Jenny The wooden part of a midlands bobbin is quite small and very light weight. I think the spangle ring and its beads may be necessary to give sufficient weight. Antique "thumpers", a alternate midlands style, are much thicker and don't have a spangle right.
European bobbins are different weights and shapes because of different thicknesses of thread, and the weight needed to keep them in tension, and because the neck size has to be sufficient to hold enough thread, and because different laces need different shapes of bobbins. I think that with any lace the question is your personal comfort with the style of bobbin, and whether it fits your exact situation. I don't think one choice or another is wrong. My attitude is to choose a bobbin shape, style, and weight to fit the particular circumstances you are dealing with, regardless of whether your choice matches perfectly the traditional tools that style used in the past. Practicality, what works: that is what matters. Lorelei - 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/
