I response to the inquiries I received:
The wire I use is fine silver, dead soft, for the weaving part, sterling
silver, 1/2 hard, for the edges. The sterling makes it springy so it keeps
it's shape better, the fine is a little softer and less touchy about being
reworked, although it's very likely to break if manipulated more than
twice. It gets a tinny sound so there is a warning before it breaks! I use
bobbins for the fine wire, it's 28 gauge, none for the sterling, which is
16 and 18 gauge.
I remember the CRLG day, but am not sure which pendant Vicki is referring
to. Most of my wire stuff is still packed (we moved to Virginia from
Pennsylvania last summer). Even most of my lace books are packed.
The brooch is made from round wire that I flattened a little, then wound
three times around a dowel, weaving it a little to keep it together, then
soldered the ends together. The lace is cotton and silk, with crystals and
silver beads hanging from it. I found the pattern in one of my books, I
think. It was the first time I tried mixing the metal and threads. I have a
file with patterns for various bracelets, someday I'll publish them.
As I said, most of my books are packed. I've been using Cook and Stott's
"Introduction to Bobbin Lace Stitches", Cook's "Practical Skills in Bobbin
Lace" and the Luton Museum "Lace Dealer's Pattern Book" for
inspiration. The book that Patti mentioned, "The Art and Craft of Old
Lace" by von Henneberg is not one I'm familiar with. I've never had a
Binche class and only one Flanders. I like the very large grounds in clay
much better than the very tiny ones in thread! I like the rose grounds and
spider variations and plan sets of those.
I'm only working in white for now, although I will probably try some
colored clays later- gimps, you know. I've changed to a clay called B mix,
which is classified as a stoneware for it's durability but looks and feels
a lot like porcelain. Hopefully, this will make the pieces less fragile.
The ends of the strands, threads, aren't sharp, but they haven't made it to
the highest temperature firing yet. I like the look of thread that has been
broken or cut off but since parts that stick out are more susceptible to
breaking, something else will have to be done.
I haven't tried anything with silver and gold clays. I did with polymer
clay but wasn't pleased enough to do anymore beyond that first experiment,
although I did hear of a woman who knits one kind of it. And I have an
article from 1982 about a man who coated acrylic caulking in dry clay (it
hadn't been mixed with water) and knitted that. The fumes caught fire in
his first firing, but things improved after that. But I want to stay a
little more environmentally friendly. I googled him and came up dry, would
like to know what other avenues in this direction if any, he pursued.
I hope this answered all the questions, I'm always open to more. I'll
update you all from time to time.
Cherry Knobloch
Chesapeake, Va
USA
-
To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line:
unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
