Dear Tess, that is interesting! Quite a different slant! It reminds me that when visiting the UK earlier this year, I stayed with arachne member Pauline Norris in Somerset and we had a FABULOUS time sharing, meeting her lace friends and swapping lace momentos. One of the little treasures she gave me was a set of very old pins off an old Bedfordshire lace pillow which she had bought. These brass pins appear to have the berry heads attached to them that we have talked about on this list way back.
Then, on Sunday while reading one of the many lace books which returned with me after my holiday? I found a quote referring to these pin heads; The Romance of Lace by Mary Eirwen Jones. Spring books, London. No yr, no ISBN. p.30 'Bobbin pins. The pins used in the making of pillow lace where often curious. Originally they were bone, usually fish bones; later they wore of thorns or wood and then of brass with removable caps. These brass pins were pushed half their length into the pillow and beads of various colours were put on. The colours of the beads facilitated the working of the design. Burrs from the hedgerows were the traditional pin caps in some districts. They were gathered and placed in the sun to dry ; they were then put into a brass thimble with vinegar and salt. Alternatively, they were smoked in damp hay placed in the cottage chimney. When placed on the pins, the burrs dried; they shrank into shape and tightened'. This is exactly what these pins appear to be when examined under magnification? Hi Pauline, the thrill of our time together was relived yet again with this discovery from my book. Thanks again for your kindness. Arachne people are the best! Annette Meldrum Wollongong, South Coast of New South Wales, Australia Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Monday, August 11, 2003 9:12 PM Subject: [lace] interesting thought on pins, etc >I have just come across a comment by Elisa Ricci in Old Italian Lace in which >she speculates that in the early days when pins didn't exist as we know them, >or were hard to get, the lacemakers may well have used the fine nails which >were in common use. She bases this idea on the large size of the pinholes in >the Le Pompe, etc, diagrams. > >Interesting idea, anyway. > >Tess ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > >- >To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: >unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
