Ben Fikkert is a gentleman tatter from the Netherlands. He first learned knitting as a youngster of 8 and then later he began to crochet. His mother taught him to tat and he has been now tatting since 1978. He is a traditional shuttle tatter, but has experimented with needle tatting a bit. Trained as an software engineer he continues designing and tatting. He has written three books on tatting (the first two are out of print) and his designs have appeared in Håndarbejdsbladet, Handwerken zonder Grenzen and Tatting with Friends (Book 5 of the Ribbonwinners series.)
 Frivolité, was an instruction book for tatting published in 1983. O/P |
 Floriade was published in the USA in 1997. O/P |
 Book 5 of the Ribbonwinners Series was published in 1995, soon to be re-released. 70+ patterns, 172 pages, by such famous tatters as Pam Palmer, Anne Dyer, Helma Siepman, Monica Hahn, Angeline Crichlow, Ben Fikkert, Gary and Randy Houtz & more. |
 Tatting Adventures |
 Sample of pattern and diagram style. |
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Ben Fikkert's third book, "Tatting Adventures" was published in 2005. It is a nostalgic trip into traditional tatting. Using full color photos and diagrams, he takes the tatter on a sentimental journey to recreate doilies and edgings which would have graced any grandmother's parlor. Using basic techniques and a few fancy stitches like Victorian sets and the mignonette tatting, Ben has created a froth of lacey designs which will keep tatters happy for a long time.
Ben Fikkert website: http://bentats.nl/ contact: bentats@onsmail.nl
Here's the latest article from the Tatting site at BellaOnline.com.
Which half stitch comes first?
What is meant by the first and second half stitch? These stitches were known earlier as the plain or the purl stitch, or the French stitch and the English stitch.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art21082.asp
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Georgia Seitz, Tatting Editor
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