I am seldom at a loss for words but Anna Meloni's new book on necklaces and fashion accessories just took my breath away. The photography and page layouts grab your eyes and your mouth forms a silent "O" and your fingers begin to itch to try out each pattern. This needlework is not just jewelry, it is art. Using crochet, macramé, tatting and beading techniques combined with fantastic findings and crystals, pearls and jewels (semi-precious and faux), Anna Meloni has created fashion wearables and accessories both elegant and whimsical, traditional and trendy.

20 pages of this lushly photographed book are devoted to tatted necklaces. There is a common theme to many of them and some of the construction will be recognized as traditional tatting forms. Split ring tatting is prominent and the tatted lace is heavily encrusted with beads and jewels. True, the written directions are in Italian but with the help of the tatting terms translation tables available online, the able tatter will be ready to start at once.