Dear David
Another trick for making it easier to sew into pin holes is to put an extra
twist or two on the pairs making the pin hole - it seems to be standard advice
for beginners in Honiton to twist 4 times instead of 3 when starting to do
raised work. As you say, if it works for one lace, use it in others, and I do
do this in tape laces and E Midlands (it is traditional in E Midlands to copy
any technique from any other lace, if it might work!). Advisable for those,
like me, who manage to mix pins regardless of efforts not to, though must try
the nail varnish trick next time. Think I'll tell the young lady in Boots it's
for a friend rather than for painting the heads of lace pins... probably why
they used sealing wax or seed-heads in the old days!
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<Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:28:59 +1100
From: David in Ballarat <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [lace] Handy Hint
Dear Friends,
After working on a petit point portrait for the past 10 months, I
finally got back to doing some BL yesterday. As I leave for 3 weeks
up in the Northern Territory of Australia on Nov 9th, I needed to get
something started to take with me. So I've begun the most gorgeous
square edging in Point de Lille from that fabulous book called "Ecke"
(p.72 for those who have it). I'm working it in some beautiful fine
black silk (about equal to Pipers 2/20) but this came from Spain.
Only had to wind about 160 bobbins, but that merely took the time to
watch a double episode of "The Bill" and one other show :)
Now, as I've been working ALL day on it today (I'd almost forgotten
just how addictive BL can be) I started to think about things I might
be doing that others may not be. Probably numerous small techniques,
but one which I may have made up myself (along with numerous other
folk no doubt) is this.
Because the pricking, and hence thread, are so fine, I use those
brass Withof pins which are only about half an inch (1.25 cm) long.
They work perfectly well. However, I notice I get a much lovelier
effect if, when it comes to the picots on the edge I use an ordinary
sized lace pin. These have a larger diameter and really show off the picot.
I also use these ordinary sized pins (which happen to be silver
coloured) at the starting edge. Admittedly some of these are in the
point ground, but others can be on the edge of a half stitch filling
of a flower, or even in a honeycomb section. I find that when the
piece is finished and it comes to doing sewings to join end to
beginning, it's much easier having these slightly larger holes.
Just thought this might be of use to someone out there, as I can't
say I've read it in any books.
David in Ballarat>
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