A preview of the letter below was sent to a prominent lace expert / volunteer.  She has often wondered why no one has written something comprehensive on S vs. Z Threads and everything you'd ever want to know about Winding Threads on bobbins.  She thinks no one feels qualified.   That is why OIDFA is on the Subject line.  A copy is being sent to Margaret Abbey, President.  All the officers would have to be consulted, and it might have to be discussed at the 2018 Congress.  This allows lots of time for arguments on Arachne.  Would someone please volunteer to collect related correspondence for us? Â
Questions about 1) S vs. Z twists of threads and 2) everything about winding bobbins, have been around a long time and people are more confused than ever.  Today's thread manufacturers and people working with thread need guidance, because most never had basic instruction of how thread is used.  (Many do not even know how to thread a needle, or that one side of a needle's eye is designed for that purpose.)  Lace makers in different countries have different customs.  Reasons some laces are worked palms down and others palms up needs clarification, along with an explanation if S or Z twists matter, and the direction in which the bobbins should be filled with thread.  Here is what has been observed:  1.  There is a very lovely children's book of bobbin lace patterns being marketed by a not-for-profit that has 2 totally incomprehensible pages devoted to winding bobbins.  I did not review the book - would have had to tell the truth.  Last December I sent a donation to be used to film children winding bobbins for the not-for-profit's You Tube, and since the books are printed in small batches I recommended these pages be revised.  They are just getting around to filming.  My first question is usually - Who proofread this publication from cover-to-cover?  There is a saying - The Devil is in the details.  There are so few willing and knowledgeable volunteers available, that the few have been attending to more pressing management issues in lace facilities and lace guilds.  The personal cost to these few is very high.  They are under pressure all the time.  People expect information to be free.  Lace organizations need capable volunteers to help deliver "free".  2.  Australian, Barbara Ballantyne, shared her crochet research with us a few years ago.  She taught us that thread manufacturers today do not have basic knowledge of how thread is used and why the twist direction is important. https://www.mail-archive.com/lace@arachne.com/msg35959.html  3.  Because different laces have different traditional techniques, I remembered a 159-page $50 hardback book purchased in Europe in 2012: Point Ground Lace - Blonde, Point de Lille Spitze, Punto Antico, Pecna cipka, Ret-fi - by Lace a European Network.  It was developed with financial support from the European Union, and written by lace groups in 5 nations - France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Spain.  It is in the 5 languages of these countries, plus English.  This does not address S vs.V twists and bobbin winding.  It is an example of collaboration.  4.  OIDFA (l' Organisation Internationale de la Dentelle au Fuseau et à l' Aiguille, which translates to International Bobbin and Needle Lace Organisation) has long sponsored Work Groups.  They have done meaningful research into laces used on national textiles and costumes, and published results in books.  They also schedule lectures that explain various aspects of lace research.  It is not always easy to understand the books, perhaps because of a lack of proper editing.  However, why not ask OIDFA to sponsor an international study of the confusing and contradicting subjects described in this memo and on Arachne today?  The study should not be exclusively for OIDFA members, but be a vehicle for providing the very best and most accurate cohesive explanations of these critical aspects of preparing to learn to make lace, or trying a new lace (today's lace makers like to make traditional laces from a variety of cultures).  It would take a while to gain consensus, but every bobbin lace could be included.  An example of how universal it might be is the International Lace Dictionary by Johan Coene et al.   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/
