Local Man Displays his Tatting Skills

Larry Vollmar may look like he should be out hunting or doing some wood work for his family, but instead you will find him spending his free time sewing or tatting.

At age 73, Vollmar’s large hands are nimble as they loop and knot and
stitch their way with fine thread and a tiny shuttle. What he creates is a fine lace for trimming a ladies handkerchief, a doily or even delicate earrings in all the colors of the rainbow.

Vollmar grew up in Fairgrove farming with his father where he learned to be
resourceful. His grandmother taught his to sew and his mother tutored him in the art of tatting, a technique used for crafting lace with a series of knots and loops.

“It gave me something to do in the winter time,” he said. “And it kept my hands
busy.” As a result his skill increased. He never looks at a pattern but makes up
his own.

Since he’s been retired from Buick after 30 years of service, he’s been tatting
and selling his wares steadily.

As with most artists, he makes his work look easy. A pair of earring takes Larry
an hour to make; a handkerchief edging will take about three days.

Tatting was most popular in this country in the 1920’s and 30’s but then it, like
many of its craft counterparts, declined as the country took on other priorities.
Intricate knotting, a forerunner to tatting, can be traced back to ancient Egypt.
Tatting with all its knots and loops, was born in the middle ages as all the ladies
of Europe would not be caught idle without their thread and fancy shuttles.