>Dear David, I appreciate your frustration. I think at one time I did 100 >pairs, and with Flanders, there are always more than enough bobbins to go >around. But I don't think it wise to try and re-invent the wheel. Make >adjustments, try the new materials, yes. The equipment we use now, and the >bobbins we use have been the subject of much contemplation over the years by a >lot of smart, practical people. You are not alone in thinking about how to >make it easier, I'm sure. But I suspect most innovations, except those using >new materials, have been tried. > >I switched to Binche bobbins after my first couple pieces of significant >Flanders, because they are much narrower than any other Continental that is >out there. The 1/4 inch (.6cm?) difference is significant. I have no problem >with the traditional Continental stitch holders. When I saw in 2007 that all >the lace places I went to in France for 4 weeks used a block pillow, I got me >a couple of those, and like them better than anything else. > >The problem with the thick wire bobbins is that you won't have a space between >the bobbins to pick them up. Maybe long fingernails would help, but I doubt >it. On the other hand, you might want to just remove the spangles from your >bobbins, see how that works. I know those who use Midlands think rolling >bobbins are an abomination, but the rest of us seem to have few problems with >them once you've used them a year or two. But again, I think there needs to >be just a tad of space between bobbins so you can pick them up. I took one >class in Honiton 8 years ago, so I am not familiar with Honiton bobbins. > >As for magnetic, I'm not at all sure, as pulling them away from the magnet >might cause problems. Of course, one could only try. But the plastic magnets >you're referring to would be difficult to put a pin into. A small bobbin with >an earth magnet imbedded might do the job if there were something like iron >shavings to put under the sewn cover of the pillow, that might solve that >problem, instead of making the pillow the magnet, make the bobbin the magnet. >You might want to remove the spangles from your Midlands bobbins and >substitute one small magnet. Then put some sort of iron filings under the >cover of your pillow. But I'm not planning on making such an adjustment until >you tell us how it works. > >Lyn from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA where it's a lovely Memorial Day >weekend. The thunderstorms last evening pretty much passed us by, but we may >not be so lucky today. It's 1:21 p.m and 86F 27C > >David Collyer wrote: >>I was thinking of you all today as I finished another piece of Point >>Ground lace. It was quite complex and used about 150 pairs of bobbins. >> >>The thought came to me that there never seems to be enough room for >>all those bobbins even though I have a table sized "pillow". Then I >>thought with all our hundreds of minds out there, what about giving >>them a real challenge. >> >>I gave it a shot and began considering the following:- >> >>I wondered whether instead of a pillow we could use something like a >>large sheet of the stuff that fridge magnets are made from. >> >>Then instead of the bobbins we know and love, I thought: I need to >>reduce the actual width of each bobbin for a start; the volume of >>thread rarely takes up much room at all, and I don't think I actually >>need a neck on the bobbins as such. I would like it not to roll >>around the working area though. >> >>SO.... >>How about making bobbins from something like coat-hanger wire with a >>small knob on the top and an ever so slightly wider flat rectangle on >>the bottom. That way they would adhere to the magnetic sheet. If they >>adhere well, then the rectangle on the bottom may prove un-necessary. >>I wonder whether the magnetic sheet durable enough to take repeated >>pin holes though. Or if it's really cheap may be it could be disposable. >> >>I look forward with great interest to your replies to this challenge. >>David in Ballarat, AUS
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