I agree with Clay about flat pillows and Continentals. In fact, I used only Midlands till I got a block pillow. I had so much trouble picking up the skinny shanks on the table-flat surface that I started getting Swiss bobbins. Anything with a bulbous bottom and a narrow waist is a whole lot easier to pick up when the pillow surface is not curved. Swiss are my favorite Continentals. They are graceful and relatively narrow, but have a double-head for hitching. The "international" bobbins Clay mentions are basically Swiss with the bulb shaved to 4 flat surfaces, so I like them, too. This means the two types mix well without throwing off your rhythm. Scattering a few squares among the Swiss helps keep them from rolling around when I'm using a lightly-domed cookie pillow, too.
However, if you have single-head bobbins and want to use silk, just be sure to wind the thread only on the lower half of the neck and leave the top bit bare. Then you can double-hitch in the bare area and not worry about the "knot" sinking into and getting tangled in the wound thread. Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA (formerly Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: Clay Blackwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> There are two advantages to this > bobbin: it has a squared off "bottom" which cuts down on the rolling > about, and it has a double head. I love working Milanese lace in > thoseyummy silk colors, and silks absolutely MUST have double > hitches or you'll go bananas just keeping the bobbins from flying completely > off the > pillow!!AND they're not expensive. So that would be my > recommendation for your Milanese Continental bobbins. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
