Hi Helen In answer to your question about picots. When I did my research prior to writing my book on Geometrical Bucks out of over 290 pieces of antique lace I found the following twists when I examined those made along the headside made on the left â 51 per cent had 3 twists around the pin for the picot, 40 per cent had 5 twists and the remainder were 2, 7 or 8. After the picot 53 per cent had only a single twist, 21 per cent had 2 and 18 per cent had none, only 3% had 3 and the remainder had varying numbers in the same piece. I did not find any with more that 5 twists around the pin. However, I did not examine picots along a right side headside. The analysis of what was happening only came to light when I was drawing the thread diagrams for picots on the two sides and adding the extra twists on the right side to avoid split picots is the logical result of understanding the cause of the problem. Incidentally, I teach 5 twists around the pin on the left side, 7 twists on the right side, to avoid split picots, and 1-2 twists after.
Regarding bundling in the valley. I have heard that this was frowned on as being a lazy method, but I may also be a useful method in deep valleys when you do not want the passives to spread out in a wide band in the angle of the valley. If you try it donât forget to cloth stitch the edge passives. As with all rules, try them out and use the one you are most comfortable making and produces the results you like best, but beware, if you deviate too far from the standard method you may change the character of the lace and from the the type it started out as it changes into something else that does not look quite right. Happy lacemaking Alex - 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/
