[lace] teaching beginners: many thanks!
Dear all, Many thanks for all the helpful comments and suggestions on teaching bobbin lace to beginners, both here on the list and via off-list e-mail. I will be writing individually shortly, however I wanted to say a public thank you first. I just this minute got a copy of the Fouriscot book I had asked about, as well as the first volume of Brulet. Fouriscot is certainly a very good book to use while teaching someone, I think Brulet would be very good for someone teaching themselves or learning with only rare contact with a teacher. However, I think I'll probably be using both of them, as the use of colored threads in Brulet makes it easy to see where the different threads go. Our lace sessions are really catch-as-catch can and limited in time, unfortunately, as we are working on lunch breaks when none of us are travelling or under major time pressure at work. Again, many thanks! Best regards Elizabeth - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
Have you thought of selecting one of the beginner books (something you already own and they could purchase too) and work through the progression in the book. Also an exercise using different color thread on each pair as they work through the various 'stitches and edge techniques' is a good learning tool. They can see just how each pair/thread moves. Lorri - Original Message - From: Elizabeth Shippmailto:ship...@googlemail.com To: lace@arachne.commailto:lace@arachne.com Sent: 04/06/2010 5:18 AM Subject: [lace] teaching beginners Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. I'm not sure that I am the best teacher they could have, as once I had had the first couple lessons I just jumped in at the deep end and started splashing around with great abandon. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques Does this sound like a reasonable progression? Am I leaving anything out? Thanks for your help! Best regards Elizabeth - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.commailto:majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.heremailto:y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.commailto:arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
I am currently teaching one student - a woman near my own age that saw lace being demonstrated who wanted to learn.  I have only had the opportunity to teach a few so my comments are just a couple of items that may help with motivation and progress.  I strongly suggest to any beginner - get a notebook and keep all of your first pieces in it with the patterns and notes.  It helps show progression of working the threads - tension and stitches. I show my ring binder from my first 6 weeks of lace making and they are surprised that we all start in the same place.  I ask my student to commit to lacing at least 30 minutes daily since we were meeting once a week.   Your choices of stitches are good.  I choose patterns that are building blocks that continually reinforce the last skills taught to help with memory (mind and muscle memory).   Humans learn by visual, hearing and touch, so I try to do all three.   My first teacher had me take the pattern and look at the piece of lace and I had to color code the pattern in with my own colored pencils.  This helped me a great deal because I had to think of the stitches, color it in and use the rules for when extra twists were needed and where to mark them. I did this with my student and asked her to change the lace motifs or tapes or edges. She had to tell me and show me what was needed in the diagram to make it work. Then she chose how she wanted to lace it to fit what she wanted the lace to look like.  After just 4 weeks, I brought out lots of books and let her choose what she wanted to do and then would guide her, letting her know what skills she needed to fully understand to get to that pattern.  We would choose a pattern(s) to give her the practice with more challenges toward her goal. Then we would get into the difficult pattern - talking it through first, reading the diagram â giving her tips on how to avoid mistakes as one makes lace. I now believe in teaching leaves and tallies in the first four weeks. I never spoke of some of the statements I heard about leaves and tallies.  I want to her to think of them as simple.  Additionally, we critiqued her work together. I would ask her where the mistakes were and what happened.  No unlacing â just get the threads where they should be and start the repeat over.  This seemed to help my student a great deal to stay motivated because of self accomplishment and learning.  The first week I teach how to bring in a thread when one breaks, how to hang in a pair so she knew what to do instead of waiting all week for our next meeting.    I stress that when learning a skill we are not striving for perfection â just learning and understanding the specific techniques. Doing multiple repeats in different small project brings the improvement with tension and control.   I let her choose what she wants to use for thread. My student loves color and gets excited using color in all types of laces.   I let her watch the Color in Torchon DVD for ideas about using colored threads.  I encouraged her to take a 2 day workshop after 8 months.  I pushed her to go so she could see how much she really understood.  I stressed to her âno unlacingâ just spend the time focusing on learning the techniques, learn the tips to improve it and make all the lace necessary to keep up with the instructor so that she did actually do all of the techniques that the instructor had to offer. She came back so excited with self confidence that she can think a new challenge though on her own.  She made many projects in Bruges Bloemwerk for the next several months â with each one there was improvement with her application of technique.    Lace instruction DVDs â I like the DVDs for learning skills and setting the learning to memory. I ask the student to watch first, write down notes if necessary, then turn off the DVD; then think it through with the diagram. From my experience, the lacer needs to turn off the DVD and work the lace using the diagram to stay on track.  The DVD can become too much of a distraction â turning on and pausing, lacing and then restarting DVD. This amount of back and forth slows the learning curve.  I believe all lacers need excellent reference books to look up techniques that they may not use for a while as they work different types of lace.  I strongly suggest:  The Grammar of Point Ground â Ulrike Voelcker The Beginning of the End â Ulrike Löhr Practical Skills in Bobbin Lace - Bridget M. Cook  Chris Brill-Packard Cleveland, Ohio - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
[lace] teaching beginners
Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. I'm not sure that I am the best teacher they could have, as once I had had the first couple lessons I just jumped in at the deep end and started splashing around with great abandon. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques Does this sound like a reasonable progression? Am I leaving anything out? Thanks for your help! Best regards Elizabeth - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
There are *many* excellent teachers on this list, and I don't claim to be one of them. However, I do think that one of the best things you can do for a new student is direct them to a good book which they can keep and refer to as they progress. The one I recommend is The Torchon Lace Workbook by Bridget Cook. If each student has one, then it saves you the drudgery of coming up with new designs for these very early, but important exercises, and they have the information in one place for future reference. Clay On 4/6/2010 8:18 AM, Elizabeth Shipp wrote: Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. I'm not sure that I am the best teacher they could have, as once I had had the first couple lessons I just jumped in at the deep end and started splashing around with great abandon. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques Does this sound like a reasonable progression? Am I leaving anything out? Thanks for your help! Best regards Elizabeth - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
Hi Clay, Thanks for that quick response! Actually, as they are both non-native-English speakers (one French, one Italian), I have been thinking about Les bases de la dentelle au fuseau, by Mick Fouriscot. Does anyone have any experience with or opinion on that book? I do have some of Mme Fouriscout's other books, but they are more focused on one type of lace or another than I think this one might be. Best regards Elizabeth On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 2:36 PM, Clay Blackwell clayblackw...@comcast.netwrote: There are *many* excellent teachers on this list, and I don't claim to be one of them. However, I do think that one of the best things you can do for a new student is direct them to a good book which they can keep and refer to as they progress. The one I recommend is The Torchon Lace Workbook by Bridget Cook. If each student has one, then it saves you the drudgery of coming up with new designs for these very early, but important exercises, and they have the information in one place for future reference. Clay On 4/6/2010 8:18 AM, Elizabeth Shipp wrote: Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. I'm not sure that I am the best teacher they could have, as once I had had the first couple lessons I just jumped in at the deep end and started splashing around with great abandon. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques Does this sound like a reasonable progression? Am I leaving anything out? Thanks for your help! Best regards Elizabeth - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
I have found myself in a similar position. I am trying to teach some young people in their 20's and 30s how to make lace. Even though I make complex lace now, I learned so long ago that I don't really remember the beginning things or how they were taught. I learned through a series of patterns which started you off with torchon edgings. If this isn't, in fact, the exact same curriculum my teacher learned in the 1930s, then it is one that she settled on during the 1950s when one might make the argument that it was satisfying for the pupil to have something useful such as an edging, rather than a series of practice pieces, lengths of stitches or grounds that were simply for practice, which I think may have been a teaching method from around 1900. However, now, edgings are not all that useful. People tend not to put them on linens and handkerchiefs. Also, these edgings present conceptual problems, since they are torchon, but so small that you cannot see the diagonality of the design, and they feature, on the head side, a half stitch lozenge or other device, that is totally confusing in that it is worked back and forth, while the rest of the piece is worked diagonally. I can relate to their confusion. I have been studying books, old and new about instruction, and it seems to me that for the most part, it is an accepted truth in the lace world that everyone starts with torchon, and only after mastering that, goes on to tape laces etc. However, I am wondering if starting with torchon is actually the best approach for the current century. I am wondering if young people today wouldn't be better off starting with forms of tape lace or free lace that they could quickly use to adapt to their own designs. While the Springett Snake and Gyl Dye's Bookworm start the student off with a satisfying back and forth strip, they both progress to classic diagonal torchon. The only curriculum I have seen with a free lace perspective is one produced by the German lace guild. It is somewhat oriented toward children, featuring pieces that are ducks and rabbits, etc. It also seems as though it may move rather slowly. This may be good or bad for adults. I do find that adults don't have a lot of time at once, or want to spend it, so small projects are good. But small projects that move the student forward in skill very slowly are perhaps not appropriate for people who want to progress fast enough not to lose interest. I confess I haven't started to work through it, or to see how it goes with students, since my students, so far, were started on this other curriculum, the one I learned on. They therefore have the materials and mind set to progress with it, although, they find it confusing. I have a horrible feeling that they may become discouraged and quit altogether, since they keep saying that they don't understand the underlying principles, and it is totally unlike anything they have done before. I feel they are experiencing a lot of stress as I am trying to help them follow a color diagram, already pretty weird with its one line for a pair of bobbins concept. But the design is complex enough that you really have to either use a diagram or memorize quite a large number of discreet movements. The younger the student, the more quickly they seem to memorize the large number of discreet movements. But some people never do, and I confess, I doubt if I could given the state of my memory at present. (People who have seen me work note that I often rely on a ghost pillow and diagram.) Another issue is what the student believes she will be learning. On the one hand, I am a person who thinks that modern lace, individual design, etc. are the shape of lacemaking of the future, and that torchon is a somewhat old fashioned, or even, dare I say boring, looking lace. On the other hand, the students, some of them, have the conception that they will be turning out yards of frilly white stuff. Of course, they are not going to be turning out yards of frilly white stuff, or making lace resembling 18th century lace, at least not for a very long time, and never in great quantity. But they are slow to see items like the snake, book worm or modern free lace as being lace. So, in some ways, my conception of teaching lace technique to young art students and having them go off to use it in fantastic modern ways does not conform to the expectations of the young art students who are interested in learning how to make lace. Ideally, it would be nice to have a curriculum that shows both stitch diagrams and the international color code system, although that is a lot to throw at people at once.. Many books do not have the color code, although the German one does. Books such as the DMC curriculum, from way back, are entirely in text, which I think must be the hardest way to convey the process. How are other people approaching the teaching of
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
I think beginners need a good basic instruction book as a reference to have on hand. It would have a planned series of basis lessons, and probably some other patterns that build on the basic skills. The Torchon Lace Workbook is one of the best but is no longer in print or available at a reasonable price. If you find a copy, use it. However, you will most likely need to explore what newer books are available in your area. There are quite a few in print. Get one that is compatible of the area the students live in. (i.e. Check if half stitch is TC or CT in the book and in a language the student can read.) Torchon teaches the three main stitch formations: CT, CTC, CTCT. It also teaches handling bobbins, preparation, reading patterns, spiders, gimp, basic picot, tally, the two main edges, etc. Moving from Torchon to a basic tape lace is a good second style. Schneeberger, Russian, Idrian, Hungarian...to name some. There are lots of books on the market with cute patterns using basic tape skills. Tape lace would add skills of sewing, turning curves, braids and more picots, Beds would be a good followup because it used some tape skills but adds more techniques such as crossings. Bucks Point would introduce the point ground skills, and the double twisted picot. Some students may choose this type of lace over the tape laces as a second choice. And the lace world expands from there...whichever type attracts attention. Check out the Kortelahti books. These patterns are torchon with some added quirks that could challenge and interest an intermediate or advanced beginner. Small projects are better starting patterns than an edging, these days. (My opinion.) They give more practice in setting up projects (bobbins, etc), and then give a sense of satisfaction when completed. I like bookmarks because of the size, and they are usable. Also make good gifts. Christmas ornaments are also usable projects. There are many kinds of these flat, 3-D, or strips that wrap around balls. The Lace Guild has a child's section on the webpage, with instructions and pattern. Check it out. These are the main things I can think of right now. It's our anniversary and DH is waiting for me for a day trip to the coast or somewhere, in celebration. Must go. Alice in Oregonon a day with a bit less rain than the rest of the week. Apr 6, 2010 07:18:37 AM, ship...@googlemail.com wrote: Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
[lace] Teaching beginners
I would be wary of recommending a lacemaking book for beginners, unless you have thoroughly checked it out yourself. My copy of The Torchon Lace Workbook that was mentioned,has a terrible error right at the beginning, where the pictures of patterns 1 and 2 have been switched. I recently had a very tearful student who had spent hours trying to solve this puzzle, and had also asked an experienced lacemaker who didn't spot the error! I saw it straight away, but had never noticed it before as I had never used the first patterns. Another friend has a copy with the patterns the right way round, so I guess it was corrected in later copies. I have been teaching beginners for over 30 years, when I started there were no books widely available, and so I devised my own set of patterns and notes. I still use them today, with a few modifications, as issues have arisen. My students work through a series of 10 patterns (starting with bandage), introducing them to Torchon, various grounds, diamonds, spiders, gimp, roseground etc in small patterns such as bookmarks, small mats and handkerchiefs. They then decide if they want to carry on with more complicated (usually commercial) Torchon patterns, or progress to my series of 10 Bedfordshire, or 10 Bucks patterns. Each pattern comes with notes I have written, so that they can continue at home, and I can work out where they are if they ring for help between lessons (I have given many lessons over the phone). I have only once had a student who could not grasp the techniques. She had severe dyslexia, although I have taught others with the condition successfully. I would beware of teaching tape lace. Apart from becoming tedious it usually needs sewings, which puts beginners off, and students do not learn how to handle a large number of bobbins. Good luck with your students Christine (Oxford, UK) _ http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/195013117/direct/01/ - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
[lace] Teaching beginners
Christine wrote: My copy of The Torchon Lace Workbook that was mentioned,has a terrible error right at the beginning, where the pictures of patterns 1 and 2 have been switched. I recently had a very tearful student who had spent hours trying to solve this puzzle, and had also asked an experienced lacemaker who didn't spot the error! I saw it straight away, but had never noticed it before as I had never used the first patterns. Another friend has a copy with the patterns the right way round, so I guess it was corrected in later copies. It was corrected in later editions. I spotted the error in my copy, photocopied the two pages, cut and stuck stuck the relevant parts of the copy in my book to correct it. So anyone who ends up with my copy some time in the future will have everything correct. 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 arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
[lace] teaching beginners; whole and half
I know these things can be a matter of opinion and that there is no limit to different opinions just as there is no limit to different ways of approaching lacemaking. Remember when working with a beginner at the very beginning, we are working on a strip of nothing but a single continous stitch. I first teach whole stitch (CTC). I do use the terminology whole stitch, but also tell them that it is sometimes called cloth stitch as well as other names, depending on who you are talking to. My goal is that my student will understand what is happening and the reasoning behind doing things the way we do them. I teach the stitches by using 2 colors of thread. The passives get one color and the worker gets the other. In teaching whole stitch (CTC), you can easily see in the lace that two threads travel side to side through the passives which are hanging side by side vertically (unless youve made a mistake :). When it comes to half stitch (CT), it becomes very obvious that something altogether different is happening! When I was beginning, this was the first point that I almost decided to take up some other activity :) I still have my student wind the worker in a different color. It is then plain for them to see there is now only one thread that travels side to side (no longer a whole pair of bobbins, but half of the pair), and the others are not hanging vertically in order anymore, but traveling on their own separate diagonal paths crossing over each other above and below the horizontal single worker thread. For the beginning student it is an eye opening experience and takes some of the shock out of doing half stitch for the first time where suddenly it seems like the threads have gone willy-nilly, that they have a mind of their own and that you as a lacemaker have lost all control over what seemed like a very orderly process until this point. It is still a very orderly process and makes great sense! For teaching the basics to a beginner, using terms like whole stitch and half stitch and using colored workers helps make it clearer. When they seem to understand each stitch, I have them look at real pieces and pictures to see if they can point out to me areas of the stitch they have just learned. I use all kinds of different lace for this so that they can see how these basic stitches are the foundation of the whole artform. I believe if it makes more sense to them in the beginning, then it will make the move to working lace from patterns easier as well. (the second point where I almost gave up making lace) Thats my own somewhat humble opinion. :) Debbie in Florida [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
