I am on Digest, so I don't always get messages timely. However, I did want to add two cents here to the "ort" discussion. A few years back, around Christmas time, a fellow needlework stitcher handed out the clear glass ornament balls that you can find at craft stores. She challenged us to collect our orts during the following year and then bring back the balls and show how they looked. It was pretty cool, actually, especially when I had added the bits from the ends of lacemaking that were all curly from being on the bobbins. That ornament is still one of my favorites :)
Oh, and a note to odd words like clew...I had a "Forgotten English" calendar last year, that gave an unusual word each day. One that I kept and have posted next to my workbasket is "snocksnarls". It means all of a heap, generally used of entangled thread (from Walter Skeat's Specimens of English Dialects: Westmorland 1879) I love that term almost as much as I love the term "frogging" for ripping out stitches :) Last note...I agree with Branwyn that the Arachne's Web referred to is probably from the West Kingdom of the SCA. I am lucky enough to be a member, even if I live far away from the main branch in California. I am the local "Orb-mistress" here for our small group of lacers. It is a good way for us to keep each other motivated to learn more about lace making. Recently, we had a competition for pre-1600's metallic thread bobbin lace. It was a bit of a challenge, but using Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion 4 book and some very close perusing of the pictures, I did manage to draw out the pricking and then do a small sample of one of the laces in the book. I have no idea how to share pictures with all of you though. Sorry bout that :( On a good note, I won and was given 24 more midland bobbins to work with (insert really big grin here!) :) Mikki Fairbanks, AK USA From: bev walker <[email protected]> Subject: [lace] Re: Recycling Orts (Thread Ends) *snip* The thread bits from some of the beautiful and varied embroidery projects that people do would indeed be joyful assortments awaiting a purpose. - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
