Miss C.W.'s Tatted edging for Piano Scarf June 11, 1916 The Plain Dealer

The Onion Ring Join with the Tatting Needle takes a little more manipulation to make correctly

The word oeillet, along with loop, oval and circle are all used to indicate a "ring" in this 1867 Mlle Riego pattern from the Royal Tatting book, pg. 10.

Here is another vintage pattern from 1858 edition of "The Girl's Own Book," a butterfly motif "couvrette." The directions to tat the necessary rings includes instructions for "pearl stitches." The "pearl" indicated a "picot" and to make a pearl stitch with picot at that time meant 1 ds picot 1 ds.

Recent study of "The Girl's Own Book" 1858 edition by (Lydia) Maria Child brought to my attention an illustration of 4 variations of a line of half-closed rings. Half-closed rings were often used in vintage patterns but seen less seldom today.

"The Girl's Own Book" in 1833 had no tatting. But by the time that the 1858 edition was issued, tatting had its own section. The tatting section is on pages 330 through 348. The instructions are quite general but accurate as are the illustrations. Among the patterns is this curious piece of lace.

The Bullion Knot compared to the Josephine Knot and the vintage "dot" formation

"Flitting Fingers: Tatting in the 19th Century by Virginia Mescher

"ANNA" was an all around magazine for needle artists of every genre. Their May issue featured tatting for years.

Tatting, The contemporary art of knotting with a shuttle - Rhoda L. Auld is an eye-opening book for tatters who are particularly interested in the construction of tatting.