Susan said "Unfortunately I think the canaletto paper is more popular in Europe, but am very curious if anyone is familiar with it for this purpose. Perhaps those who prefer architect's paper over paper/stock covered in plastic have run across it or can provide insight."
Did I blink and miss something here, or has Susan got confused? I always connect architect's linen with needle lace, as it's reasonably soft and flexible, but I think that Susan is talking about bobbin lace in this instance. The requirements for pattern/pricking for the two types of lace are fairly disimilar - for needlelace it needs to be soft and flexible, see-through to lay over the design, thin enough to be able to sew right through it to lay the foundation threads, but with a smooth enough "skin" for the needle to slide across it and not catch in it all the time once the lace itself is being worked. The pattern is usually only used once. Architect's linen filled all these criteria, with the added bonus of being a lovely matt finish, soft blue in colour, making it very restful to work on in both white and many colours. For bobbin lace the base needs to be firm enough to prick through and support the pins without tearing, (the softer the pillow, the more support is needed from the pricking!) it can be stiff as it will be laying flat or gently curved on a pillow or roller. Often the guide lines are drawn on after the holes are pricked so it doesn't 'need' to be see through (although it often is, as this saves the job of drawing in). Depending on how firm the original base material is, the pricking can be used several to many times. Jacquie in Lincolnshire. - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
