Happy International Tatters Day!

I have been looking everywhere on the net for this poem but have not been able to find it. It was originated by Noelene Lafferty but added on to by many other tatters from a group called etatters. I humbly apologize if it is hosted somewhere else but I really want others to see this poem again:

Tatting In My Pocket

Noelene Lafferty, Tatters Guild of N.S.W., Australia, originator

The family has come to town
Unholy terrors of all size
But there's tatting in my pocket
Safe from prying hands and eyes.

The Doctor's running late today
I could be here all day
But there's tatting in my pocket
To while the time away.

The Christmas Tree's not finished
With the trimmings that we've got
But there's tatting in my pocket
A beaded star on top!

A birthday for Aunt Tessie -
A hanky is too plain.
But there's tatting in my pocket
Add a flower of ring and chain!

The diet now is working
I look better front and back
'Cause there's tatting in my pocket,
Far better than a snack.

Noelene's orig. text

I cannot work on bobbin lace
In the front seat of the car.
So I slip some tatting in my pocket
When I have to travel far.

Three hours in a meeting,
The discussion's deadly dull.
Without the tatting in my pocket
I'd be bored out of my skull

There's laundry, cooking, cleaning,
And some errands to be run.
But with the tatting in my pocket,
I'll never get it all done!

(3 from Tamara Duvall, USA)

The field is lit so brightly,
The crowd's a noisy throng,
But there's tatting in my pocket
And the band is marching on.

The ball is being dribbled down-court
as proud parents look fondly on,
But there's tatting in my pocket
unless the dribbler's my own son!

(2 from Pamela Kite, USA)

The boys are bouncing off the walls,
They're driving me insane.
But there's tatting in my pocket
my mind will soon be right again!

(from Julie in Lacey, USA)

The wedding veil is not yet made
The bride is in a tizzie
But there's tatting in my pocket
So my shuttle must get busy.

Using 80 is not easy
With help from feline friend
So my tatting's in my pocket
Till the cat goes out again!

A deckchair on the promenade
With sun and sand and sea
And there's tatting in my pocket
So I'll tat till time for tea.

A loaf of bread, a flask of wine,
A book of verse, and you..
Plus some tatting in my pocket
To make a dream come true!

(4 from Sally McGill, Malvern UK)

I walk back from the mailbox
dumping sand out of my shoe,
but with tatting in my pocket,
I'm not far away from you.

The internet has fast email,
I wait to hear from you,
Pulling tatting from my pocket,
I can tat until I do.

But Now the postman seems forever
driving over dunes,
He's picking up my package
with the tatting made for you,

And now its your turn, waiting
til my tatting comes to you,
But with Tatting in your pocket,
The Pleasure waits for YOU!

(4 from Donna Addis, USA)

e-tatters are a happy bunch
We love to chat awhile
And with tatting in our pockets
we can face life with a smile.

My precious child's been hurt today
The doctors buzz around -
But there's tatting in my pocket
So my blood pressure won't pound.

The laundry's in the washroom tub,
There's dishes in the sink
But there's tatting in my pocket
It all can wait, I think

If one in four is crazy
And the whole world is going mad
If you've tatting in your pocket
Then life can't be all that bad

The fire alarm has sounded
The residents all must flee
But there's tatting in my pocket
That's all I'll take with me!

Karey is so talented
She writes tatting books galore
And with tatting in my pocket
Now who could ask for any more!

The bus from school is due again
With toddler homeward bound
So there's tatting in my pocket
Until he's safe and sound

(more from Noelene)

The internet is slowing down
To log on takes so long,
But there's tatting in my pocket
So I'll wait and sing a song.

(from Bonnie L Atencio, USA)

Noelene's skill for rhyming,
clever verses of tatters and lace,
plus the tatting in my pocket,
keeps a smile on my face...

(from Nancy in Colorado, USA)

The company's moving down town,
Which is miles and miles away,
But with tatting in my pocket,
I'll tat the miles away.

(from Laurie Ann Cole - Mississauga, On Canada)

The kiddies are watching T.V.
Sceaming out to me their wants and needs.
But as long as I got tatting in my pocket,
I'm happy and pleased!

(from Bethann - Ms. Heart, Wisconsin, USA)

Football's on tv
DH loves it, I think it's kind of lame
But with tatting in my pocket
I can make it through the game!

After my allergy shots
For twenty minutes I must linger
But with tatting in my pocket
I've got happy fingers!

Customers are fussing
And agents are mad
But there's tatting in my pocket
And for that, I sure am glad!

I'll take it out at lunch
And when I get home, too
This tatting in my pocket
Helps me the day get through!

(4 from Katie Johnson in South Carolina, USA)

Back and forth on aeroplanes
Waiting round for travel bag
But there's tatting in my pocket
I don't suffer from jet lag!

Long full skirts are cumbersome
When I'm dressed like days of yore
But for the tatting in my pocket
An instant shelf's the score.

(2 more from Noelene)

We drove the route for hours,
The sights were all the same
But there was tatting in my pocket
And now I'm glad we came.

Our children make us welcome
Though we're strangers in their land.
But there's tatting in my pocket
And I'm content, strike up the band!

The trip back home is dreary
Here we go, just like before.
But there's tatting in my pocket
Hooray! It's not a bore.

Commuting on the airplane
The time drags on and on
But there's tatting in my pocket
And I, at least, am having fun.

(4 from Bonnie L. Atencio, USA)

Neighbor kids have money to spend,
My kids are asking for some too!
But all I have is tatting in my pocket,
So the kids are crying boo-hoo!

(from Bethann, Wisconsin, USA - Ms. Heart)

It's getting late, too dark to tat,
My husband wants to play :-)
So my tatting's in my pocket
It'll keep another day.

(from Sally McGill, Malvern, UK)

Writing poems is such fun
To think of while I tat
And now "Tatting in my Pocket"
Is part of tatter's chat!

(from Noelene)

DS has soccer today
Two games, back to back
But there's tatting in my pocket
Now I'm really glad of that!

(from Patricia Woolf, Demopolis, AL, USA)

I order on the internet
It gives more time for leisure
With tatting in my pocket
I'm getting much more pleasure.

(from Doreen in England)

The line is long for lutefisk
We'll have to sit and gab
But I've tatting in my pocket
And the time will not be drab

(from Jeanne Lugert)

The Packer's are losing,
and putting out feelers.
Wife got tatting in her pocket,
and always rooting for the Steeler's!

Packer's are making excuses,
But I don't care.
Wife with tatting in her pocket,
And I'm for the Bears!

(2 from Roger Laars - Mr. Heart, WI, USA)

Christmas time is looming fast
Shops have stuff on every shelf
But with tatting in my pocket
I can make it all myself!

It's great to hear from people
Who can tat, and email send.
'Cause with tatting in your pocket
At e-tatters you're a friend

(from Noelene)

Plenty profuse papers pending a grade.
Many a lesson plan to be made.
Tatting in my pocket keeps me sane.
With time for only two rings and a chain.

(Witt Wittmann, Lancaster, South Carolina)

To the Dentist today,
He doesn't use gas for dreaming.
But there's tatting in my pocket --
So that I won't run out screaming.

Waiting in the theatre
For the movie to begin,
There's tatting in my pocket,
Just till the lights come up again!

At the pumpkin patch/Christmas tree farm,
The kids have a time that's grand.
But there's tatting in my pocket
Till I can go and wash my hands.

There sits all my housework,
For weeks, woefully neglected.
So there's tatting in my pocket,
Like a spoiled child, feeling rejected.

Nap-time for the students,
I should be writing without a sound.
But there's tatting in my pocket,
And I need only one more round!

There'll be time to write later
I'll just finish this, quick as a wink
But now I'll put my tatting in my pocket,
'Cause they're all watching -- they don't even blink!

It's time for "Arts and Crafts."
Guess what we're doing today?
There's tatting in my pocket,
And on the wall, a whole new display!

(7 from Lily)

The light is glaring overhead,
and now I lay and wait.
No tatting ----no pockets,
and I'm not feeling great.

But soon with doctor's magic
my innards he will fix,
and tatting in my pocket
will make recovery quick.

(2 from Petal)

My family's gathered 'round me,
The popcorn's on the tree.
There's tatting in my pocket,
I'm as happy as can be.

(from Bonnie L. Atencio)

It's Christmas time Downunder
With sun and surf and heat
And there's tatting in my pocket
For the gifts I must complete.

But the garden beckons constantly
With glades of fern and shade
So there's no tatting in my pocket
And the gifts just wont get made!

So when winter chills descend again
And I'm forced to stay indoors
Then tatting in my pocket
Will be better than the chores

Because this time I promise
Not to dawdle and delay
And keep tatting in my pocket
For gifts for Christmas day

There are tatters on the internet
They're not a dieing breed
They keep tatting in their pockets
To bring out in times of need.

There are tatters in Australia
I've been told the kangaroo
Has tatting in her pocket
But I don't believe that's true.

There are tatters in New Zealand
The Land of the Long White Cloud
They have tatting in their pockets
And a craft of which they're proud

There are tatters here in Cooma
Just a few of us about
But we have tatting in our pockets
And are proud to bring it out.

(more from Noelene)

I knew I shouldn't start it
But they all sang to me,
"You've got tatting in your pocket,
You'll be happy - wait and see."

And the floss twisted and knotted
As I un-strung it down to one, singing,
"I'll have tatting in my pocket,
I'll be happy - yes-sir-ee."

And the stitches wouldn't form
And the rings refused to close
But I had tatting in my pocket,
And my fingers never froze.

The joins all came unjoined,
The filaments split apart,
But I had tatting in my pocket,
And with it, a warm heart.

And the darn thing wouldn't lay right -
The threads kinked into knots.
"I have tatting in my pocket",
said I, though I was getting hot.

The day is calm and cheerful.
There's a big smile on my face.
"The tatting's in the garbage -
With this snowflake, the most apt place."

(6 from Mary in Utah)

A tatter from OHIO
states she'll tat until the end...
with tatting in her pockets,
and lots of cyber friends.

(from Petal)

The car wheels keep on turning
But when it finally stops
There's tatting in my pocket
To do in comfort stops

Some people go for Pringles
Some use a glasses case
But tatting in the pocket
Is a very handy place

A brand new baby's christening
An heirloom I can take
The tatting in my pocket
Will a bonnet hanky make

So when the baby's all grown up
And wedding bells do ring
The tatting in my pocket
Will be worth remembering

E-tatters are a mixture
of folk like me and you
But we've all tatting in our pockets
and a friendly outlook too

So if somebody grumbles
or perhaps can't take a jest
we all just grin and carry on
doing what we all do best

(more from Noelene)

e-tatters need a Swat team
Their problems to relieve
With tatting in their pockets
And their swatch upon their sleeve

They'd rush in, shuttles waving
To tatters in distress
Pull tatting from their pockets
And help clear up the mess

They'd finish ancient projects
Give talks and demonstrate
The tatting in their pockets
Could solve the tasks we hate

So here's a call, e-tatters
To join in all this fun
With tatting in your pockets -
Volunteers - not even one?

(more from Noelene)

Jeanette's hip is playing up now
A cane? I thought and laughed!
Instead of tatting in her pocket
She could store it in the shaft!

(Noelene, with inspiration by Jeanette Black)

Nordic's counting numbers
Of who likes which and what
We've tatting in our pockets
So we'll vote that to top spot

(Noelene - inspired by a Nordic Needle online survey)

I am a NATA tatter
My fingers never stop
With tatting in my pocket
I'll tat until I drop

I am a NATA tatter
With shuttles everywhere
If there's no tatting in my pocket
I can pick up anywhere

There's shuttles in the lounge room
There's shuttles in the hall
And two or three on the verandah
On the shelf upon the wall

There's shuttles in the bedroom
And in the kitchen too
Hang on, I think there's even
A shuttle in the 'loo!

(4 from Noelene after inspiration from NATA {Nuts About Tatting Assoc.})

I waited at my polling place
For nearly a full hour
But with tatting in my pocket
I had "Tatter Power"!

Butterflies on the wing
Flew right from my hands
The tatting in my pocket
Saved the day again!

Thanks to Bush and Gore
And this real close race
I have tatted butterflies in my pocket
To brighten someone's face!

(3 from Katie Johnson, South Carolina, USA on Election Day)

This house is full of 'spiders',
Lacemakers everywhere -
With tatting in our pockets
And now bobbins too, to share!

Hairpin looms all over,
Lacemaking books galore,
And the tatting in our pockets
Means we're always doing more!!

Rowan plays with his mum's shuttles
Pretends, he says, to tat,
He'll have tatting in his pocket soon,
I guarantee you that!

Rhiannon's a fast learner
Got the "flip" in half an hour,
And in her eight-year-old's pocket
Is a length of tatted flowers.

Briony is a dreamer
Looks at life from a fairy's angle
But the tatting in her pocket
Is one great big messy tangle!!

Dylan says he wants to learn,
He's left-handed though, it's true
And the tatting in his pocket
He finds very hard to do...

Hairpin, bobbin, Ruskin lace
I like to weave and spin
But the tatting in my pocket
Always makes the biggest grin!! :)

(7 from Tonia MacKenzie, Perth, Western Australia)

I'm really not a poet
But I will give a try
With tatting in my pocket
I'm sure the words will fly

The kids are off to school
There's coffee in my cup
With tatting in my pocket
I'll put my tooties up

The baby, he is sleeping
SHHHH, don't wake him up!
With the tatting in my pocket
I'll tat a little cup

The day is done
The family has retired
Pull the tatting from my pocket
And I will be inspired

Now I lay me down to sleep
I'll say my prayers just right
For the tatting in my pocket
I'll thank God every night

(5 from Kelly Mesey, Abilene, TX, USA)

It is a long read but well worth it to hear from friends again. So Happy International Tatting or Tatters day and keep that tatting in your pocket for all those times when you are just standing in line doing nothing!

Happy Tatting

Arial - Tatting Faerie