Nina Libin brought fresh insight into the art of creating beaded tatting, or as she says, tatted lace of beads. Her first book, "Tatted Lace of Beads The Techniques of Beanile Lace" lead us on a journey of discovery and exploration of the many possible combinations of beads, threads, and knots. As a primer for learning the basic stitches in tatting, it offers step by step instructions and detailed illustrations showing the movements of the hands. It goes on to examine multiple traditional ways to incorporate beads in the tatting. Placement of beads on both rings and chains and over joins are practiced through eighteen projects.

After grounding the tatter in a solid understanding of tatting enhanced with beads, she leads us beyond the ordinary to explore beading enhanced by tatting. Here a new art form is created from the merging of these two traditional crafts. This merger brings to life delicate tendrils of filigree lace glistening with beads and gem stones. And such three-dimensional beaded tatting encourages the creation of stunning jewelry and appliques. It can be formed into clothing accessories and used to replace the traditional elements of Irish Lace Crochet to awe-inspiring effect.

The photography of the tatted lace and the beaded lace in her first book is remarkable clear and close up. The details in the trefoils, plant scrolls and filigree motifs is outstanding. The definitions used incorporate traditional tatting terms along with abbreviations developed specifically to explain the Beanile Lace techniques. Although some parts of the pattern directions appear algebraic in nature a quick read of the definitions makes it all easy to follow. Beanile Lace will be both challenging and intriguing to both tatters and beaders alike.
--Georgia Seitz, 1998.