Cow-in-calf and jack-in-the-box bobbins are different. Cow-in-calf has has a small bobbin carved/turned on a separate end-piece of the bobbin shank. The small bobbin part of this end-piece is inserted into a hole running up through the bobbin shank, and the end-piece is screwed or pushed into place. So there are two pieces to this type of bobbin.
Jack-in-the box also has an end-piece which is screwed or pushed into the end of the bobbin shank, but when it's removed a separate small bobbin falls out. Three pieces to this type. With both types of bobbin the small bobbin isn't visible unless it's dismantled. Mother-and-babe bobbins have one or more small bobbins visible inside "windows" cut through the bobbin shank to show the contents of the hollowed-out centre. I've seen mother-and-babe, mother-and-twins and mother-and-triplets. I don't have any children, but I've still got a light mother with three dark triplets, an ebony mother with a brass babe, a dark wood mother with ivory babe and a dark wood mother with light wood babe. So far I haven't been able to find a mother-and-twins, cow-in-calf or jack-in-the-box. There's also a grandmother bobbin - a bobbin with a smaller one inside, with yet a smaller one inside that, but I've never seen one even in a drawing or photo. Springett's "Success to the Lace Pillow" shows South Bucks jack-in-the-box and mother-and-babe bobbins as well as all three types in Midlands. They seem to be limited to these two types of English bobbin. Jean in Poole - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
