I have realised that as the years progressed I really didn't know what I was buying at the start of my lace equipment purchasing career. I bought what I was told rather than what worked for me. The teacher that I had believed in 7 beads to a bobbin (east midlands) and liked very long, wide bobbins. She also liked very domed pillows. I've discovered that I like thin bobbins that are neither long nor short and I am a 5 bead person. I also prefer the feel of ebony (due to the fact that wood to me is to the touch like fingers down a chalk board unless it's waxed or sealed and ebony is better to the touch for me) and I love bone because I can have it thinner for the same weight as wood so more bobbins on the pillow. I like flatter pillows as they seem to work better for mein tensioning (domed for me tension too tight, it's just the way I work, nothing else). So, I've spent 20 something years gradually replacing everything I bought at the start. At this rate I'll never finish - a bit like painting the forth bridge. My bobbin a month from the wonderful Chris Parsons is not going to make him a fortune but all the other people who have signed up for the bobbin a month may keep him going. Jane is right that that those with the money are those coming into the craft at retirement and who hopefully have may productive years ahead of them to make lace, but I also feel strongly that children are hit too hard with school work and should be encouraged in their creativity through craft and skills but that's something I'll have to sort out when the revolution comes. L
Kind Regards Liz Baker [email protected] My chronicle of my bobbins can be found at my website: http://thelacebee.weebly.com/ - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
