Hello Dianna and everyone I have done basketry but have never used shellac on the finished baskets. Personally I think it is better not to put anything on at all unless it is a natural product to preserve the fibre (e.g. lemon oil on kelp strands), unless you do want the tatting to be v. stiff - in which case I'd use fabric stiffener on it, and nothing on the pine needles, so that none of the effect of the combined materials is lost under a common coat (so to speak). I love the idea of combining tatting with basketry! I can imagine the roundness and the looping of the threadwork would be an excellent counterpoint to carefully arranged pine needles (if the baskets are in the style I'm thinking of - i.e. coilwork and sewing).
bye for now Bev in Sooke, BC (west coast of Canada) who is, among other things, pursuing a combination of silverwork and bobbin lace - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
