I love handmade things, but often find that I don’t know what to do with them at times. After all, some things are just too precious to use. Take these potholders, for instance.
I found these in a thrift store and fell in love with them because they are tatted. My great-grandmother used to tat, so maybe that’s why I was drawn to them.

The stitching is delicate and the potholders are really in great shape. I don’t want to use them, and I also don’t want to put them up somewhere in my kitchen where grease can get splattered …read more

Quilters and fabric artists use many types of embellishments for their art, especially for wall hangings, fabric boxes, “inchies”, postcards and other projects.  These may be antique items, buttons, keys, charms, and items you’ve made.
I discovered delightful tatted butterflies at Noreen’s Hankering for Yarn blog that would be ideal for quilted and fabric art projects.  You might want to take a look at the butterflies Noreen is making for her daughter’s wedding dress, as well as for original purse designs.
(Here’s some additional instructions for making tatted butterflies.  Noreen also takes lovely photos of her work.)