Tatting: Technique and History [Paperback]

Nicholls also includes detailed directions on winding and holding a shuttle, great instruction for any beginner but especially for those trying to teach themselves without the help of an experienced tatter. She starts off by explaining how to make a chain rather than a ring because by using two colors for the chain, a beginner can easily see if they're doing the stitch incorrectly. Nicholls instructions are good, but there are few drawings, and as tatting is such a visual art, it's hard to make out exactly what she's saying without illustration. The instructions would be wonderful, however, if used as an accompaniment to another set of directions featuring visual aids.

Also included in this first section are instructions on how to begin a piece of tatting with a chain (something I couldn't figure out how to do for a long while); a examination of the importance of thread tension; and an in-depth explanation of how Nicholls likes patterns to be presented (preliminary description, construction, and a diagram). She continues with six edging patterns for beginners and a discussion of her names for certain groupings. For example, she refers to three rings together as a 'clover'; a ring-chain-ring-chain pattern as a 'scroll'; and so on. Nicholls also explains her system of defining medallion patterns by classifying them according to how their center is formed, and gives examples of each kind. This beginning section of the book concludes with directions on how to join new thread, how to undo your work, and how to finish a piece. She gives suggestions on what to do with tatting, such as using it for trimming, church items, and around the house.

The second part of the book, Enlarging the Scope, is full of information for the more advanced tatter. It includes instruction on pearl tatting, using two shuttles, node stitch, Josephine knot, and the locking stitch. One application of tatting that I found interesting was the use of rings as buttonhole loops. This section also discusses false picots, mock rings, and making consistent picots. Nicholls gives some creative variations on the regular picot, including twisted picots, frayed picots, using picots for a feather effect, and the rose picot. She goes on to demonstrate the mock picot (also known as climbing out of a ring, very effective for many doilies, snowflakes, medallions, etc.) and the mignonette stitch. She briefly mentions using tatting for lettering and using jewels and beads for tatting, although there are no instructions for either technique.

The book's third section is devoted entirely to the node stitch. I found this strange, since this stitch isn't widely used even today (or at least I haven't seen it featured in many patterns). Nicholls does write that she is hoping to spark some interest in the node stitch, and gives instructions on how to write patterns and diagrams and how to use picots, joins and rings with this stitch. I admire her stepping up to try and popularize this underused technique.

I wouldn't recommend this book to someone for the purpose of learning how to tat, but for tatters who've mastered the basic rings and chains, and for experienced tatters who would like a more in-depth look at tatting, this would be a good read.