I am both responding to specific statements and reflecting on the thoughts brought to the surface of my recently muddled mind. So if I reference anotherâs comments it will be out of context but hopefully within reasonable usage.
I do want to apologize in advance for the length of this but it is one email responding to many emails. ============================================================ Jacquie in Lincolnshire wrote: âBut you don't need to reverse technology as far as a dip pen, unless you are very comfortable using one. Lots of the fine fibre tip (0.1) pens are waterproof and indelible, and for drawing curves for spiders legs . . . or to be able to do the trails as a fluent continuous zigzag they are much easier to use.â Response: I have lots of dip pens so they were handy. I think it telling that in the midst of this discussion on the difficulty in acquiring Architectâs Linen I recently had difficulty finding real India ink. My old bottle had separated and the pigment solidified and just about everything I found was shellac free. The wonderful Sharpie fine tip retractable I use for Scout certificates is advertised as water resistant. I have had to replace several water resistant watches after swimming with them. I started using the sticky plastic after a drop of sweat hit my pricking and the ink jet ink ran. But I will probably get a couple of disposable drafting pens for serious pricking. ============================================================ Bev in Shirley BC wrote âFor some the pre-pricking is more relaxing than making the lace. For most, pre-pricking the pattern is simply part of the lacemaking process. Have the confidence to do whatever you like ;)â Response: I do find pre-pricking relaxing and I do like the idea of printing the pattern, punching it into card and then drawing the pattern on the card. I am usually far ahead in making prickings and some evenings it is just easier to take out a pricking and start punching than getting my pillow. ============================================================ Jacquie in Lincolnshire also wrote: âUse either waxed paper between the photocopy and the card, or just rub over the back of the pricking with wax of some sort; I use beeswax as DH is a beekeeper so there's always some around, but a candle works just as well. â Response: I use beeswax for several things. I usually keep one of the plastic incased disks near my desk and will stick the needle in it while pricking. So I do have a question. Is just rubbing the back of the card sufficient or do you heat it a little? ============================================================ I lost the original but Adele wrote: âPlain unbleached cotton muslin (often called "quilter's muslin") does come in different weights..." Response: When I starting thinking about making a pillow or two, I went in search of muslin. Our Hobby Lobby (at the time though no longer) had something called âsuper muslinâ Almost as heavy as canvas. I also bought some really heavy blue cotton duck for the pillow cover. I think the two together will make for sore fingers but yes we have from very thin (fine) to very thick (heavy) muslin here, even in Texas. ============================================================ Jane Partridge wrote: âI feel there are, and will always be, two types of lacemaker - those who are purists, who will only use what has been used in the past . . . and those who are happy to use whatever works for them, and is within their budget.â and âI doubt very much they worried about "authenticity" then, more that the lace was worked and they earned their few shillings or tokens to pay for their food!â Response: In my bobbin lace class they talk about how one of the women and I act almost like brother and sister, somewhere between teasing and arguing. But always in good fun as I really admire and enjoy this personâs approach. But I am probably considered the purist and she the âwhat ever worksâ person. She is by far the better craftsperson but I do like to have the right size pins and my bobbins spangled. As I have written so much I will just say on this topic that I play âearly musicâ and should supposedly be part of the Historically Informed Performance (HIP) crowd. But really Iâm not, Iâm an old folk singer and rocker who prefers being crafty but I will tell you I have recently become an admirer of Richard Taruskin (the book Text and Act especially) so I have now come the belief that at least with early music âauthenticityâ is illusive at best so I avoid the âAâ word. But I do like my spangles and my blue or green cover cloths. ============================================================ ============================================================ But to try and get back to one of the initial subjects I will finish (finally) with the following: This forum recently discussed fish in Halas lace, well signing symbols in lace. I had bought Pat Earnshawâs 3 books on Machine Lace at our local Half Price Books before the holidays. After her âOutlines and Stitches: a Guide to Design with Special References to Halas Needlelacesâ was mentioned here I went back and they had two copies for $7.98 each. I bought one. So now I am ready to try my hand at needle lace. Chapter 3 is titled âPreparations for making needlelaceâ which begins âIn the past, patterns were hand-drawn in ink on parchmentâ (page 5) Then on page 6, âWhen the pattern was made of parchment, it had enough firmness of its own to require no additional support.â Towards the end of the chapter (page 6) she tells you how to make a âtypical pattern assembly . . . a protective cover of tracing paper, architectâs linen, or self-adhesive matt-surfaced acetate (or vinyl) âcontactâ film.â, then the pattern on, âopaque paper or translucent tracing paper.â And then either brown paper or several layers of cloth. So soon I too will explore needle lace (I hope soon). There were so many who added to this discussion I wish I could thank you all. Though we deviated from the original topics I must say I have gained so much and I for one am glad we did. Oh, to touch on another thread (of the email kind) one of the two initial practice patterns in Outlines and Stitches is a bunny. Well as a Texan I would have to say it looks more like a hare, but definitely a lagomorph, but not a pika. Do some of you really use bunny to mean a squirrel? One dictionary indicates such. TTFN Lacer Pat T. in somewhat cold Austin, Texas. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com
