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.

"Frivolite" by Tatiana Alexandrovna Klejmenova is not just a pattern book. It contains instructions in step by step illustrations showing all basics plus use of picot gauge, Josephine knots, block tatting, split ring and how to read diagrams, too.

This is a homemade notebook of tatting patterns which was edited by Jules & Kaethe Kliot, LACIS Pubs. It has 112 pages of simple tatting patterns in glorious color.

Karen Bovard's first tatting book, "Fun With Split Ring Tatting", has wonderfully illustrated instructions for the basic split ring as well as illustrations to cover many of its uses in tatting.