Hi everyone interested in this subject. I answered Kathy privately but have been reading the other replies. What I have been interested in is the suggestion that you need to tie the workers against the first passive pair either the first time or even every time.
When I was taught Milanese by Pat the only time that she suggested it is necessary to knot after this first pair is when you are hanging in new pairs under the workers before you make up the edge stitch. These new threads are laid in as the 2nd and 4th passive counting from the edge and it can be very helpful to give this new pair some support so avoid spoiling the edge line as you tension the work. In contrast, the constant edge passives, be there 2, 3 or more (that I refer to as the "magic number" when I am teaching), are normally held out against the pin by the passives-that-used-to-be-workers; if anything when the "magic number" is 3 or more pairs it is helpful to gently spread these pairs *away* from the edge as they tend to be held there in a tight bunch by the aforementioned p-t-u-t-b-w. In Pat's instructions for the scroll sample in her first book it appears she is suggesting that you tie after the first pair as you start the scroll, but in fact this tie is to support the last of the new hung in pairs. There is no mention of any further knots. I have also checked in the series on Milanese that Pat did for the Lace Guild (Lace 105 - 108) and again there is no mention of tying the workers when doing a scroll or scroll turn. The other thing I would like to comment on is Christine's: "Once you have worked down the braid as far as the pivot pin, work the pivot pin as a blind stitch (= do NOT work edge stitch, just pin the workers) and the work to the outside edge, work the edge stitch and work back through all of the passives. LEAVE THE WORKER -it's not going to be a worker any more. ". This is correct when the braid leaving the scroll has its own, new pinholes (as in the scroll sample). However, in the example such as Kathy was asking about where it was a scroll turn followed by sewings, it is better to make this stitch up as a normal edge stitch. Once you have finished the scroll turn and are about to work the row right across to the pivot pin, take the twists off this inside edge pair and cloth stitch through it as an extra passive. Now, lay the worker sideways next to the pivot pin and tie what was the edge pair to hold the worker close against the pin. This saves you doing a sewing in this awkward hole. Leave the worker for now, and use the pair you just knotted as the new worker for the next row. When you get back to the inside edge again, the worker you left is included as the inside edge passive. Jacquie, just off for a second day of lace demonstrating. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
