Dear Ann There are several ways of working blossoms, both in Honiton and Beds, though I think it fair to say there are three main types, 1. with a hole in the middle 2. without a hole in the middle 3. unlike the first two, not symmetrical in all four directions, but with a pair of picots on (say) the north plait before the crossing, then another pair on the south plait after the crossing. The first two are generally on Honiton, even if we now think it's only the first one, and the last two are now thought of as the Beds version, though of course the first is often used in Beds. In addition to the appearance, the first two can be made either with a picot on each pair, or working the picots and crossing so that not all of the pairs are used for picots - shouldn't affect the appearance, but some find one way easier than the other.
I think you really need to consider the pattern to decide which one suits. 3. can look very good in some Beds patterns where it gives a directional flow to the ground - it's used like this, for example, in pattern 9 of Barbara Underwood's "A Bedfordshire lace Collection", the Rose handkerchief border worked by Jean Leader. I'm using this ground in the Thomas Lester-style pattern I'm working at present, and am being as ever totally traditional, using the version which I think looks best, 1., made in the way I find easiest. Possibly not surprisingly, this is as set out in Bridget Cook's and Geraldine Stott's "Book of Bobbin Lace Stitches" cunningly concealed on p.132 under the title "Devonshire four pearl filling". It is a version that puts a pearl or picot on each pair, and I personally find it much easier to follow and remember than the descriptions in my Honiton and Beds books... There is a very clear diagram, and also a written description setting out the order of doing the crossings, picots and twists, which I find helpful. Page 134 has "Wholestitch apple blossom" which has a very solid centre, which might possibly suit some patterns, say as an isolated unit in the middle of a small flower, but it would need repricking as it doesn't used the standard blossom four holes. Hope some of this helps you! [email protected] <Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 10:22:59 -0000 From: "ann.humphreys" <[email protected]> Subject: [lace] Blossom crossing I am trying to work a blossom crossing. I have various diagrams to follow but I am not getting it right. Can anyone simplify it for me? I am doing a piece of beds lace but understand that the honiton method is preferable. Ann Yorkshire UK> - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
