[lace] Old prickings and cyanotype
I forgot to mention that in those long ago days of the 1970s the pattern was accompanied by a "blue print" of the lace. This was actually a cyanotype, a kind of photo reactive paper which had had a piece of the lace laid on it and put in the sun (?) thus producing a sort of photographic image of what the lace should look like. I still have some of these as well. Feeling old... Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] ...Lace Prickings Past & Present/blue film
Hello Devon and everyone Maybe it was in the late 1990's that I first heard of covering a pricking with blue film, was it from another lacemaker, could even have been on Arachne?! When I bought a lace kit from Pussy Willow Lace Supplies, about 1990, the pricking was on blue card. The prickings in the nice little kits from Springett were on coloured card also. My first and only lace teacher (1986) gave us the patterns, photocopied on plain white paper from a photocopy done with heat-transfer paper of the hand-drawn original. The copied copies had charming residual splotches captured by the most recent photocopy lens, surrounding the lines of the pattern. We didn't cover the prickings. I still have them, in a binder. In my how-to book of the time, and some time after, Pam Nottingham's Bobbin Lace Making, she instructs us to draw in any markings using a pencil, on to the pricked card (thick brown glazed card 'from suppliers' or dark coloured manilla card that I suppose one would have around), and mark them in permanently with India ink - not a ballpoint pen which ink would discolour the thread. No mention of covering the pricking with film. On Thu, Nov 21, 2013 at 1:44 PM, wrote: > > Surely others recall the pre-blue film days? > -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] History and Conservation - Lace Prickings Past & Present
I remember that when I first started to learn BL we were taught to prick through one card to make another. You soon learned who not to lend your prickings to! The black substance Devon referred to would be heelball, which is a mixture of wax and lamp-black (soot!), and used for polishing leather shoes or making rubbings of church brasses - that was a popular hobby in the 70s when I first started BL, and it led to a lot of brasses being damaged by over zealous rubbers. Brenda On 21 Nov 2013, at 21:44, dmt11h...@aol.com wrote: > Surely others recall the pre-blue film days? Brenda in Allhallows www.brendapaternoster.co.uk - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] History and Conservation - Lace Prickings Past & Present
It was definitely the photocopy machine that led to the adoption of blue film. When I started taking lace lessons in 1971 my teacher pricked the prickings. She would draw them on graph paper because it is "more accurate to prick the intersection of two lines, than a dot". Then she would prick through several layers of a brown card on a surface of piano felt. She also had a diagram which she had copied using pencil and tracing paper from some master diagram and colored with fine felt tipped pens. Then she would wrap the tracing paper around a piece of white cardboard to make an immaculate little diagram. I believe it was originally standard practice to give the diagram to the student to trace on tracing paper, etc., but it being 1971 and the library being equipped with a xerox machine that made copies on awful clay covered paper, she suggested that I photocopy the diagram and then color it with pens. I still have some of these relics of a bygone era of photocopying. The entire process was so labor intensive that I can remember now where I was when I first saw someone whip out some blue film and put it on a pattern. It was after my daughter was born in 1985, but before she started school, and my husband let me take an evening lace class once a week while he watched the baby. It was somewhat revolutionary in that prior to that I had to buy the prickings or else try to find a source for piano felt. I have often seen quite identical looking patterns to the ones produced by my teacher in bins of old patterns in lace communities, usually dark tan, as hers were. So, I don't know if that was because the dark tan was considered the best for the eyes, or was the most widely available. I don't know when people stopped using vellum. I suspect it may have persisted longer in needle lace than in bobbin lace. I have always been a little bit suspicious that the Ipswich lace pillows were redone, if not actually made new during the fever of excitement that occurred during the US centennial in 1876. A lace pillow that doesn't show a lace in process is not much of an exhibit item, so it would make sense to set it up in order to provide the teaching experience of seeing what lace making as it was practiced in Ipswich looked like. So, they may be more indicative of the lace practices of the 1870s, than of the 18th century. Of course there are many stories of people using some kind of black substance (related to shoe maintenance?) to transfer a pricked pattern from one pricking to another piece of card when the first was worn out. This leads inevitably to the question of what did people do with grubby, discolored lace in the olden days, and the answer was that the dealer whitened it with white lead. Unfortunately white lead tends to cause lead poisoning resulting in the conclusion that not every substance used in the 19th century was healthful, and also the conclusion that it might be a good idea to wash your hands after handling old lace. I really think it was also the classroom situation with a desire to "prick and go" that led to the use of the film, especially if the teacher did not want to prick all the patterns ahead of time, or for that matter carry them with her. Of course at that time it would have been impossible to transfer a pattern to a piece of card without visiting a specialty reproduction service, and most photocopying was being done in offices on white paper (often at the boss's expense :-)). We didn't have home printers. If you were going to prick a pattern at home, in its entirely, before starting it, you might as well afix the photocopy to the card with pins and prick though, although you would still have to add any construction detail lines, like gimp by hand, which was a bother. My first teacher persisted in doing things the traditional way and was porting her entire inventory of prickings in multiple suitcases when I took a class with her around 1990, at a local museum. But she was very unusual in that regard. Surely others recall the pre-blue film days? Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] William Hall & Co
Thank you Janice for sharing that info. Brenda On 21 Nov 2013, at 11:43, Janis Savage wrote: > I just thought I would let you know that I have managed to contact William > Hall & Co via telephone and after a nice gentleman named Philip sent me an > email, whatever blockage there was in the airwaves seems to have disappeared > so all is well. I can get my Bockens linen lace thread from him. Brenda in Allhallows www.brendapaternoster.co.uk - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
[lace] History and Conservation - Lace Prickings Past & Present
Well, we have covered the Blue Film (and alternatives) subject to death, so I thought to look at some of my bobbin lace books for photos of old and not-so-old lace makers and lace pillows for a sense of history and with a sense of present-day conservation experience. For centuries, lace makers did very well without modern lighting, and used acid-free card prickings. I noticed in one early Springett book that she recommended the film for protecting thread from ink dyes when a pricking was marked. In this case, she did not mention vision and color contrast. The lace makers in old photos are often quite advanced in years, yet managed to see without much contrast between card and thread color. They used naked card prickings! See prickings on antique and post-World War 2 pillows: 1. Luxton's Honiton Lace book jackets (3) 2. Nottingham's Bucks and Bobbin Lace book jackets (4) 3. Skovgaard's Tonder Lace book jacket 4. Stott's Bucks Point Lace book jacket 5. Raffel's Laces of Ipswich book jacket and inside text, and many more books. Pillows with intact antique card prickings have survived in collections and museums. You can see more in lace maker post cards from European nations and in Lace Guild magazine articles. They do not have film on prickings before World War 2. For a museum lace exhibition I curated over 25 years ago, I borrowed some 19th C. dark green velum prickings from an old lace collection. I would be surprised if the orange card prickings were in use in the 19th C. If a pricking is attached to an antique pillow being offered on eBay, it is a piece of card. Many times I have cautioned against using "Scotch" tape, adhesives, and glues on all laces (even lace ID scrapbooks), because they off-gas fumes. Some lace makers leave pillows idle for long periods of time, and should be aware of this. Off-gasing is in the form of chemical fumes which can affect thread color and strength and leave permanent stains. Anything sticky is bad - microcosms may feed on substances in the adhesive. They leave stains. Think of what has happened to your old Scotch-tape-mended correspondence, photo and scrap albums when non-archival products were used.. Also, there is the transfer of sticky to lace pins, and maybe thread. A nuisance to remove, if even possible (from the thread). Since 21st C. lacemakers rarely re-use a pricking, why not make one of a dye-fast heavy paper that you prick, and pin the paper pattern instructions to the side of a roller pillow, or prop on a small easel? Pre-World War 1 lace makers did not incur any unnecessary expense when making lace to earn their bread and butter! I am beginning to think that someone of influence 45 years ago, when lace books with patterns first began to be widely published, dreamt this up. The idea spread, and now everyone thinks it is necessary. Devon gave us a very clear memo about using heavy colored paper or card stock for prickings. I took a sheet of Staples acid-free lightish blue 67 lb. cover stock, laid it on my kitchen counter, laid a piece of white DMC embroidery floss (very absorbent) on the paper, wet 2 sheets of acid-free Bounty paper towels and laid them on top, slopped more water on, and weighted with a cutting board. I went back later, and the thread was still white. We can test in our home laboratories. Again, I suggest you think of the consequences when you use lace supplies and methods not used in the 16th to 20th centuries. There were many thousands more lace makers than today. They would have used acid-free card made from old rags, not tree pulp. They would have experimented to find the most efficient and safe ways to make lace. Are some of these new practices really necessary? Please save in your Conservation binder. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
RE: [lace] Fw: blue film - summary
Have you tried: http://www.x-film.com/products/bookmapdocument-covering/?L=1 They do this in all kinds of colours. I have thought about asking for a sample to see whether it would be suitable. Agnes Boddington- Elloughton UK Thanks to all who replied, on the List or directly. Some people did name a dealer who has blue film. So far, only one English dealer lists rolls as well as small pieces of blue film (SMP Lace). I'll do some more research on the possible suppliers, and then decide if the cost plus shipping is worth getting a roll. Alice in Oregon -- Dry, but night temps are below freezing. Cold and windy. Winter is here. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] progress-was blue film
The only advantages I can see to using the sticky film is that you can stick the paper pattern on the card with it, and, arguably, it might be useful to keep the color of the card from transferring to the lace. Many years ago I found myself trying to rehydrate threads by putting a damp cloth over them to make a little vapor tent, and some color from the card transferred to the lace. Also, sometimes a piece may be on a pillow for a long, long time, enduring many humid summers. But, for the most part when I am at home, and I want to do a little sample or something that I anticipate finishing quickly, I print the pattern directly to a 110 lb weight Hammerhill card stock. I bought a 100 sheets of assorted colors several printers ago and I am nowhere close to running out of any of the colors which are unfortunately, pale orange, pale green, gray and buff (not blue). I tend to use the orange and green for white thread, and the buff for colored thread. Previous printers required me to change the setting to print on the card stock, but the current one, an Epson WF7510 seems to handle the stock just fine without having to touch the menu. Printing everything on colored card stock would be best (250 sheets for $15.79 which is 6.3 cents per sheet/pattern, no plastic or additional card required.). But, I concede that some teachers who are traveling with suitcases may not want to carry card with them. Colored paper would not represent any more weight. One teacher told me once that she routinely uses colored card, or colored paper at home, but that she traveled with only one copy of each pattern and then reproduced them at the hotel business center. I don't know if it is routine to be able to copy onto colored paper at a hotel business center, so that may be an issue. However, if the convention organizers were to arrange to have a package or two of colored paper at the hotel... You can buy 500 sheets of blue paper for $9.29, (compared $.7.99 for 500 sheets of white paper) .With a $5 roll of Ace Hardware or Walmart Adhesive, or possibly two, you could outfit 500 patterns for less than $20. or 4 cents a piece versus the cost to the student of $4.50 for one, if they have to purchase a small piece of blue film for a single pattern. The student would still have to travel with a used file folder or other card. If there are 300 participants and each has a pattern that costs $4.50 in blue film, then total pattern costs are $1350 in blue film alone versus total cost of $12.00 if we all use blue paper and clear film. That is a cumulative savings of $1338 that could be spent in the vendor's room on interesting thread and books, supporting authors and thread producers, not the producers of contact paper. Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] progress-was blue film
Agree with Kim about the sticky pins from the contact paper. Also, during one workshop a student had used a pricker with a slight burr, resulting in a small sticky hard top in each pin prick, catching the silk threads. We tried smoothing the pricking, but without any luck. There had been no reason for her to cover the blue cardstock pricking, except she apparently had been told that one must cover every pricking with blue contact paper. -Karen > - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
[lace] Re: [lace] Fw: blue film - summary
Very pitty, Agnes, but x-film is out of business since yesterday. Gabriele Chemnitz www.kloeppelkiste.de -Original Message- Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 18:04:22 +0100 Subject: RE: [lace] Fw: blue film - summary From: "Agnes Boddington" To: , "'lace Arachne'" Have you tried: http://www.x-film.com/products/bookmapdocument-covering/?L=1 They do this in all kinds of colours. I have thought about asking for a sample to see whether it would be suitable. Agnes Boddington- Elloughton UK Thanks to all who replied, on the List or directly. Some people did name a dealer who has blue film. So far, only one English dealer lists rolls as well as small pieces of blue film (SMP Lace). I'll do some more research on the possible suppliers, and then decide if the cost plus shipping is worth getting a roll. Alice in Oregon -- Dry, but night temps are below freezing. Cold and windy. Winter is here. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/ - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
[lace] Fw: blue film - summary
Thanks to all who replied, on the List or directly. Some people did name a dealer who has blue film. So far, only one English dealer lists rolls as well as small pieces of blue film (SMP Lace). I'll do some more research on the possible suppliers, and then decide if the cost plus shipping is worth getting a roll. It seems to be common in the USA for patterns to go on blue paper and then cover with the cheap clear film. I do that myself sometimes. If colored thread is to be used, then a white pattern covered with clear works well. There are other alternatives, also like pricking card that doesn't need film. Sometimes, at 'back to school' time, I find transparent book cover film at the stationery or dollar stores. I have some in orange, fushia, bright green, and purple. They work for a one-time project, if I can stand the bright color. I like the blue film for very fine thread or long-term projects in white thread. Since we start beginners with colored thread, the first patterns just need clear film. Each person can decide later whether to invest in the blue film or use the blue paper alternative. Thanks for all who responded. Sorry I couldn't reply to each of you separately. USA people Have a great Thanksgiving next week. Alice in Oregon -- Dry, but night temps are below freezing. Cold and windy. Winter is here. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
[lace] William Hall & Co
I just thought I would let you know that I have managed to contact William Hall & Co via telephone and after a nice gentleman named Philip sent me an email, whatever blockage there was in the airwaves seems to have disappeared so all is well. I can get my Bockens linen lace thread from him. Thanks to everyone who sent addresses for other lace suppliers. I will look at them all in due course. Lace greetings from Janis Savage on the outskirts of Johannesburg -- Janis Savage t/a The Lace Place - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] Blue film, etc
Jean's first point is the important one. Devon speaks of this product being "readily available" in the UK. That doesn't mean in your local supermarket or stationery supply store. It means from a Lace Supplier. The only difference is there are more of them over here. Even for us it's still mail order or a Lace Day or Suppliers Fair. Speaking of which - any Arachnes going to be at Solihull Christmas fair next month? Hazel Smith (in Cricklade, Wiltshire) From: Jean Nathan To: Lace Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2013 8:23 AM Subject: [lace] Blue film, etc In the UK "readily available" means you go to a specialist supplier for what you want. Outlets like Asda (Walmart) only carry goods that will sell quickly, and blue film isn't one of them. They might sell self-adhesive shelf covering, but what I've seen in my local Wilko is opaque and patterned, so absolutely no use to us. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
[lace] Blue film, etc
In the UK "readily available" means you go to a specialist supplier for what you want. Outlets like Asda (Walmart) only carry goods that will sell quickly, and blue film isn't one of them. They might sell self-adhesive shelf covering, but what I've seen in my local Wilko is opaque and patterned, so absolutely no use to us. Even the few hobby shops we have don't sell blue clear, but they MIGHT sell small rolls of other colours if it's used in whatever the current fad craft is. Otherwise we mostly buy at lace fairs or on-line. In Poole and Bournemouth, we're lucky in that a supplier is located nearby and we can order by phone or on line and collect from her home. I understood that glazed card is/was used for electrical circuit insulation or shotgun cartridge casings, but that could be wrong. Card and paper weights in the whole of Europe are stated in grams per square metre (gsm), and anything mentioning pounds means nothing to us, just as I suspect gsm doesn't mean a lot to those in the US. Personally I'm a belt and braces person - print on white paper, stick it on glazed card, cover with blue film with it wrapped round to the back to give a smooth edge, then prick. I think it's a sort of ritual security blanket - if I do that, I will enjoy making my lace. I know that using a new pan scrubber on shiny clear film dulls it. Does the same apply to laminating pouches? Needlelace had to change when architects' linen became impossible to find - but moved to blue film! We adapt as necessary. Jean in Poole, Dorset, UK - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
