Dear Friends I know I joined the list in 2000. I found out about it from Jacqui Southworth who taught me bobbin lace through her brilliant beginners book.
I know I've met 4 of you in person (please accept my apologies to those I've met, but haven't remembered as fellow arachnids!) but there are many others of you (firstly Tamara, who responded so well to my first ever question about the glove hankie) who I talk of as friends without having met you. I feel a little guilty because I've mostly lurked except when I have a question. The answers have always come - thank you to all of you. On pins. Except when making Honiton (whose pins seem to have bigger heads) I use Thimble Its to protect my fingers. Would these help Jacquie's friend with eczema - perhaps to give extra padding under the gloves she has to wear? On arthritis. Jean, thank you for your cheerful posting. I so agree it's about making the lace that's fun. I have a scrapbook with loads of "big" pieces that aren't finished because I didn't want to (the Bridget Cook Buck's point fan pattern that was hard to decipher springs to mind - there were two fellow arachnes making the fan at the same time who both stopped too!). If I make a mistake in anything I think * can it work without "retro-ing"; * if it can, does it matter if I don't retro (who will notice?) * if the piece will look "OK" to most I leave the mistake in as a "unique idiosycratic variation" (for our non-native English speakers this is verbal rubbish to justify not correcting a mistake!) * If I have to I retro - but the enjoyment of making lace is more important than the finished result (that's why I couldn't ever do it for money!) The wow! My membership of this list has given me * so much comfort that if my lace is right for me, then it's OK * if I want to do it in the traditonal way (or not) - this is where the answer is * membership of a global community joined in peace by a common interest - please let us grow Thank you to the workers - Liz for the list, Avital for moderating and the "40 regulars" who contribute and from whom we lurkers all gain. By the Way I've been amazed that the current threads have enerate so many postingthis week - Power to the fingers that compute as well as cross and twist (and tat and needle lace!) Viv Worcestrshire UK - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com