My what I did before BL contains, knitting from about age 3 (more holes than
stitches to begin with I would think).
Learned to crochet in my 20's. Had been making many of my own clothes both
knitted and sewing from about age 12. Made one of my sisters wedding dress
in 1977 plus all her bridesmaids outfits (all 6 of us).
Made outfits for our living history camping as well as 2 tents, a marque and
a tipi from 1995 - 2006.
Did a little embroidery, have tried tatting, but am failing miserably.
Wanted to learn bobbin lace in the 1980's when I saw the kit but didn't buy
it. Finally found one about 12 years later which I did buy. Tried to learn
on my own from a book using sewing cotton but felt I didn't understand what
I was doing and my husband searched for a video which he didn't find, but
did find me a place to learn 2 hours each week. I thought I would learn to
prepare bobbins and understand the half stitch and whole stitch and would be
find to carry on on my own.
Oh foolish me I started lessons in September 2001, 4 years later I had
to stop going to lessons just before my teacher retired anyway. Just as I
was on my last lesson, someone mention lace groups on the internet which
sounded a weird thing, (how on earth could you learn bobbin lace on
ine!!! - I have learned many things since, VBG It was 6 months after I
stopped going and was really missing the social side of lacemaking lessons
that I checked out and found the groups. Smart move.
During my 4 years of lessons I began with Torchon, did some bedfordshire,
found some cute tape lace pieces then onto bucks point and had two lessons
in flanders lace. I promised myself I would continue to work through that
book, but I am ashamed to say I haven't managed to do that. There are so
many patterns out there and not enough hours in a day for me to do all I
plan. I have tried to learn millanese braids but find my braid lace doesn't
lay down nicely enough. Honiton is too fine for my poor eyes, not keen on
all those sewings either.
With Ruths help I have succeeded to learn how to manipulate my easy lace
program and am making lace patterns inspired by motifs in other lace
patterns and books, but adapting them to suit me better.
With all your help I have two pieces of napkin lace ready to make up once
the other two are complete, for our 40th wedding anniversary later this
year. I had some lovely suggestions (have chosen several if time allows.)
Reading all your before BL entries has been a real eye opener, I thought
many of you were real genious lacemakers who did it all, so am surprised to
find that is not so.
I have been inspired by many and helped by a good number too, so thank you
all.
Sue T, Dorset UK
It's been fascinating reading all your messages about what you did Before
Lace. It looks like many of us have spent years looking for lace and
trying
other things before finding it. My mum taught me to knit when I was
little,
then I taught myself crochet in my teens. But it wasn't until I was in my
late 20s that I discovered a book about bobbin lace and I knew that was
what I
was meant to do!
I spent the next 41/2 years trying to work out how I could find the
equipment
to start making lace. I flirted with tatting and macramé, and knitting
and
crocheting lace, but they wouldn't do. Then DH bought me a Dryad lace
making
kit for my birthday, he was fed up with me moaning about how much I wanted
to
make lace! And my love affair with lace started in earnest. 23 years and
15
days later I'm still hooked!
Alison in Essex UK, where it's a nice if windy spring day
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