In message
<[email protected]>, Sister
Claire <[email protected]> writes
The patterns I am looking at call for "linen 50/2". According to Brenda's
indispensable Threads for Lace, this can range from 18 to 24 wraps,
depending on the company. Also, Bellon says in the introduction to the book
"Because the motifs are mostly small, I have taken the opportunity to use up
left-over thread. Therefore, a wide variety of thread thicknesses are given.
However, instead of 12/3 one can equally well use 80/2 and instead of 80/3
thread number 50/2" (p. 6).
Not knowing the book, I'm not sure which lace the motifs are based on,
but it is the distance between footside pinholes that you need to look
at - if no footside, the top and bottom pins in a diamond of ground - if
I'm in doubt about a thread, I will lay four threads side by side with a
slight gap between them - as they would be if they were workers in a
patch of cloth, and if that is obviously too thick or too fine use
something else. If it looks right, work a small sample of cloth - just
take a diamond shape from the pricking and see how dense an area of
cloth works up with that thread and the pins at that spacing.
I think you mean that 80/2 can be substituted for 120/3 - 80/2 equals
two threads plied together to make a size 80 thread, so 80 divided by 2
is 40. Similarly, 120 divided by 3 is 40, so the two should be the same
thickness (as long as they are of the same brand/measuring system to
start with). 80 divided by 3 is 22.2, 50 divided by 2 is 25, so although
not exact, it isn't far out. However, I would beware the extremes of an
18-24 range if I wasn't certain which brand was used, unless one was a
very well known and easily available brand and likely to be the one used
- again, work a small sample.
only have cotton thread around, so the motifs will not
have the crisp sharpness of linen, but because the threads called for are
relatively large, the won't be floppy even in cotton.
The tatting threads, being 6 ply, will give a firmer handle than a 2 or
3 ply embroidery thread. Cotton sizes are usually taken to be 2/3 of
linen, so a 60 linen will be equivalent to about a 40 cotton.
So here is the question. ("Finally," you sigh.) If I use DMC tatting thread
(size 80, 30 wraps) will it be too loose? Will Cantu' thread size 30 (21
wraps) be okay in theory?
The Cantu sounds nearer in terms of being midway in the 18-24 wpc range
of the linen available, so I would try making a small sample first.
Although firmer, the tatting thread may well be too fine, but if there
is a lot of ground or you can change cloth areas to half stitch, you may
find a finer thread works, or it may not.
A lot depends as well on your preference for the look of the lace;
whether for example you like it gauzy - if the design is dense, a finer
thread may give your preferred look!
--
Jane Partridge
-
To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line:
unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to
[email protected]
