Book Review #6: "The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito"

Many, many thanks to mb duke for suggesting that I review this book! This book has also been   reviewed previously by Krystledawne.

Title: "The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito"

Author: Teiko Fujito (English translation by Connie Prener)
Year of Publication: 2001 (Japanese) / 2003 (English)
ISBN: 1-891656-47-3
Number of pages: 80
Number of patterns: 101(!) 
Types of patterns: The book is broken into Motifs Worked with One Shuttle (18 patterns), Motifs Worked with Two Shuttles (28 patterns), Motifs Worked with Three Shuttles (4 patterns), Motifs For the Advanced Tatter (7 patterns), Motifs Inspired by Nature (19 patterns) and Edgings (21 patterns), as well as two bonus patterns shown on the back of the book.

Pattern 1 (Motifs Worked with One Shuttle)

All the patterns in the first four parts are either motifs or small doilies. The Motifs Inspired by Nature are flowers and leaves (surprising, right?), and the Edgings are made of flowers, butterflies, and other traditional-type edging patterns.
Type of pattern notation: Detailed diagrams which are colored to correspond with the photographic illustrations, so it is easy to see where you change threads. Stars, arrows and other symbols are used to point out specific elements of the patterns that the author wants to highlight or make sure you know how to do. The symbols correspond to a written notation somewhere on the same page. (Example: "----- Pass thread through here")

Pattern 59 (Motifs Inspired by Nature)

Illustrations: Each pattern is shown beautifully tatted in shiny, full-color splendor. (Seriously, the pictures in this book alone are worth the price of admission. The color choice on the motifs is inspired!)
Notions: Even though some beads and other doohickies are shown on the front of the book, there are none called for in any of the patterns. A few of the edging patterns incorporate crochet, but other than that, it's all rings and/or chains. The author doesn't even suggest thread sizes or types, so it's up to the artist to choose (I did all my examples in size 40 Lizbeth)

Pattern 13 (Motifs Worked with One Shuttle)

Shuttle or needle? Full disclosure, I didn't pull out the needle to work any of these patterns, but I think at least some of these patterns would be fine with the needle--the patterns are all written for the shuttle, and I can't even imagine attempting the patters for two or especially three shuttles with a needle--it was hard enough to keep the threads from knotting with the shuttle! Still, this book is so beautiful, I would suggest a needle tatter to at least try it, for sure the patterns for one shuttle would be manageable with the needle.

Keeping track of three threads at once isn't as easy as you might want it to be!

Other inclusions: Unlike many other books on the market, this one doesn't have the "how to tat" section, so if you are just starting out, this book may not be for you (but it will serve as inspiration!) Besides the aforementioned pattern sections, the book has a one-page introduction, table of contents and copyright page, and dedicates the final quarter of a page of the book to a very short biography of the author. Other than that, it's all patterns all the time (makes sense, 101 patterns in 80 pages, an excellent ratio).

Pattern 6 (Motifs Worked with One Shuttle)
Sorry it's so blurry!!

That said, some of the pages do include helpful tatting tips which are often both diagramed and explained (for example, the technique for the double-picot is given and shown in a drawn illustration.)

Skill level: Intermediate-Advanced This is definitely not a beginner's book--even some of the patterns for one shuttle are quite challenging, and require skills and techniques that most beginners just don't have, and which the author, for the most part, assumes the tatter has or will understand.

Pattern 19: (Motifs Worked with Two Shuttles)

Skills needed: Not explained in the book: shuttle-only tatting, split ring tatting, climbing out from one round to another, onion rings, two and three-color tatting, throwing off rings from chains and twisting picots. Explained in the book: lock joins (she calls this outer thread joining and devotes 3/4 of the last page of the book to the technique), perle tatting (she calls this the split stitch), and double picots.

Pattern 48 (Motifs Worked with Three Shuttles)
This motif uses onion rings, three shuttle tatting, rings only, thrown rings and lock joins. It's also SUPER FUN to tat!!

Price range:  In the US, you shouldn't spend more than $20 for this book; in the UK, you're looking at around £16. (Australians, I'd love to know which online stores you shop at for all your tatting needs!)
Availability: US: Lacis (the publisher), Handy Hands, Be-Stitched, Tatting Corner, Amazon. UK: Tatting and Design (Note: Amazon.co.uk doesn't currently have this book)
Personal Notes: Japanese tatters have a reputation for creating deceptively simple-looking (but oh, so beautiful!) tatting patterns, and this book does nothing to dispel that notion. Thankfully, this book has been translated into English, so those non-Japanese speakers among us can fully comprehend and appreciate the nuances of these magnificent creations. If you have wanted to try a Japanese tatting book and you're not a brand-new tatter (if you are, try New Tatting first) I think you will enjoy giving the patterns in this book a try!

Pattern 52 (Motifs for the Advanced Tatter)

Do you have a book you'd like to have reviewed? Let me know in the comments and, if I have it, I'll tat a bit and give you my thoughts! :)