Making an elegant pair of accessories for a bride’s special day only requires a few materials—a spool of cord, some thread, delicate beads, and a tatting needle. Needle-tat a necklace and bracelet with beads for the bride to be and give a gift that will be treasured for years to come.
The designer of the necklace and bracelet, Esther Trusler, explains, “Needle tatting is a gentle art that can be traced as far back as the 1850s. Some believe that tatting developed from netting and decorative ropework created by sailors and fishermen.”
Needle-tat an elegant pair of accessories for a bride’s special day. Photos by Joe Coca.
If you’ve never experimented with needle tatting, our “Needle Tatting with Beads How-To” sidebar that accompanies the instructions for the necklace and bracelet, courtesy of our sister publication Beadwork magazine, will guide you through the process.
One tip from the “Needle Tatting with Beads How-To” sidebar is, “Keep your work moderately tight: if it's too loose it will look sloppy; if it's too tight you will have difficulty pulling your needle through. Be patient. Your technique will improve with practice.”
Download Needle-Tat a Bridal Necklace and Bracelet with Beads
Materials
Mastex bonded #18, 100% nylon cord, 167 yards (153 m)/spool, #722 Natural, 1 spool
Nymo beading thread, 100% nylon size D, 128 yards (117 m)/bobbin, light tan, 1 bobbin
Czech seed beads, size 6°, eggshell pearl, 100
Czech raindrop beads, size 5°, eggshell pearl, 175
Japanese seed beads, size 11°, eggshell pearl, 25
Handy Hands tatting needle, size 5
John James Needle, beading size 10
Twisted wire needle
Buttons, ⅝ inches (1.6 cm) in diameter, cream, 2
The finished size of the necklace is 20 inches (50.8 cm) long and the bracelet is 6½ inches (16.5 cm) long.
Learn more about needle tatting in our video download, Needle Tatting: The Basics and More, or try your hand at shuttle tatting with our free project, “A Vintage Tatted Edging from Needlecraft Magazine.”
Featured Image: Esther Trusler's tatted necklace and bracelet with beads. Posted February 21, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.