HI Helen,
I would be very careful about what I gave the ladies to use as a pillow and
equipment to begin with because if your ideas of cheap alternatives to a
pillow etc don't work on the day you will end up putting the ladies off the
whole idea of learning to make lace. The Toilet rolls in baskets might
slide across the table when the ladies start working on them, the whole
thing would not be heavy enough to keep it stationary, I don't think. If
you
do decide to use that method then you would need to weight the baskets in
some way, perhaps by putting stones in them.
The toilet roll method would not allow the student to spread the bobbins
out
around the roll because there would be no flat surface surrounding the roll
for the bobbins to lie on. Instead the bobbins would just hang down at the
bottom of the toilet roll, probably lying in a huddle on the table top
because there would be no height to the "pillow" and the bobbins could get
in a tangle. It would be too complicated to make some sort of flat surface
around a toilet roll in a basket I think.
If you normally use a cookie type pillow yourself and would later on be
teaching on such a pillow then you need to start off as you mean to carry
on
with at least a flat pillow of some sort for each student, not a roller one
as in the toiler roll idea. A flat pillow is much easier to work on and to
control the bobbins on than a roller type is especially if, as I mentioned
above, the roller does not have a flat surface surrounding it.
You could perhaps find a supplier locally for a large thickish sheet of
high
density polystyrene, or styrofoam, if it is not too expensive. Then cut
the
sheet into suitable sized blocks, at least 12inches or so square. Cutting
polystyrene is a messy job I know but the higher the density the less messy
it should be I think, especially if you can get NATO quality which is very
dense. The supplier might be able to cut the sheet for you if you give him
the sizes of blocks you want. Cover the blocks with fabric, which could be
just stretched taut over each block and pinned around the sides or
underside of each block. You could also put a piece of carpet felt or old
blanket between the block and the fabric covering which will make the block
more durable.
If you can't find a large sheet of polystyrene then you might find packs of
polystyrene ceiling tiles that people used to use in their houses, though
this material is not very dense and so less durable. A pack or two of
those
and a pot of white PVA wood glue** and a cheap 2" paint brush wouldn't be
too expensive and you would not need to cut these tiles at all. Glue the
tiles together using the brush, being fairly generous with the glue,
perhaps
in 2s or 3s, to make a decent thickness. Allow at least 24hours for the
glue
to dry, and cover that with fabric to make a square pillow. This would be
enough surface to be able to pin a pattern to and to give enough working
area to spread the bobbins out.
** You have to be careful about what glue you use for Polystyrene because
most spirit based glues will melt the polystyrene. The white PVA type wood
glue does not eat into it and is water soluble.
Buy packs of beginners bobbins, you can get very plain wooden beginners
bobbins very cheaply if you buy in packs of 20 or 50 as per your
requirements, these can work out at about 20penceUK each plus postage, you
will be able to find them locally I am sure. A simple beginners piece
might
only need 6 -10 pairs of bobbins so not too many for a lady to buy for a
trial piece of lace.
Van Scrivener does plastic bobbins cheaply, I have a few of these and they
work just as well as the wooden ones but don't weigh very much so do need
glass bead spangles to weight them.
http://www.vansciverbobbinlace.com/4Bob_E.html#Top%20of%20BobbinsE
A packet of mixed cheap glass beads, or even a packet of small metal
washers
from the local ironmongers shop would do for spangling, but wash them in
hot
soapy water and dry them well first to remove any residue grease from the
metal press they were made in. A couple of coils of spangling wire, a
packet of pins and a reel of thread and that would be all you would need to
buy, plus copies of your pattern.
If I were you I would definitely sort out the supplies first and see what
the
total cost comes to, before you actually buy anything. Then work out how
many Pillows you can make from a pack of tiles or a sheet of polystyrene
cut
to size, plus say a dozen bobbins and a few beads for spangling them per
pillow, add anything else that you might want to charge for per pillow and
get a total for each of these "beginners sets" by dividing the total cost
of
materials by the number of sets that can be made from them. Then tell the
interested ladies how much it will cost each of them for basic equipment.
Once you sort out who is willing to pay a nominal charge for some equipment
you can set about buying and putting the equipment together. You can't be
expected to do it totally free of charge. Even the toilet rolls and
baskets
would cost something and you would still need bobbins of some kind plus
pins
and thread. You might even do well to take a deposit from each interested
lady to be sure she will actually turn up to the class once you have made
the sets, a small deposit per person would also give you a little money to
help you buy the equipment necessary. It can be surprising how many people
say they would like to take up a particular class but by the time the time
the class is ready to begin they have either forgotten all about it and are
doing something else, or they have lost interest.
I can understand your reluctance to charge for equipment in case the ladies
don't carry on but you do need to spend a little money to begin with on the
basics and I don't see how you can be expected to bear that cost. Doing
things too cheaply could cause too many problems if the equipment you
supply
doesn't work properly on the day. It could result in the ladies giving up
at the first hurdle, so to speak, and that would be a shame if they have
shown an initial interest.
As to a pattern. I am not a teacher but did teach my friend here to make
lace from scratch some years ago and she went on to make some lovely beds
and bucks point pieces.
I would not start anyone off with a circular pattern, far too difficult for
anyone who doesn't even know how to do basic whole stitch. Look for a
straight strip pattern using only 6pairs or so and stick to just whole
stitch with perhaps a bit of torchon ground, half st. pin half st. and
twist. To teach half stitch ground on a first lesson could also be
daunting
because you lose the worker bobbins in that ground far too easily. Avoid
gimps too because they will just add problems on a first piece. I would
suggest something that was basic torchon ground with some whole stitch
diamonds running down the middle, say with 4 pins to each side of the
diamond. anything else would be just too difficult for newcomers to start
with I think.
Regards
Jenny DeAngelis.
Spain.
I would really love some help. I have been asked to teach a beginner's
lace
class for some of the ladies at my church.
I would like to give them a very simple pattern that could be finished in
one session.
My problem is the only inexpensive item I can think of to use as a
pillow is a roll of toilet paper in a small basket so it doesn't roll. But
I cannot find a very simple bookmark pattern.
I have a pattern for a broach that I know they could finish in one
class, but it is a circle and will not fit on the roll.
Does anyone have either a extra simple bookmark pattern they are
willing to share, or a suggestion for something that can be used as a
cookie
pillow.
Since these ladies do not now if they would like to continue after the
first class, I do not want to ask them to spend money on supplies when I
can
supply enough for one class.
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