Since the "why" of Midlands bobbins is lodged firmly in the realm of speculation, here are a few more thoughts that I don't see expressed on the list: I don't think the spangles have anything at all to do with weight for tensioning. Across the continent, you see many very fine laces made with relatively heavy bobbins (relative to, say, Honiton or even a Midlands with no spangles). The lacemakers handled the situation just fine. More to the point, is there any situation that you can think of where it is possible for the bobbin itself to tension the threads? In my experience it is always necessary to use my hands. Further, I can't think of a lace that I've made where the weight of the bobbin has caused the threads to break, or where the lightness of the bobbins has caused the threads to become untensioned.
The theory that I prefer is the evolutionary one: someone somewhere wanted to present a special bobbin, and so carved it. And somehow the idea of adorning these everyday working tools was born and spread, leading to more and more elaborate carving, then the adding of a token or a bead at the bottom (and I've seen a continental or two thus adorned, which indicates the universal appeal of the idea). So there's another speculative and unproveable theory for Midlands bobbins. Chose the one you like, and let that be your explanation. As long as you don't say that lace is made by winding thread around pins, I'll like it. Carolyn Carolyn Hastings Stow, MA USA > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2008 2:00 AM > To: Arachne > Subject: [lace] Re: midlands bobbins and spangling > > As for why Midlands bobbins are spangled, my theory has been it's > because so many were made of bone. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
