> On Feb 22, 2004, at 14:44, Judith Bongiovanni wrote: > > > What thread is comprable to Copley Marshall No. 80? Is it cotton or > > linen?
And Tamara responded with information from Brenda's book... ... YLI Heirloom sewing (rather stiff) 70/2... Here's my two cents worth... And may I add that "rather stiff" is a very polite and understated way of putting it!! I found some YLI Heirloom #100 on sale some time back and bought a few spools. When I began some samples of Binche grounds a couple of months ago, I thought this would be a good weight to work with. The thread was perfectly awful to work with for lacemaking!! I complained bitterly to a friend at guild... This friend happens to be a very accomplished heirloom sewing teacher. She informed me that YLI Heirloom thread is not only tightly wound, but it is also starched. If I want to use it for making lace, she advised, I should soak it first to get the sizing out!! In case you're wondering... the samples I made with the YLI had wonderful definition and are very crisp! As long as you don't mind constantly re-hitching your bobbins, and if you like lace that has so softness about it at all... I think I'll just save the YLI Heirloom for my hemstitching and stick to Egyptian cottons for my lace! (But in fact, I simply threw away the thread that had been wound on those bobbins.) I absolutely love Brenda's book, and any time I start a new project, I always refer to it. She has put so much time into this work, and we are indebted to her way beyond the little bit she charges for the book. But remember, when you use threads from the book, that not all threads are created equal - even if they share the same relative dimensions. The tactile qualities of any fiber should be considered when you're planning to work with it. My recommendation is to determine what kind of thread the designer originally used, and then find a close approximation... if the thread is a linen, try to find a linen. If cotton, use a cotton. Sometimes we are forced to use cotton when the linen we need is no longer made. But be aware that specialty threads like YLI Heirloom, spun silks, rayons, and other threads made for other needle arts may not be suitable for lacemaking. If in doubt - be sure to ask Arachnids - someone (like me!) is sure to have learned the hard way what isn't a good lace thread!! Clay - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
