I think Devon's suggestion is a good one. My opinion (for whatever it is worth):
I agree that a beginner class involves winding bobbins, making a hitch that holds, weaver's knot, half stitch, cloth stitch, ctct, various footsides, torchon ground, braids/plaits. If a student has to learn these things I would call him or her an absolute beginner. But I wouldn't put the transition to intermediate half way through a torchon course. Knowing only one form of bobbin lace I would call a beginner with some experience. I wouldn't describe someone as intermediate until he or she had learned 2 forms of bobbin lace. The reason is that reaching this point means that you understand that there are sets of rules, sets of working methods. What works in torchon doesn't work in Flanders or tape lace. And most important, what works in torchon does absolutely not work in tape lace or Honiton. I think the intermediate designation implies an understanding of the difference between straight lace and part lace (held together by sewings). As to the boundary between intermediate and advanced -- I think that for teaching purposes that applies mostly to a class in something like Bedfordshire, Honiton, Binche. Advanced in this context means the student has mastered all the basics of that form and can work a great many designs on her own without help. But the class is for pushing the boundaries of her knowledge and learning floral Beds, for instance, or raised work in Honiton. So, for instance, I would call myself an intermediate in Beds. I can do trails and subsidiary trails, but haven't attempted floral designs yet. But I'm a beginner in Binche. I have made 4 simple edgings, but I'm still on pattern 2 in the first Verbeke-Billiet syllabus. Lorelei - 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/
