>>>From: Celtic Dream Weaver [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Since I now have this pair of bobbins a thought occurred to me...I don't
think I have run across any patterns for Maltese lace. Have I been blind or
what...did I miss something over the past few years....>>>
That was me sitting next to you, Sherry. I'm from Pennsylvania, and I adore
Maltese lace. It's closely related to Beds, but "always" has Maltese
crosses in the lace. The leaves are often in a grid, and are very fat
("pumpkin seed").
Maltese patterns can be had in the two books by Consiglia Azzopardi. The
first is, I think, simply called "Gozo Lace". I can't think of the title of
the second book, but believe it, too, had "Gozo Lace" in the title. Gozo is
"the other island" in the country of Malta, and there seems to be more
traditional lacemaking on that island than on the island of Malta. Gozo is
where I saw women sitting in the doorways making lace and selling to
passers-by. Consiglia teaches the traditional BL at a couple of schools on
Gozo.
The old lace is made of honey-colored silk (actually ranges from cream to
amber). What they use now is rayon and a stark white, or white cotton. I
was told the white rayon darkened with age, but then that was by someone
trying to sell me more of it--I have no idea whether it's so.
There is a lace organization on Gozo, and their dual-language (Maltese and
English) magazine is very nice. It's several letter-size sheets folded in
half, so maybe 20 pages long, and always has a couple of patterns. One
would be a "challenge" pattern from Consiglia (no instructions, make it as
you will) and a pattern from one of the members. I seem to remember the
membership/subscription rate was 10 Maltese pounds a few years ago (maybe
$15 US at the conversion rate of the time). I'm sorry I let my subscription
lapse.
Robin P.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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