My main question here is in regard to the Valenciennes book. Will it
or will it not help and guide me in doing Binche lace? Whew, that was
a
lot!
My understanding is that historically, Valenciennes, Binche and
Flanders are cousins, all descended from Old Flanders. When you do Old
Flanders you can see bits all three modern laces here and there.
The main two things you have to get used to in all three (and Old
Flanders as well) is the notion of the workers changing all the time
(which also affects how you tension) and the use of a ring around the
cloth stitch motifs. Valenciennes uses both of these, as does Flanders.
The main technical difference is the ground - Val uses a plaited
ground, Flanders the 5-Hole ground. Binche doesn't really have much of
a ground; it's more like Old Flanders in that respect.
In terms of learning - a book on *either* Val or Flanders will do
equally well at teaching you what you need to know but in order to make
the laces in those you will be doing lots and lots of either Flanders
or Val ground - and you don't need either to learn Binche. So, starting
Binche by learning Val or Flanders isn't necessarily the best route.
You could also start Binche just by doing Binche (I started with the
Giusiana/Dunn book "Binche lace") or you could start Binche by doing
Old Flanders which doesn't have much ground at all.
Whatever you do - if my experience is anything to go by, expect to have
a steep learning curve. I gave up in tear when I first tried, then I
got help. In the first pattern I succeeded at, the repeat was about
1.25 inches x 5/8 inch - and it took me 8 solid hours to do the first
repeat. Second repeat was 5 hours, third repeat was 2.
Adele
North Vancouver, BC
(west coast of Canada)
-
To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line:
unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
