Tatting - Kansas Folk Art
Grace Goff, Master Artist
Kay Burger, Apprentice
Tatting is a very old art. It involves a process of making lace by looping and knotting a single strand of thread on a small shuttle. It has been called "beggars lace" because it can be made from scraps of almost any smooth thread. Tatting can be traced back to ancient Egypt and China. During the 18th century the art form was prevalent in Europe and appears to have made its way there to America. In the early part of the 20th century, tatting was very popular in the United States. Although it has seen a decline in popularity in recent years, interest in the art form continues to be very strong in Kansas.
See Marie Grauer's tatting pattern book
From Celebrate Kansas Folk Arts © KSHS 1993
Entry: Tatting - Kansas Folk Art
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: February 2011
Date Modified: March 2016
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
