Years ago, I think it was Steph Peters who introduced us to the hackle plier which could be used to hold broken threads while repairing, or could be used when you get to the bitter end of a thread and there isn't enough to hold it on a bobbin, but there is enough to get to the end of the project! Eager to acquire a couple of these, I went off to the fly-fishing shop where I found them. I also found something called a "swivel hackle", which was just the length of a bobbin! I found that it was perfect for the purpose, and use those instead of the smaller ones. Later, at a lace day, I asked Richard Worthen to use one of his broken bobbins to put a bobbin "handle" in place of the metal on swivel hackle. He did, and since then has made and sold hundreds of them! Of course, this fits into the category of "handy", but with Richard's fancy bobbin addition, they are no longer inexpensive! But you don't need the bobbin end on it for it to work, and I consider the person who orig inally discovered hackle pliers to have "invented" a wonderful lacemaking tool!
I also love to use ultrasuede as a work cloth when working with continental bobbins. The bobbins don't roll quite as quickly on this, but still move when you want them to. But I've found ultrasuede to be unsuitable for spangled bobbins - they really don't move on it very well. Clay Clay -- Clay Blackwell Lynchburg, VA ---- Elaine Chock <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: ============= Good morning! At 07:20 AM 3/5/2006, Jo Falkink wrote: >Don't be impressed too much by the price of many >tools. Most have a cheap alternative. For >example bobbins of wood bbq-sticks and old >magazines (as poited out already), a string as a >bobbin winder, the "JÄLL laundry bag with stand" of Ikea as a pillow stand. I hadn't thought about using "string as a bobbin winder" for ages! My first teacher taught me how to do this, and for ages I carried a string to every class or workshop. Then I got an "official" bobbin winder and forgot all about my trusty string. I also remember the first time I saw one of those "tongue depressor"-type bobbin stackers. It was in Belgium, and I thought it was a really neat idea. I've used them ever since. I once got a homemade gizmo made of two pieces of plastic held together with velcro. This was about the size of a silver dollar, and the purpose was to sandwich a bobbin's spangle between the plastic so the spangle would be protected while using a bobbin winder. I also have a collection of crocheted bobbin holders -- you know, those double-stitch things that can store a Continental bobbin in every hole. When pinned to the pillow and covered with a tight cover cloth, you can take your pillow wherever you go, without having the bobbins rearrange themselves when you're not looking. I live near an IKEA, but it never occurred to me to use one of their products as a pillow stand. I'll have to check it out! This makes me wonder about other things we've learned or discovered as we've gone along. Does anyone else remember a tool or technique that you once used and have forgotten about? Or one that you've used so long, and it seems so simple/effective, that you take it for granted and assume everyone else uses it, too? Perhaps you've invented something yourself to fulfill a particular lacemaking need. It might be fun to share these. Elaine - 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]
