Hello, Can anyone imagine actually pushing small bones of fish into a hard, straw-stuffed pillow?? Psssh.
OTH, it is pretty well verified that thorns were used as pins to close clothing a couple of centuries ago. There are bushes that have very long and slender thorns that are suitable for that, but I have a hard time imagining being able to place them closely enough and precisely enough for the purposes of the fine laces made at the time. (I have actually used them -- my husband grew a bush of the appropriate sort, just so I could try -- in my reenacting days) Just out of curiousity, I wonder what lace traditions in other countries say about it? Do the authors of lace history in Italy, France, and Belgium say that this kind of a "pin" was used? Anyone know? Carolyn Carolyn Hastings Stow, MA USA > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 1:59 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [lace] Fish bones and thorns > > > From Lace and Bobbins, T.L.Huetson 1973 > "The making of pillow lace requires the use of pins, and when > the art of > making lace was brought to England these were very expensive. > Consequently the > workers had to improvise their own, long thorns being used in > the midlands and > fish bones in south Devon. The lace-makers along the coast > of Devon, where > fishing was their livelihood, were in the ideal position of > having plenty of fish > from which to choose good strong slender bones of suitable length." > > His bibliography includes Thomas Wright and Palliser, neither > of which I > have, so I can't follow it back. > > In 1987, when I was doing City and Guilds at Camberley with > Ann Day, one of > the other students did some research trying to find suitable > bones (and I think > thorns as well); from what I can remember without much > success. Perhaps they > are now reading this and can recall the results better than I can. > > Jacquie > - > To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing > the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
