[lace] Hello from a newbie
Boy am I a newbie! I have never even held a bobbin in my hand but have always told myself that when I an old (read retired) I would teach myself how to do 'real' lace like the lady I saw demonstrating at the Perth Royal Show all those years ago. Well this year I turn 50 and celebrate 30 years of marriage so have decided to make it a threesome and finally learn lace making. Over the years I have taught myself to sew, knit, crochet, tat, quilling, bunker, latch hook, embroider, spin, dye, off loom weave etc so this is the next challenge. I have told my long suffering husband that I would like a ' bobbin lace making kit' for my birthday in August so he has time to get it organised. In the meantime, I have joined your email group, in the hope that reading your messages will help make my introduction to lace making an easier one. I have stacks of questions, and if you can find the time to answer the ones you can I would appreciate it. If you can't I will understand. QUESTIONS from a newbie Should I get a round, roller or travel cushion? Should I get more that one cushion? Is there a do not buy list? Should I get a cushion stand? What sorts of bobbins are best for a beginner? How many bobbins should I buy? Will my being left handed be an advantage in learning bobbin lace? What is a beginners lace pattern? Should I jump in and start with a lace pattern I like the look of and learn the technique as I go? (that is how I usually learn a new craft) What should be in my beginners kit? I am trying to do up a shopping list for my husband Divider pins (can I use sewing pins?) Pricking card Bobbins - how many? what type? thread - can I use crochet cotton? cushion stand cover cloth - what colour, fabric working cloth - what is it? bobbin holder - what is it? fishing tackle pliers good how to book/s Where can I get these products in Australia? I live in Kununurra, a small isolated country town and am 11 hours drive from the nearest city - which is Darwin. Which brings me to my last question for this email - what will my living in semi tropical conditions (air conditioned) do to the decision making? Straw filled cushions will mould in the humidity??? Enough questions for my introduction email, and I promise that as I learn the art I will return the favour of newbie assistance multi-fold. Jenny Brandis Kununurra, Western Australia -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.0 - Release Date: 2/25/2005 - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Hello from a newbie
Boy am I a newbie! Hello Jenny and welcome to Arachne! I hope you grow to love lacemaking as much as I do! There are many wonderful lacemakers on this list who know far more than I, but I will answer some of the questions you asked, with my opinions. And that is all they are, just my opinions. I'm a relatively new lacemaker (about 4 or 5 years), so I will defer to others whose opinions may vary! I started out learning from books, too, and that works perfectly well. At some point, you will want to take some classes, so that you can learn techniques that aren't necessarily clearly explained in books. For example, I knew the mechanics of making a sewing, but didn't understand exactly how to manipulate the crochet hook until I saw it demonstrated. Videos work well for that, too. I've answered only some of your questions, deleting the ones I don't know or have opinions on. Should I get a round, roller or travel cushion? I would recommend a cookie pillow, which is a round pillow--not a roller pillow for starters, and not a travel pillow. My preferred material is ethafoam (not styrofoam, which breaks down quickly). About an 18 diameter is probably best for a first pillow, and not terribly expensive. Should I get more that one cushion? One is enough for starters. Is there a do not buy list? Yes, the horror kit from Lacis. Should I get a cushion stand? Not necessary at first. Either put your pillow on a TV tray, which will be approximately the right working height, or else sit on several cushions to raise yourself up to normal table height. You didn't ask, but while I'm thinking about it--many people start by tilting their pillow so that the back is higher than the front. You can even buy various items to prop it that way. My advice, is--don't! Learn to work with your pillow flat on the table, and you'll be much happier. What sorts of bobbins are best for a beginner? That's personal taste to a great degree. I started with East Midlands bobbins. Those are the ones with spangles at the ends (little circle of beads). The spangles give the bobbin a little weight to maintain tension on the thread, plus they keep the bobbins from rolling. An added attraction with East Midlands bobbins is that they are made in all kinds of beautiful materials, and one can quickly develop the desire to start a collection--ebony inlaid with mother of pearl, carved and painted bone, spliced woods, etc. My very first introduction to bobbin lace was seeing a friend's pillow with gorgeous bobbins, and I resolved at that moment to make lace so that I'd have an excuse to collect bobbins (which I have done and am still doing!). I still prefer them to Continentals, but for laces that have a lot of sewings, East Midlands aren't terribly practical, and then I use Continental bobbins. Continentals come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, depending on the kind of lace you're making and the weight of the thread. See the web site below for pictures of various bobbins. I will defer to the experience of others who have used many different kinds to suggest the best ones to start with. How many bobbins should I buy? I'd say maybe 3 dozen, but I will defer to the wisdom of others. What is a beginners lace pattern? Should I jump in and start with a lace pattern I like the look of and learn the technique as I go? (that is how I usually learn a new craft) You could do that, but I would recommend you start with a good book on Torchon lace. Once you master the fundamentals of bobbin lace, you can choose the kind of lace that most appeals to you and branch out. Some possible choices are: The Bobbin Lace Manual by Geraldine Stott, The Technique of Bobbin Lace by Pamela Nottingham, The Technique of Torchon Lace by Pamela Nottingham, Introduction to Bobbin Lacemaking by Rosemary Shepherd, The Torchon Lace Workbook by Bridget Cook. Divider pins (can I use sewing pins?) Divider pins are long, long pins. Don't use sewing pins. These are mostly optional. If you want to get a couple you can, but you won't need them at first. Pricking card I bought a big package of blue card stock at my local office supply store. Works fine. thread - can I use crochet cotton? Yes, you can, and many do. I usually treat myself to threads intended for lacemaking. A good thread to start with is Brok 36/3. cover cloth - what colour, fabric Make your own. Solid navy blue, about 18 square, hemmed on all sides. Make a couple while you're at it--one for under your bobbins and one to cover your work. bobbin holder - what is it? There are two categories of bobbin holders. First is something into which to place your bobbins after they're wound and before you put them on your pillow. Usually a cloth with little pockets sewn into it. Some of the books mentioned above have some suggestions for making these. You can also get wood or plastic holders on which you can hang the wound bobbins. The other category is
[lace] Hello from a newbie
Welcome Jenny. Here are my answers to your questions. On Sunday, February 27, 2005, at 09:55 AM, Jenny Brandis wrote: QUESTIONS from a newbie Should I get a round, roller or travel cushion? I would start with a square or round pillow, about 18 inches across, cut from a piece of styrofoam used to insulate walls. After all you may not like lacemaking. Then I would graduate to a round, cookie pillow. Again, I prefer styrofoam or that ilk, to straw filled. Should I get more that one cushion? Not at the beginning. The extra pillows you'll buy will depend on whether you want to make a lot of yardage (roller pillow), what kinds of lace you want to make (e.g. Honiton pillow), etc. I find I use my pillow with moveable squares the most. Is there a do not buy list? Yes, most of the packaged kits for beginners. Should I get a cushion stand? Not a must. Any low table, that you can get your knees under, will do. What sorts of bobbins are best for a beginner? This is really personal preference. I learnt with Belgian bobbins. Later changed to Midlands, spangled ones. If I were to start over, I'd probably buy the square bobbins. How many bobbins should I buy? 30 is probably enough to start. Then the skies the limit! Will my being left handed be an advantage in learning bobbin lace? Most of the instructions are written for right-handers. But both hands are used simultaneously, so neither handedness is an advantage. What is a beginners lace pattern? Good question. Off the top of my head, it probably wouldn't use many different stitches; not too many bobbins; not very thin thread. Should I jump in and start with a lace pattern I like the look of and learn the technique as I go? (that is how I usually learn a new craft) I think there are some basic stitches you need to practice first. Then if you jump in, be sure you pick a simple pattern. What should be in my beginners kit? I am trying to do up a shopping list for my husband Divider pins (can I use sewing pins?) Or corsage or hat pins Pricking card Use any old cardboard Bobbins - how many? what type? See above thread - can I use crochet cotton? Yes, if it's very thin by crocheters' standards. You can also use sewing thread. cushion See above stand See above cover cloth - what colour, fabric Same colour and fabric as you cover your pillow with. Best for the eyes is a solid, dark colour in a finely-woven, washable material working cloth - what is it? Haven't a clue. Maybe the same as a cover cloth? bobbin holder - what is it? 1. Cases to keep your bobbins in. The easiest ones to make are like the roll up thingies you store your silver cutlery in. 2. Things to hold your bobbins when you're not using them. These depend on the type of bobbin you're using. You can see some of them on the Lace Fairy site: http://lace.lacefairy.com/ fishing tackle pliers Not essential for a beginner good how to book/s I taught myself to make Torchon (a common beginner's lace) using Bridget Cook's 'The Torchon Lace Workbook.' It was originally published in England by Batsford, in 1988. But I know it's been reprinted since then. I particularly like it because you work through a couple of exercises and then there are a number of patterns you can do. You forgot a few things from your basic equipment list: 1. A pricker or a pin vise, to prick the holes in the patterns 2. A coloured, preferably matte, sticky film to cover the prickings. Most people use a blue film. Instead of this you can copy your prickings on coloured paper. The reason for this is that's very difficult to see white thread on white paper. 3. Pins. If you live in a humid climate, you'll want ones that don't rust, i.e. brass ones. Where can I get these products in Australia? Someone else will have to help with this. Margot Walker in Halifax on the east coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Hello from a newbie
I'm going to pick and choose a few questions to comment on, but first some gratuitous advice. I started lacemaking on my own from books. The best bit of advice I got was join the national guild immediately. Access to the library in the first year was worth the joining fee several times over, and was more useful in that year than any since. Someone will be along soon to give you details of the Australian Lace Guild. On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 21:55:29 +0800, Jenny wrote: How many bobbins should I buy? Depends how convinced you are that you will like bobbin lace, and how hard it is for you to get supplies. I made my first bandage strip using crochet thread wrapped around clothes pegs pinned into a cork floor tile. This was enough to convince me I was going to like it, so I bought 100 bobbins which was enough for a lot more patterns than 30 would be. The danger with this approach is buying a type of bobbin which you later find isn't your favourite; the advantage is having a set of matching bobbins which feels good to work with. Should I jump in and start with a lace pattern I like the look of and learn the technique as I go? (that is how I usually learn a new craft) I'm well known round here for the why start at the beginning when there's a perfectly good middle to jump into approach, but even I would say no to that. Find a pattern you like the look of, find a book on that technique, but do some of the beginner patterns from a general introduction first. I managed to restrain myself from jumping into my preferred lace, Bedfordshire, for a couple of weeks while I learnt the basics and I'd recommend you do the same. Divider pins (can I use sewing pins?) Not essential, some lacemakers don't use them. Pricking card Glazed pricking card is more pleasant to work on than odd bits of card from anywhere, so I'd say yes. Be aware that using card in the traditional way means pinning a copy of the pricking (pattern) on the card and pricking holes through it, which is slower than putting sticky plastic over a photocopy. thread - can I use crochet cotton? Yes to start, but it is shinier and more tightly twisted than is ideal for lace. When you've got your book, get the thread you need for the patterns in it. cover cloth - what colour, fabric Something non-fluffy. Any colour you like, as this covers the entire pillow and bobbins when you aren't working on it. working cloth - what is it? Start with the pillow, pin the pricking on it, then put the working cloth over the lower part of the pricking and pillow. The working cloth should be visually non-distracting and a contrast to your thread, so usually a plain dark colour. The surface can be a bit grabby to stop bobbins rolling - I have one in velvet - or smooth as you prefer. The absolute must is colour fastness, otherwise your threads will unevenly pick up the working cloth colour. fishing tackle pliers Hackle pliers. See here on my web site: http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/bobbinlace/hackle.htm Not really a must have to start with. good how to book/s See the collected views of this list on my web site: http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/bobbinlace/begbook.htm I live in Kununurra, a small isolated country town and am 11 hours drive from the nearest city - which is Darwin. Now that really is isolated. I believe there are some lacemakers in Darwin. -- If we are to gain any measure of respect from visiting aliens, then we must allow,and encourage our citizens, to be themselves, and not mould them, to be as we would wish - Tim Stewart Steph Peters, Manchester, England [EMAIL PROTECTED] Scanned by WinProxy http://www.Ositis.com/ - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[lace] Hello from a newbie
Hi Jenny, Welcome to the wonderful world of Arachne. I have emailed you separately - it was too long, I thought, to send to the list. Arachne has been of enormous help to me over the past 7 years when I was a real newbie too, in an isolated area. A big thank you to everyone who has been so friendly and helpful. Noelene in Cooma [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~nlafferty/ - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[lace] Hello from another newbie
Well, I am another newbie, with just two bookmarks under my belt. I am using a flat block pillow and Midlands spangled bobbins. I did try the Honiton bobbins, but they don't behave too well on a flat pillow, LOL. I did try to learn from books but just faced this huge mental block - what I read and then tried just didn't look like the photos or anything resembling lace so i joined the Lace Guild which proved to be the right thing to do, for me at least. Unfortunately they meet only once a month and often I come across a problem well before the next meeting so I either resolve it or have to wait. Right now I am stuck with a problem and hope you can help. I want to make a Torchon miniature shawl which starts on a straight line. The background is Bucks which I don't have any problems with but I do not understand how I work the ground on a diagonal when I start from a straight line. Can anybody assist? thanks Micki from freezing cold scotland - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Hello from a newbie
Hi, I'm also new, although depending on how you feel like counting I've either been learning lace for a couple of months or for around 20 years ;-) From the leftie side of things, it's not a problem at all. As someone else has just commented, bobbin lace is a fairly ambidextrous sort of thing - the only time I've ever had problems is when I was younger and my nan (rightie) would wind my bobbins and and I'd (leftie) put the hitches on them in the opposite direction. You know when the bobbin's been wound or hitched the opposite to what was needed because you've suddenly got a bobbin dangling around your ankle because it's unravelled itself. It's a lot easier now I both wind and hitch my bobbins myself! Personally, because I'm still only using 8 pairs for simple, small bookmarks and because I'm a student with no money, I would say that a bobbin winder is a bit of a luxury to start off with. Mine get wound while I'm sat in front of the TV of an evening. On the other hand, some of the patterns in the book I'm using want 20 or more pairs, so a winder may be at the top of my birthday list this year. The book I'm working through right now is Pam Robinson's A manual of Bedfordshire Lace. It starts off with a strip of whole and half stitch and then goes on to a *very* simple bookmark made of four interwoven plaits made of 4 strands each with some picots (pretty knot things) around the outside. The patterns do get more difficult, but I certainly can't think of anything simpler to start off with. I hope this helps a bit. If anyone feels that I'm talking rubbish and wants to correct me at all, please do! Helen (cold and dark Somerset, UK) At 13:55 27/02/2005, Jenny Brandis wrote: .QUESTIONS from a newbie Will my being left handed be an advantage in learning bobbin lace? What is a beginners lace pattern? -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.4.0 - Release Date: 22/02/2005 - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[lace] Hello from a newbie
I have answered with a couple of Australian suppliers, - off list. The others have given good advice re pillows and bobbins. Welcome, and I hope you get started soon, and get as addicted as the rest of us!! from Liz in Melbourne, Oz, [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Hello from a newbie
Welcome, Jenny! I do hope you have as much fun with bobbin lace as I did when I started. Should I get a round, roller or travel cushion? This, and most of the other tools, depends in part on personal preference. I expect you'll get lots of different answers. Personally, I do not recommend starting with a travel pillow. It's small and cramped for most lace, since it's meant to be easily carried. I learned on a roller pillow, which is (IMO) the best kind for doing yardage. However, cookie pillows (round, with a slight dome) can be used for yardage, and roller pillows are not good for motifs. I recommend a block pillow to start. These are usually square or octagonal, and made up of moveable, interchangeable blocks. Some block pillows have 3 blocks in a row, with padded side sections. Others have 5 blocks in a cross, or 9 blocks, arranged 3-by-3. Nine-block pillows are the most flexible. In the US, Snowgoose sells a pillow they call the One and Only (I think). This is a cover-it-yourself round pillow with a shallow box in the center. It comes with two blocks to fit in that box, or one block plus a cylinder so you can use it like a roller pillow. It's also inexpensive. If there's something like that available in Australia, it would be my recommendation. Should I get more that one cushion? While this is an addicting hobby and many (most?) of us need more than one pillow, one is plenty to start with. As you learn more laces, you can get more pillows and more bobbins. Is there a do not buy list? There's one kit that uses a pressed wood-fiber board instead of a pillow, and plastic bobbins with sharp edges. It's available from a number of craft stores and websites and should be avoided AT ALL COSTS! It is a most discouraging set, although some people do go on with bobbin lace despite it. Should I get a cushion stand? This is a nicety, not a necessity IMO. Most people are comfortable enough working at a normal table, unless they're very short. If you've got plenty of money to put into the craft, by all means get a lace table, but this is something you can do without at first, if you need to economize. What sorts of bobbins are best for a beginner? I think most people start with Torchon lace, which can be done just as easily with Midlands (narrow shaft, ring of glass beads at the bottom) or Continentals (wood with a bulge at the base). There are many styles of continentals. To start, you *won't* want very small and delicate bobbins, such as Mechlin, fancy Danish, or Honiton. You will most likely be starting with relatively thick thread, and these bobbins (a) don't hold enough thick thread to do a project and (b) aren't heavy enough to control thick thread. Swiss, Dutch, International, Belgian, Bayeux, Swedish, and others are big and heavy enough. How many bobbins should I buy? The simplest pattern I know takes 5 or 6 pairs (=10 or 12 bobbins). However, for your second project you will want at least twice that number. I suggest 3 dozen bobbins to start. Will my being left handed be an advantage in learning bobbin lace? Nope. I'm left-handed and I find there is no handedness to BL. What is a beginners lace pattern? There are quite a few books aimed at beginners. These books include information on how to do a cross and a twist (the two stitches that make up BL), how to dress a pillow, how to read a BL pattern, and often have information on making a pillow and bobbin carrier. Any patterns near the front of such a book should be good to start with. Should I jump in and start with a lace pattern I like the look of and learn the technique as I go? This is how I usually start new subjects, too, but I don't recommend it for BL. Without someone to check your choice, you could easily find yourself trying to learn from a pattern that is too complex for a first try. Some patterns don't have good instructions, the designer assuming you already know enough about lace to figure it out. Other patterns may look simple because they don't take many pairs of bobbins, but have quirks and pitfalls that will make them frustrating to a beginner. Again, starting with a beginner's book should work well. You don't have to start at the *beginning* of the book's patterns BG What should be in my beginners kit? Divider pins (can I use sewing pins?) Yes, you can use sewing pins, but I suggest the glass-headed kind for dividers, not all-metal. However, dividers aren't all that important. For the pins of the lace, you can use sewing pins for most beginner's projects. Eventually you'll want finer pins with small heads for the finer laces (thin thread, pinholes close together). You'll need several hundred (yes, it takes a lot of pins) and you want pins that don't corrode easily. Stainless steel, nickel-plated, anodized, or brass are the main choices. Pricking card Yes. Or you can start by using
Re: [lace] Hello from a newbie (more)
Is there a do not buy list? Yes, most of the packaged kits for beginners. I'd like to clarify this. A number of lace suppliers put together nice beginner's kits. However, some general craft or needlework stores/dealers carry the horror kit I described in my longer post. A kit from a lace supplier should be just fine, but stay away from kits sold by non-specialists (although I hear Halcyon yarns in the US has put together a decent kit). Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
