You can certainly get linen lace, and linen threads. It's the *fineness* of the linen threads used then, that can't be duplicated now. In linen. So you've either got to use a thicker linen, or use a fine thread, but in a different fiber/material. Even when using another plant-based fiber (such as the cotton about which Bjarne spoke), the finished product isn't going to be quite the same. *Especially* if you're comparing using something like a cotton thread (cotton has really, really short fibers) with something like a hand-spun, wet-spun linen thread made from line flax (which has fibers many times longer than cotton thread). The two fibers even come from different parts of their respective plants, require different amounts of twist when spinning, different techniques, etc. You can see the difference, somewhat, if you think of the feel of modern cotton fabric and a modern linen fabric of the same weight, even though the linen fabric most likely was *not* woven out of thread made from line flax. --Sue, apparently channeling the spinning part of herself this morning....
----- Original Message ----- From: "Sharon at Collierfam.com" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Historical Costume'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 8:06 PM Subject: RE: [h-cost] white embroidery > Just out of curiosity, why can't you get flax lace anymore? Is the thread > not available, or is no one making it? > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Bjarne og Leif Drews > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:56 PM > To: Historical Costume > Subject: Re: [h-cost] white embroidery > > > Dear Ruth, > Oh i must say that i really dont know. But i would say that it was not the > case. My guess is they just picked up a lace for the pillow after it was > embroidered. But you must remember they had many different design laces to > choose from, in Denmark f. instance, several thousind lacemakers worked in > the south of Jutland near Tonder. > The lace has yellowed a little by the age, i think it would have ben more > white, when new. I have planned to ask at the lace list, wich kind of lace > it is, as i really dont have any expertise with 18th century lace. The feel > of that linnen lace, makes me cry, because we cant have that kind of bobbin > lace thread in flax anymore. The cotton i use, is much more "collapsable" > and needs a little starch, if i want to have that feeling to it. > > Bjarne > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ruth Anne Baumgartner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Historical Costume" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 9:15 PM > Subject: Re: [h-cost] white embroidery > > > > The embroidery is exquisite, and I'm thrilled by the way the lace > > perfectly complements the embroidered motifs. Do you know, would the > > designer of the embroidery have purposely set out to achieve this > > effect? --that is, did the selection of the lace precede the designing of > > the pillowcase? I know you couldn't say for sure of course! but was such a > > > practice customary? > > --Ruth Anne Baumgartner > > scholar gypsy and amateur costumer > > > > On Oct 3, 2006, at 10:22 AM, Bjarne og Leif Drews wrote: > > > >> Hi, > >> As i promissed yesterday, i wanted to let you se the wonderfull 18th > >> century pillow case i got as a gift: > >> > >> http://www.my-drewscostumes.dk/pillowcase.htm > >> > >> It needs washing, but ill waite a little with this. Thoaght about > >> using > >> destilled water, and soap flakes. How about ironing after the wash, > >> shouldnt i use a thick towel on the front of the embroidery and iron on > >> the back? As it is the finest linnen you can imagine, i suppose i should > >> be carefull with the ironing........... > >> I think i want to frame the pillow case, and hang it where no sun will > >> harm it. > >> > >> Bjarne > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Leif og Bjarne Drews > >> www.my-drewscostumes.dk > >> > >> http://home0.inet.tele.dk/drewscph/ > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> h-costume mailing list > >> h-costume@mail.indra.com > >> http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > h-costume mailing list > > h-costume@mail.indra.com > > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > > > > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
