I also have used large working diagrams a cork board and little coloured map
pins to chart my progress on complex pieces of lace.
Also studying them carefully has often helped me to understand what I am
trying to do with certain pieces of lace, much better than written
instructions.
Ursula, I would also use a bigger pattern and thicker thread on sample
pieces to help me understand a style of lace or stitches, this rather than
not try at all because it was just too close together and minute to be
followed and understood. I failed one time to complete a small circular
piece of lace because I would not see the dots for the thread and pins, it
was the first time (have only done it 3 times anyway) I cut the bobbins off
and didn't complete something. Many months later I had another go with the
next size pattern up (3 choices on the page) and both see it, understand
and completed the piece.
Having said all of that I have yet tried Binche, only the very beginnings of
flanders and never seen any Paris. Always so many new ones to aspire to in
the future. No risk of being bored, is there? <g> I am going to have to
live forever to get to do all the beautiful lace patterns I want to try:-)
Thank all the lovely spiders, I have finally managed to try a small piece
using silk, it is pretty, feels luxurious and just that bit special.
Sue T, in very damp chilly Dorset (What happened to summer, Oh yes,
Glastonbury and Wimbledon)
Hello everyone,
I´m a silent reader, because of my not so good English. But I learned so
much from the discussions of the list.
I would like to tell, how I tried Binche the first time.
I was selftaught except of a Flanders class I had the last three years
(one class a year).
So it was neccessary for survival to learn to read the colour diagram.
I had the first Flanders class and practiced for about one year when a
lovely Binche pattern called "Try me!".
As I had no overwiev whether I could master it or not and I don´t like to
give up, I worked with the following tricks.
I made a very big copy of the working diagram and drawed on transparent
paper the parts of the pattern that I hadn´t understand. I tried several
times until the way I had to work through was clear to me. I always drawed
in the order I would also do the lace.
It also needed some time to think about where to start the lace, so that I
could hide the threads unvisibly when I finished the little piece.
Than I make the pricking bigger so that it suits thread linen 40/2 (maybe
this sounds really awful to the ears of experienced lacemakers, but it
worked) to see what direction the pairs are going through the pattern.
This way I also could "see" the mistakes quicker and undo it before going
on.
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