Hello Donna
My first question concerns the thread. The pattern calls for Egyptian
Cotton
80/2. As I said though, I'm putting this on linen. Does one usually
mix
fibers for the lace and fabric?
Most people would find it acceptable to put cotton lace onto linen
fabric, but it is a question of personal choice though I would
definitely pre-shrink both the lace and the fabric before attaching the
lace - and, if the lace isn't gathered then ease it to the fabric to
allow for the possibility of a bit more shrinkage..
The main problem with mixing the fibres is the colour difference,
sometimes a white cotton gimp is very different to the white linen of
the rest of the lace, which is itself a good reason for making up your
own gimps from several strands of the main thread.
Re substituting linen for Egyptian 80/2; finding a linen thread fine
enough is going to be the main problem. I'm not sure if you can still
get Bouc 140/2, but that was the finest available, and even so it's a
little bit thicker. Egyptian 80 = 50 w/cm, Bouc 140 = 46 w/cm.
However, with the finer threads 4 wraps either way doesn't make that
much difference.
Re the path of the gimps - sit down with (enlarged) copies of the
pattern and mark in the exact course of the gimp threads. I don't know
the pattern you refer to. I assume it's point ground, and yes it is OK
to double up the gimps around honeycomb holes (no twists between so
that the gimps stay close together) and that is definitely preferable
to having lots of ends that could eventually work loose and look
untidy.
Whatever you decide on this is going to be a big project so it will be
worth the effort of making samples of the lace, partly to see if you
like the effect of whichever threads you choose and pertly to see how
it attaches to your fabric.
Good luck!
Brenda
I know from knitting and spinning that
mixing of fibers can give different results when it comes to
laundering. And
as I hope this will get passed down from my daughters to their
children, will
the different fibers age differently? If I should use a linen thread
what
would be an equivalent? I have a conversion chart but it shows no
match for a
linen thread in comparison to the Egyptian Cotton 80/2.
My second question concerns the pattern itself - the gimp actually.
The
pattern calls for 2 pair of gimp and where the "fingers" are I can see
where
each pair go. What I'm unclear of though, is the gimp around the
honeycomb.
Does or could one double up the gimp around the honeycomb between each
pattern
or would it be preferable to start and stop the gimp with each pattern?
Brenda in Allhallows, Kent
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.uk/index.html
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