Borders con Il Chiacchierino ad Ago
Alicja Kwartnik's "Needle-Tatted Borders"
This new book by Alicja Kwartnik is not a tatting pattern book. It is a guide to creating needle tatting which one attaches to cloth. Household linens are decorated both with the needle tatted lace and with cross stitch embroidery.
The book is printed in Italian. However, the patterns are presented with full-color detailed photos and numbered diagrams.(Although intended as a needle tatting book, all the patterns may be tatted with the tatting shuttle as well.) The best feature of these books are the many tutorial illustrations.
This edition has five full pages of basic needle tatting instructions clearly illustrated in color.
This is a sample of the projects presented. Alicja offers a needle tatted lace pattern. The directions are given in a numbered diagram. This is followed by a step-by-step photo tutorial of how the tatting is attached to the linen. Basic sewing skills are needed to create hems on the fabric. Basic embroidery patterns in cross stitch and drawn thread work are shown in the tutorial also.
Most of the needle tatted lace is attached to the fabric as it is completed and removed from the needle.
About Alicja's previous books:
Alicja Kwartnik's needle tatting books are printed in Italian. However, the patterns are presented with full-color detailed photos and numbered diagrams. Although intended as a needle tatting book, all the patterns may be tatted with the tatting shuttle as well. The best feature of these books are the many tutorial illustrations.
"Chiacchierino ad Ago" (Needle Tatting), published in 2010 by Casa Editrice Nuova S1 is an A4 size paperbound book with 63 pages. The patterns are all of the simplest construction aimed at the new needle tatter. All the basic needle tatting movements are illustrated step by step. 15 patterns are diagrammed on page 16. The following 33 pages show how to tat these 15 motifs and combine them to make larger pieces like table runners. bookmarks, a purse, and holiday tree decorations. A special section on the chain follows with patterns for jewelry and it ends with a study of ring and chain repeats.
Alicja Kwartnik published "Creare Gioielli con il Chiacchierino as Ago" (Creating Jewelry with Needle Tatting), in 2011. It is also an A4 size paperbound book with 64 pages. It begins with a study of chains and the use of a half stitch to create different effects, such as the spiral or Josephine chain, node stitch and Victorian sets. The basics of beaded tatting are presented and followed by many variations of chains and ring and chain repeats which are used to create necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. A variety of bead sizes and types, beyond the basic seed bead, are used to great effect with simple tatting patterns.
