On books.google.com, I found "A History of Inventions, Discoveries, and Origins," by Johann Beckmann. http://books.google.com/books?id=of8aAAAAMAAJ&;
This book was originally published in Germany from 1783-1805 as "Beyträge zur geschichte der erfindungen", and published in an English translation in 1846. On page 463, which I found by putting "lace" in "Search this book", it says, "Proper lace or point was not wove.[sic] It had neither warp nor woof, but was rather knit after the manner of nets (filets) or of stockings. In the latter, however, one thread only is employed, from which the whole piece or article of dress is made; whereas lace is formed of as many threads as the pattern and breadth require, . . . . To weave, or, as it is called, knit lace, the pattern, stuck upon a slip of parchment, is fastened to the cushion of the knitting-box; the thread is wound upon the requisite number of spindles, which are called bobbins; and these are thrown over and under each other in various ways, so that the threads twine round pins stuck in the holes of the pattern . . ." All of this clearly describes not knitting, but bobbin lace. (And I know that modern bobbin lacemakers would argue that bobbin lace is a woven, off-loom technique, not a knitted one.) And oh look! It's "threads wound around pins" clear back in 1846. Anyway, I thought the lacemakers among us might enjoy dissecting this translation. Lynn Carpenter in SW Michigan, USA alwen at i2k dot com http://lost-arts.blogspot.com/ - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
