Chatting Tatting

Lots of people these days enjoy crafting - quilting, knitting, crocheting, cross stitch and such, but there are not many who practice the beautiful old art of tatting. We have one of the best here in Red Oak, living at the Regency. Her name is Phyllis Stebbens, and Saturday, April 4, she celebrated her 92nd birthday, although you would never know it; she seems much younger. 

Phyllis was born in Webster City in 1925, the second of five children. Her father worked for Northwest Bell, and when offered the job of manager, he moved the family to Red Oak. 

“I was 15 at the time, and I went to Red Oak High School for my last two years, and graduated in 1942,” she remembered. 

Being artistic seems to run in the family.

“My mother painted china and did cross stitch, and so did my sisters,” she said. “I used to do a lot of knitting and counted cross stitch. One time I saw an article in the Guideposts magazine about knitting sweaters for poor children in other countries, and I knitted and sent off over 100 of them. I have also enjoyed doing counted cross stitch, but recently it’s become impossible to do those because of failing eyesight. Macular degeneration, you know. But I can still do my tatting, if I use light-colored thread and work against a dark background.” 

Phyllis said that she got started tatting about 40 years ago, when Dora Geissendorfer, a woman in her church, decided she was going to give it up. Knowing that Phyllis was interested in crafts, she offered to teach her how to tat. 

“She showed me how, and gradually I caught on to it. It’s been a real source of satisfaction for me.” 

Phyllis Stebbens’ life has been full of many things besides doing crafts. 

“After graduating high school, I worked for four years at the Montgomery County National Bank in the bookkeeping department,” she recalled. “Then in 1946 I was appointed Deputy Clerk of the District Court, and I served in that position for ten years. In 1956 the Clerk, Mr. Longstreet, passed away, and I was appointed Clerk to finish out his term. After that I was elected and re-elected several times and stayed on as Clerk until May of 1987, when I retired.”

She has also been active in various organizations, Altrusa, BPW (Business and Professional Women) and has served in many capacities in the Presbyterian Church, where she has been a member since 1940.

Another important part of her life has been her visits to Lake Okoboji, where the family owns a summer home.

“We bought the home in 1967 as a family, and it was the best investment we ever made. I have spent many summers there with my mother and sisters. Other members of the family would come sometimes too.  I will go up this year with my niece Sue from Omaha. I’m really looking forward to it.” 

Will she take her tatting with her to fill some time on the occasional rainy day? 

“Of course!”

Anyone interested in learning this beautiful craft, can look it up on the internet, where there are a number of instructional sites.