A Sicilian Keepsake

We had friends over for dinner this evening, and I pulled out these linen place mats I purchased in Taormina in 2003. Every time I see the craftsmanship of items like this, it takes my breath away. I just think of the woman who designed and spent hours to make them… carefully cutting each piece…

Delicate Craft

Delicate enough to be framed, this lace necklace (photographed at Villa Trigona in Piazza Armerina), was created with a technique called tatting. Tatting, which is called “chiacchierino” in Italian, is a craft that’s been practiced by Sicilian women for centuries. Designs are created using thick thread that is manipulated by hand in a series of…