Dear Helen, I think you have to also consider the type of pillow and why it is shaped the way it is for various laces. Lacemakers who were expected to make lace many hours a day for many years (it seems to me) would make an attempt to adapt existing bobbins and pillow shapes to their specific needs for speed and comfort. My own Honiton pillow is almost round, and to prevent rolling and tipping over, it sits in a shallow basket of a size that matches it. It is easy to pick up and put away. When lace was made every day, there may not have been a need to put a pillow away in a cabinet, so they would have another solution to keeping their pillow secure and free of the risk of toppling over. Honiton is a piece lace, so small motifs are made at the top. The lace thread is quite fine. Therefore, the bobbins are lightweight (to lessen breaking threads) and they hang down - pulled by gravity, instead of fingers - so no need for glass beads to aid in tensioning. The use of small pointed bobbins, to facilitate the frequent sewings, makes perfect sense. If you look at the needs of other types of laces, I think you'll find answers to pillow and bobbin styles. There will always be some innovation. In our time, some people are using lace pillows made of blocks. That seems a relatively recent adaptation, for lacemakers who found other methods of making continuous laces to be cumbersome. Some are using squared bobbins to avoid rolling, but provide some weight for tensioning. Some will say they are more comfortable for the lacemaker who does not make lace many hours a day and those with limitations to finger and hand movement. So it goes. Changes in life styles and abilities have changed needs. Same with laces, which have evolved over 500+ years. Jeri Ames Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
In a message dated 9/27/2008 6:21:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Re-continental versus east midlands. Can't add much to that path of history, but add into the mix, who was the bright spark who thought of little pointed bobbins for Honiton Lace? I totally understand the purpose of the pointed tail (to facilitate sewings) and their lightness (the incredibly fine thread), but I wonder why they are so different again in shape? Something to ponder in the wee hours when sleep eludes :-) Helen, Aussie in Denver - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] **************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001) - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
