....I was watching an old movie with Catherine Hepburn as Mary, Queen of Scots
and in once scene where Mary is in her drawing room with her ladies in
waiting, one of the ladies is doing bobbin lace....
Dear Johanna and esteemed Spiders,
I'm sure I saw this film some time ago, probably on TV, but I don't remember spotting a lace pillow. The film certainly wasn't historically accurate as far as the plot was concerned!
Bobbin lace was of course made at the time and the large frame for needlepoint sounds just right. It is known that Mary Queen of Scots was a skilled needlewoman, some of her needlepoiunt embroideries still exist, and she also made Lacis, but it is unlikely that she herself made bobbin lace. There's a lovely story of her annoying her Council (all men, natch) by working at her embroidery during Council Meetings. They found it (and her) most distracting. It's as if Maggie Thatcher had taken her knitting into the House of Commons!
There's an excellent book by Margaret Swain called "The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots". My copy is a reprint, published in 1986 by Ruth Bean. ISBN 0903585 227. I'm pretty sure there was an earlier American edition. Its well worth getting from a library if you can.
Back to the movie...
Sherry,
the title of the film was MARY OF SCOTLAND, released in 1936. I think its fair to say it was not Katherine Hepburn's finest hour. Neither the script nor the supporting cast did her justice - but that's just my opinion. I hope you can track down a copy and make up your own mind.
Bridget, in Watford, England
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