At 02:56 AM 9/16/2005, you wrote:
Is there any way to gauge how much thread you need on each bobbin or
pair to complete a pattern and how much more should be on a pair of
workers compared to the passives?
Sorry -- no such rule that applies to every kind of lace. When I learned
basic Torchon, my teacher said to wind four times the length of the lace
piece. That works when there's not a lot of cloth stitch that needs
workers. On a small project, you can actually follow the worker zigzag
lines in a repeat and roughly add up the length of the lines to get an idea
of the amount needed. Multiply by the number of repeats, add some extra
just for good measure, and you'll probably come out OK. This only works IF
you have a finite number of repeats, AND the same workers do all the
clothstitch -- which works out sometimes with edge fans. The 'four times
the length' allows various passives to take turns with occasional worker
duties.
If I'm doing a project with lots of cloth stitch, I'm apt to wind the
worker bobbins full, and put some extra on each of the passives. If the
workers start running out before the end of the project, I switch the
worker bobbins with other bobbins that have more thread on them. I've been
known to switch frequently, near the end of a project, to always use the
fattest bobbins as workers.
Tape or trail laces are a different story. There's always a worker
pair. Sometimes it's always the same pair, and sometimes pairs trade
places. Some tape laces have workers trade places on each side of the
trail, so you actually need three pair of workers. And then , somewhere in
the middle, one or more of these pairs can switch places with passives. I
tend to make a guess, and add a good bit of extra, with tape laces.
Only experience will let you know the size project that can be done with
one yard on each bobbin, or two yards, or four yards. I think my most
common winding is two yards on a bobbin, unless it's really a large
project. But then, I don't fear having to add more. I may mutter about
it, but it's not that hard.
On the other hand, if you are making 'yardage' -- a long piece -- just wind
the bobbins full and see how far they go. You can add more if any run out
before you get tired of the project.
I have a Torchon hanky that I made years ago. I carefully measured the fan
edge, etc., and figured how much thread was needed for one side of the
edging. This lace was in three colors, so much thought was given to how
much thread for each color. Alas, I started running out at the first
corner. I finally figured out that I measured one side, and didn't
multiply by four. Consequently, I figure that at least 90 percent of the
threads in the edging were replaced before I reached the end. The other
side of the coin is --- you can't see any of the adding points -- and I got
a blue ribbon on it. This hanky is pointed out to students who worry about
adding threads.
Make a guess about the amount, add a bit more, and wind away. Thread is
one of the least expensive of our tools. I think there's a book called
"Don't Sweat the Small Stuff". Well, leftover thread is usually small
stuff. If there's quite a lot left on the bobbins, use some of it for some
bookmarks. If you don't use it soon, get rid of it. It will just tie up
the bobbins so you can't get on with another project from your
list. Unless you're doing a series of pieces with the same threads, your
next project will use different fiber, or size, or color. Free up your
bobbins, and get on with it.
If you're super conservative, and just **can't** throw out that thread,
save it in a baggy until you have enough to stuff a pincushion. You might
be surprised at how long it takes to get enough threads to fill a small
pincushion. It does look kind of cute -- all curled up.
You asked the same question we all have asked. Sorry, there's no easy
answer. Just make your best guess, and know that you can add more if
needed, and feel free to throw out the leftovers. The important part is
to have fun doing it.
Happy lacing,
Alice in Oregon -- where is rained much of the day.
-
To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line:
unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
