Why “Top Banana”? Well, this shuttle has spent part of its past life as a banana!! Here’s the story. Dave and I like to browse the local “Neat Repeat” second hand store where donated garage and attic items help support the local senior center. On one trip Dave spied a old dusty carved teak wood banana (you may have seen these carved wooden fruits in a wooden bowel as a table center piece). He noticed the beautiful wood grain pattern and color and said “your coming with me to spend the rest of your life as a tatting shuttle making beautiful lace” (when the opportunity presents itself, he always likes to “re-purpose” items for a useful life as something else). To accent it, he cut and inlayed a diamond shaped piece of ancient woolly mammoth ivory.
So, Dave made this 2 5/8 inch shuttle from the wooden banana and dubbed it his “Top Banana” shuttle! To view more photos of this tatting shuttle, please click any of the links above which will take you to the Ebay auction listing.
