival, Russell also teaches tatting classes at the YWCA in Piqua.

One reason Russell enjoys the craft is that she can take a project most anywhere.

“I’ve gotten to the point when I can almost tat without looking at it,” she said.

Russell said she looks forward to demonstrating at the Piqua Heritage Festival and answering people’s questions.

“I’m glad to see there’s an interest there,” she said, noting that she hopes others will take up the handcraft.

Contact this columnist at (937) 448-0101 or sears@erinet.com.