While I agree with Donna on the explanation of the math, I disagree with the suggestion that the corner is "mitered", but then I could be misunderstanding the term. What I envisioned was four pieces of lace joined (sewn together) at the corner in a mitered fashion, much like a picture frame.
This is a personal preference, and I don't mean to be rude to anyone. But when I see a handkerchief with a lace edge and the corners have been joined in a mitered fashion, I immediately think "machine lace". When I've gone to the trouble to make lace by hand, and the trouble or expense of making or finding a handkerchief that is appropriate in size and worthy of being gilded with handmade lace, I certainly don't want to whack my lace into bits and sew it back together - anything I come up with using that approach is entirely unsatisfactory, IMO. But the same math gives you enough to gather the lace at the corner and yes, you DO need to use the width of the lace as your measure, because each side of the handkerchief has to be treated as though that lace around the corner is part of the width of the handkerchief, or the lace will "cup" because the corner has been measured short. The result is a continuous piece of lace which curves gracefully around each corner. Early on in the history of lace, all corners were gathered. But as lace became more and more complex and "showy", the corners became an integral part of the design. So we are fortunate that we can choose to do it either way, and not be slaves to very much outdated fashion!! Clay Clay Blackwell [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [Original Message] > From: Donna Hrynkiw <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Date: 1/30/2006 5:29:13 PM > Subject: Re: [lace] Lace without a corner > > > Brenda Paternoster wrote: > > > Measure the side of the hankie and the width of the lace. You need 4 > > > times the width of the hankie PLUS 8 times the width of the lace - > > > absolute minimum. Round up so that you have an even number or > > > repeats, and preferably a multiple of four. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote on 30/01/2006 02:09:37 PM: > > Okay, you lost me on that one. Can you go through the math again slower? > > > It seems like one or the other but why both measurements? > > Ruth > > Let me see if I can tackle this. > > To calculate how much lace you need to edge a handkerchief with mitred > lace at the corners, you need: > > > Measure the side of the hankie and the width of the lace. You need 4 > > > times the width of the hankie > > Most hankies are square (four sides, all the same length). We need four > times the length of one side of the hankie -- one for each side of the > hankie. > > > > PLUS 8 times the width of the lace - > > > absolute minimum. > > When you mitre lace at a corner, the headside of the lace goes past the > end of the hankie a distance equivalent to the width of the lace, turns 90 > degrees, and goes down the next side of the hankie (again a distance > equivalent to the width of the lace) before the footside actually reaches > the hankie again. That's two width-of-the-lace distances for every corner. > Four corners times two widths equals eight widths. > > > > Round up so that you have an even number or > > > repeats > > I'm not sure why an even number of repeats is necessary. Brenda? > > > > and preferably a multiple of four. > > Ideally, each side and corner of the hankie will look exactly like all the > other sides and corners. The best way to do this is have the same number > of repeats on each side or in each corner. Four sides of the hankie means > for every repeat you add on one side should also be added on the other > three sides as well. Four sides = multiples of four repeats. > > Donna in Surrey B.C. Canada > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late. > > - > To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: > unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
