I have often wondered about the unusual rings so often found in antique tatting patterns from Europe, especially Germany. These were rings within rings which resembled the onion-shaped domes of churches in Bavaria where once I lived, so I called them "onion rings." At first glance they appear to be rings surrounded by chains, but further study showed that these rings could also be tatted when doing all one shuttle work. I was intrigued.

The only diagram of this technique which I have encountered was in "OCCHI~Schiffchenspitze~Frivolité" by Marianne Langwieser and Tatiana Scharowa (published by Lepold Stocker Verlag 1998) a German language publication. Unfortunately, this book is now out of print. I highly recommend acquiring a copy second hand even. The diagrams are excellent and contain many intructional directions.

This "onion ring" technique is called here the "Doppelringe" and the designers credit Frau Tina Frauberger with popularizing these double and triple ring tatted elements. (BTW, Mrs. Frauberger and her husband were active in tatting before, during and just after World War 1. They taught tatting especially to persons blinded during the war.)