Is that a shuttle in her hand?

[wosny.livejournal.com]

I was reading a biography of Lewis Carroll last week and this photo of his Aunt Lucy made me wonder... Could she be tatting? I thought I'd ask you as you've been so knowledgable in the past. Probably dating from the 1860s or so, and posed because at that time photography was a very cumbersome and complicated business, I'd love to think it was, but my "ami" thinks she's just darning a sock!