The tatted alphabet in Priscilla Tatting Book No. 2, published 1915 has instructions in paragraphs so densely packed that it is hard to figure out.
Here are my 21st Century "hacks" to make it easier... or perhaps I've made it worse! I'm only going to give instructions for the letter "B", but all the letters are combinations of similar elements. So here we go!
This project is mostly chains. For shuttle tatting only 1 to 2 yards on the shuttle and leave attached to the ball.
Begin at the top of the straight side of letter "B". R 2-2-2-2-2-2, close ring, RW.
Ch 7, 2 first halves, drop picot, 2 second halves. (It's simpler to write the same instructions this way: Ch 8, drop picot. The 2 second halves count as the first double stitch in the next set of Ch 8. I hope this makes sense.) The original instructions do not have a drop picot. They did a join at that area by wrapping the thread around the chain, like what we would call an "alligator join".
Ch 8, drop picot, then normal picot.
Bottom ring: R 2-2-2-2-2-2, close ring.
[Ch 4-4-4. Lock join to next drop picot.] 2 times.
Ch 4-4. Lock join to next drop picot. Ch 4-4. Wrap thread below 1st ring, turning ring to face front side up.
Ch 9-9-10-8+(lock join to picot of 1st chain) 8+(normal join to previous chain) 11-12-12.
Wrap thread around bottom ring. RW.
For front side, back side tatting, tat the following row "back side".
Ch 4-4-4. Lock join. Ch 4-4-4-4. Lock join.
Ch 4-4-4. Lock join to picot joining previous chain.
[Ch 4-4-4. Lock join.] 3 times.
Tie threads around top ring, hide ends, and cut.
Here is a sign I made using tatted letters. It says "Beach" to remind me that I live only a few miles from a beach!
