Hi Susan: > And maybe I don't fully understand why some threads are considered 'lace' threads & others not. Coming at this from the CQ (Crazy Quilt/embroidery) perspective, I don't consider any materials sacred to one technique or another--they're all fair game.
I think it's not so much that certain threads are sacred, it's just that some threads are more difficult to work with and when there are more suitable threads available most lacemakers would prefer to avoid trouble. Stiffer threads - linens or sometimes quilting cottons, depending on how they're spun or finished - can be so stiff that they don't like to stay wound onto your bobbin, or the double-half-hitch doesn't want to stay hitched at all. Plus your stitches don't want to stay twisted or knotted, and you're fighting the thread all the way through the project. Other threads, being built for a different craft, may have differences built into them that you don't want for bobbin lace. I vividly remember, back in the 80s, somebody in my club making a large project, not realizing the crochet thread she'd used had a bit of stretch in it. When she took the pins out at the very end the whole piece pulled up in some places and not in others and just generally refused to lie flat. Such a disappointment after all her hard work. Having said that, if you want strong colours you might like to use tatting cotton, which many people use all the time with complete success. Hope this helps. Adele West Vancouver, BC (west coast of Canada) - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
