Mlle Riego's Lace Tatting Book

Mlle Riego's Lace Tatting Book
Mlle Riego's Lace Tatting Book

cover of the 1866 lace tatting book by Riego

The famous Mlle. Riego has a number of tatting patterns books, among them this one, "The Lace Tatting Book," ©1866. At first glance, it may look a little daunting, a bit difficult to tat but a closer study reveals how easy these patterns are.

parasol from the 1866 lace tatting book by Riego

The pi?ce de r?sistance must surely be this lace parasol cover. To feel the full effect of this design, please right click and save to your computer to open in your graphics viewer later. There you will be able to enlarge it more easily.

From parasol's finial to the scalloped edge there is one square motif repeated 13 times. Elements of this motif occur 14 times in the lower band. There is an oval form echoed from center out 3 times which is in the classic form of a jabot. The scalloped edge is tatted with 3 circular motifs of 4 rows of tatting. And there are many little bits of filler forms, trefoils, single rings, connecting strings of rings and long lines of outlining rings.

This entire element would be repeated 6-8 times for a ladies' fancy or flirty parasol. The parasol came to an important weapon in the arsenal of a lady's game of flirtation. There were even lists of meanings for how the parasol was held. Carrying it over the right shoulder was the go-ahead for conversation but folding it up meant "hit-the road-jack" in modern terms. So I guess the lace design was important, too.

There is so much more in this book. Compare these three edgings:

edging from the 1866 lace tatting book by Riego

edging from the 1866 lace tatting book by Riego

edging from the 1866 lace tatting book by Riego

Neat designs but each requires some thought. Check out the whole book.




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