I'll be brave and speak up here. Many edgings are too big to lay the entire pricking out on a surface and still have room to work, or be able to reach the area of work if the pillow is very large. Most of my projects like this are done on some sort of block pillow that has only the working area pinned down at any one time. The completed lace usually lies free.
When coming to the joining section, the beginning part of the lace has to be pinned back onto the pattern. Since the lace has relaxed/shrunk since coming off the pins, it must be stretched back to size. Pin carefully and securely for at least an inch, or several rows of pins. After the joining is completed, let it sit on the pillow for a day or so to let all the threads settle into their positions. Once unpinned, it will all relax/shrink together. There should be no difference between the beginning section and the ending. The skill of the join will determine how visible it is, not the fact that part was unpinned for a while. And some of mine have spent months or even years unpinned before they were joined. I don't think this should have any impact on the grid used for the pattern. The finished bobbin lace will be a bit smaller than the original grid (unless you have a real loose tension when making the lace). Allowance for shrinkage must be considered when making lace for an already finished fabric, whether it is a straight edging, square hanky, or a round doily. This is personal opinion, all the way. Someone else may have a different idea about it. Alice in Oregon --- "J. Falkink" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Spiders > > I remember a note by L.A. Viddeleer in her book > about "lassen" (joining > lace) that circular laces should stay on the > pillow/pricking until the > joining took actually place. If the lace had been > lying around for a > while, it would not lie flat anymore and would be > impossible to join and > attach. I can't lay my hand on the book at the > moment for details. > > I'm wondering what that would mean for my circular > grid program... > > Jo Falkink > - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]