Now those are some luscious gimp thread colours - they make me think of the seashore and ocean! And they would show well with a white or cream/ecru lace. 18" should be plenty for gimps, and adding simple gimps to a torchon pattern isn't too overwhelmingly hard to do.
I have to say that I have a Ziploc bag full of my thread remnants off my bobbins sorted by cottons and silks that I can use for needle lace 'one day' (or Mum can have it if she wants). They're all various lengths, but can be used for padding cordonnettes or even just the lace itself. Seems a waste to pitch lengths that might be used for something else - but that's me. Another variation of hanging in an extra thread, is to make a loop and hang the new thread off a temporary pin to back and side of the pattern, and lay it down into place next to the one that is running out. You fasten the 2 bobbins together with a rubber band or twist tie and work them together for about an inch - preferably in an area of solid cloth or half stitch, but sometimes you don't have a choice if a thread breaks or runs out in an area of ground. After about an inch, throw back the bobbin that's running out of thread and continue working with the new thread. Lucky you to have such a treasure trove of thrums (thank you for extending my vocabulary today :-) ). Don't know how they would work up for needle lace or tatting, but they may be good for some small projects like ornaments and detailed work like gimps. Have fun with those threads. Cheers, Helen, Duvall, WA - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
