Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Joan, i emailed him and he gave me his web site url. He just got it up and running and is still working on it but it exists. Hugs, Lin and the Mali Overton, NV USA On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 4:42 PM, Joan Wilson joanwils...@gmail.com wrote: Hi, Richard Pikul does not have a web site just email. His bobbins are a dream to work with, the wood finish wonderful. Joan in Ontario. On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 7:04 PM, Janice Blair jbl...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Was it Neill? Richard's are less than 1/4 on the stem but do open out to a little less than 1/2 which is less than spangles take up. I just like the feel of them. Janice Blair Crystal Lake, 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois, USA www.jblace.com http://www.lacemakersofillinois.org I have some, but they aren't that narrow. They take just as much space as most of my other bobbins. The most slender I have were made by the Perrins' son (SMP lace, his name escapes me, starts with N?) and lots of them would fit on a pillow in one layer. On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 10:53 AM, Janice Blair jbl...@sbcglobal.net wrote: If you want narrow bobbins but with a square end, you should check out the bobbins made by Richard Pikul in Canada. They are as slim as a midlands but flare out at the bottom. -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent -- Hugs, Lin and the Mali *Inside every older person is a younger person -- wondering what the hell happened. * - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
I've come into this one late and sorry if it's been answered. I have spent hours arguing with a cutlery manufacturer about ferros metals. Stainless steel (especially 18/10) should NOT be magnetic reactive. If stainless steel reacts to a magnet then it's not stainless steel. We had issues with our cutlery going rusty in a brand new dishwasher that has not been contaminated with anything brass or iron - when we sent the cutlery to the scientists at our friendly dishwasher detergent manufacturer they did some massive tests but the first one they did was to put a magnet to it and it stuck. ... not stainless steel. L Kind Regards Liz Baker thelace...@btinternet.com My chronicle of my bobbins can be found at my website: http://thelacebee.weebly.com/ From: Joy Beeson joybee...@comcast.net On 5/28/12 12:11 AM, L.Snyder wrote: A ferrous metal bobbin will discolor your thread. Probably any metal bobbin will! Some kinds of stainless steel will stick to magnets. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Dear ladies, Wow, what a great idea. I have always said lacemakers are smart. The plastic canvas that is used in some kinds of needlepoint is a GREAT idea. It's easily available, rather thin, can be pinned through the regular holes, easily cut to shape with a scissors. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, where it's a lot cooler since the thunderstorms last night that knocked out the electricity for a couple hours. Had to do the Guinness stew without the top crust. No oven. Today will be in the low 80'sF 24-27C. Diane Z wrote: . . . Why not encase a piece of plastic in cloth. Joy wrote: And for plastic that you can pin through: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_canvas My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Fw: Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Dear David, Robin, et al, In the US at least, you can find dowels of all sorts of thicknesses in places that sell supplies to make models. I see them in model train stores, and in the big box craft stores. They range from very narrow, perhaps less than 1/8 inch, .3 cm all the way on up. If you then found thin nuts, the square kind, of the right inner and outer dimensions, it could be jammed on the bottom and secured with glue. Top stop so the thread doesn't come off I haven't figured out yet, but I bet there are others with ideas. Perhaps even a thin washer, again with the right inner and outer dimensions, so you jam it on the top, stick some glue to insure it stays put. Doesn't need to be very thick, certainly narrower than the nut at the bottom. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA David C COLLYER wrote: A thin wood dowel ought to work just as well as coathanger wire and As soon as I read that I immediately thought of those cheap wooden meat skewers. I recall in my early days when I didn't have enough bobbins I used them with just a rubber band wound round the head and no spangle at all. It was a pain though. However, if I glued a small metal nut on to the end, they could work. The only disadvantage I can see with such thin bobbins is that they'd be a pain to wind. I was thinking of the skewers, too, but opted for a more general description. But they would be a lot easier to wind than your coathangers. Both are hard because they're very narrow, but that's what you want. On the other hand, it's really hard to get thread to stick to metal for winding smoothly and reasonably tightly, while the skewers are usually bamboo (at least in the US) and hold the thread well. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Fw: Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Dear David, Robin, et al, In the US at least, you can find dowels of all sorts of thicknesses in places that sell supplies to make models. I see them in model train stores, and in the big box craft stores. They range from very narrow, perhaps less than 1/8 inch, .3 cm all the way on up. If you then found thin nuts, the square kind, of the right inner and outer dimensions, it could be jammed on the bottom and secured with glue. Top stop so the thread doesn't come off I haven't figured out yet, but I bet there are others with ideas. Perhaps even a thin washer, again with the right inner and outer dimensions, so you jam it on the top, stick some glue to insure it stays put. Doesn't need to be very thick, certainly narrower than the nut at the bottom. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA David C COLLYER wrote: A thin wood dowel ought to work just as well as coathanger wire and As soon as I read that I immediately thought of those cheap wooden meat skewers. I recall in my early days when I didn't have enough bobbins I used them with just a rubber band wound round the head and no spangle at all. It was a pain though. However, if I glued a small metal nut on to the end, they could work. The only disadvantage I can see with such thin bobbins is that they'd be a pain to wind. I was thinking of the skewers, too, but opted for a more general description. But they would be a lot easier to wind than your coathangers. Both are hard because they're very narrow, but that's what you want. On the other hand, it's really hard to get thread to stick to metal for winding smoothly and reasonably tightly, while the skewers are usually bamboo (at least in the US) and hold the thread well. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] There's never enough room
When I was preparing to make my scarf (which is now 32 long), I made bobbins with bamboo skewers and beads, but I found after I had wound a few, that the wood was not very smooth and snagged the thread. It had felt okay in my hand but not in use. I am using a slubbed silk and it kept catching. I doubt they would work for fine thread unless you really gave them a sanding. I was in a hurry to get going so did not spare the time to do that. My beads were probably 1/2 wide so would not save on room. I was looking for longer shafts to hold the large amount of thread, but found I could wind what I needed on my international squares. Janice I was thinking of the skewers, too, but opted for a more general description. But they would be a lot easier to wind than your coathangers. Both are hard because they're very narrow, but that's what you want. On the other hand, it's really hard to get thread to stick to metal for winding smoothly and reasonably tightly, while the skewers are usually bamboo (at least in the US) and hold the thread well. Robin Janice Blair Crystal Lake, 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois, USA www.jblace.com http://www.lacemakersofillinois.org - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] There's never enough room
Liz wrote: David, I was taught Never to pick up the bobbins by their spangles as that can wear and break the wire or thread - whatever - that holds the beads on. That is what the shank is for - for picking them up! :) Picking up the bobbins by their spangles is the only way I can pick them up. If I didn't do that I'd have to give up lacemaking. My fingers don't work properly so picking up a bobbin by the shank is extremely difficult - means your thumb and finger tip are side-by-side and have to grip the bobbin as opposed to finger on top of thumb with the thumb lifting and the finger steadying. I've never had a thread break - have had them untwist as we all have - but then I don't use fine threads. And I rarely have a broken wire - easily fixed anyway. As we've said before, there are no lace police so do what's comfortable or necessary. Jean in Poole, Dorset, UK - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
I was taught Never to pick up the bobbins by their spangles as that can wear and break the wire or thread The main reason to be taught not to handle the bobbins by the spangles is that there is a limit to how quickly you can work that way but if you are like Jean and have dexterity issues, it might be the quickest, least painful or only option available. Jacquie in Lincolnshire. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
The last time this issue came up, I was discussing some sort of tray as Shirley and Liz mention, but I wanted sides that came up for storage to prevent rolling off, and came down when I wanted to use the bobbins, so they could just be put on the pillow and treated as some sort of cover cloth on the pillow, then the sides come up again for storage. Any ideas, anyone? I like the cloth idea especially, much less chance of breaking the thread on an edge. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA where it's going to be another hot one, high in the upper 80's, 27-29C but sunny. Time for the air conditioning, all gardening done in the early morning. Shirley wrote: use working cloths to support about 10 pairs at a time, stacking on top of each other to either side. One can stack an awful lot of bobbins that way. Liz wrote: As to stacking them up - I have seen people use the base of a plastic dish - like an ice cream tub, cut down to just about a one inch side, - on 3 sides, and no side at all on the 4th, and the bobbins sit in the tray, and they can be stacked one on another at the side of the working area. It seamed to work OK. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
RE: [lace] There's never enough room
Lyn, you got my thinking going for a tray that didn't take up much room but was stiff enough to scoop under the bobbins but not abraid the threads. Why not encase a piece of plastic in cloth. The plastic should be stiff enough to scoop under the bobbins and support them in order -- maybe 6-7 wide and deep as you like for your bobbin length. There would be fabric side extensions, maybe 4 wide, to fold over the bobbins and prevent them from rolling out and also opened for lacing. Also, with fabric, a pin could be used if needed to hold them on the pillow for storage. Diane Z Lubec, Maine, USA -Original Message- From: owner-l...@arachne.com [mailto:owner-l...@arachne.com] On Behalf Of lynrbai...@desupernet.net Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 7:27 AM To: Tregellas Family Cc: lace@arachne.com Subject: Re: [lace] There's never enough room The last time this issue came up, I was discussing some sort of tray as Shirley and Liz mention, but I wanted sides that came up for storage to prevent rolling off, and came down when I wanted to use the bobbins, so they could just be put on the pillow and treated as some sort of cover cloth on the pillow, then the sides come up again for storage. Any ideas, anyone? I like the cloth idea especially, much less chance of breaking the thread on an edge. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA where it's going to be another hot one, high in the upper 80's, 27-29C but sunny. Time for the air conditioning, all gardening done in the early morning. Shirley wrote: use working cloths to support about 10 pairs at a time, stacking on top of each other to either side. One can stack an awful lot of bobbins that way. Liz wrote: As to stacking them up - I have seen people use the base of a plastic dish - like an ice cream tub, cut down to just about a one inch side, - on 3 sides, and no side at all on the 4th, and the bobbins sit in the tray, and they can be stacked one on another at the side of the working area. It seamed to work OK. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Dear Robyn, Some interesting ideas here which could inspire others to take them further. A thin wood dowel ought to work just as well as coathanger wire and be easier to make up. And wood will grip the thread beginning, making them much easier to wrap. As soon as I read that I immediately thought of those cheap wooden meat skewers. I recall in my early days when I didn't have enough bobbins I used them with just a rubber band wound round the head and no spangle at all. It was a pain though. However, if I glued a small metal nut on to the end, they could work. The only disadvantage I can see with such think bobbins is that they'd be a pain to wind. An alternative magnetic bobbin is carriage bolts, if they come in a thin enough size for you. Love that idea - and I hadn't thought of it. I'll check them out at the hardware store. thanks David in Ballarat, AUS - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
RE: [lace] There's never enough room
Re Carriage Bolts: When I first tried lace making, supplies were difficult to find so I used carriage bolts. But, they colored the thread, so coat them first with some type of varnish. Diane Z Lubec, Maine, USA - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] There's never enough room
If you want narrow bobbins but with a square end, you should check out the bobbins made by Richard Pikul in Canada. They are as slim as a midlands but flare out at the bottom. You can see a sample on this website http://www.lacegazette.com/CLGbobbinlarge.html and you can contact him by email for a pdf brochure. rpi...@sympatico.ca I have enough for a Milanese pillow and I love the feel of his finish. He weights the ends inside with lead, but it does not cling to a magnet. Tried it. Wonder if he could weight them with something that would be more attractive to a magnet? My DD had a pair of bobbins made for me for a special occasion, and we have had them for commemorative bobbins at my guild. I used Paypal to buy some from him, so dealing with another country was no problem. No relation, just a satisfied customer who wishes she had unlimited funds. Janice Janice Blair Crystal Lake, 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois, USA www.jblace.com http://www.lacemakersofillinois.org - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Wow, talking about the meat trays, those styrofoam trays are not very deep, but they are smooth and will hold weight. you can get a few free from butchers but collect the right size to suit you. If you cover it with cloth and also have the side flaps mentioned above, that would serve for travel as well as holding them for use. I would be tempted to have the flaps extra long so several trays could be stacked and then secured together. The edge would allow scooping without actually changing the configuration. But if you wanted smaller ones that would only hold maybe 10-12 bobbins each, you can cut them in half and use the lack of the lip as the scoop. I will have to test this out myself as a rubber band can secure the bobbins in the tray and altho it would suffer, you can use divider or hat pins to secure the tray to the pillow. these can be disposable after a few uses. Hugs, Lin and the Mali Overton, NV USA On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 9:42 AM, David C COLLYER dccoll...@ncable.net.auwrote: Dear Robyn, Some interesting ideas here which could inspire others to take them further. A thin wood dowel ought to work just as well as coathanger wire and be easier to make up. And wood will grip the thread beginning, making them much easier to wrap. As soon as I read that I immediately thought of those cheap wooden meat skewers. I recall in my early days when I didn't have enough bobbins I used them with just a rubber band wound round the head and no spangle at all. It was a pain though. However, if I glued a small metal nut on to the end, they could work. The only disadvantage I can see with such think bobbins is that they'd be a pain to wind. An alternative magnetic bobbin is carriage bolts, if they come in a thin enough size for you. Love that idea - and I hadn't thought of it. I'll check them out at the hardware store. thanks David in Ballarat, AUS - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/**user/arachne2003/albums/most-**recenthttp://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent -- Hugs, Lin and the Mali *Inside every older person is a younger person -- wondering what the hell happened. * - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
RE: [lace] There's never enough room
At 03:47 AM 30/05/2012, Diane Z wrote: Re Carriage Bolts: When I first tried lace making, supplies were difficult to find so I used carriage bolts. But, they colored the thread, so coat them first with some type of varnish. OK - thanks Diane David in Ballarat, AUS - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
On 5/29/12 12:27 PM, Diane Z wrote: . . . Why not encase a piece of plastic in cloth. And for plastic that you can pin through: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_canvas -- Joy Beeson http://roughsewing.home.comcast.net/ http://www.debeeson.net/LakeCam/LakeCam.html west of Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.A. where summer has begun. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
I to have a few bobbins made by Richard Pikul. I agree with Janice about the feel and balance of them. They are very a pleasure to use.\ Donna Near Chicago. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
I have some, but they aren't that narrow. They take just as much space as most of my other bobbins. The most slender I have were made by the Perrins' son (SMP lace, his name escapes me, starts with N?) and lots of them would fit on a pillow in one layer. On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 10:53 AM, Janice Blair jbl...@sbcglobal.net wrote: If you want narrow bobbins but with a square end, you should check out the bobbins made by Richard Pikul in Canada. They are as slim as a midlands but flare out at the bottom. -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
I agree with Janice and Donna that these bobbins are a pleasure to work with. But Bev, they are not to be confused with someone else's bobbins... his are totally unique! I have a few of them, and find that regardless of whether I'm using spangled bobbins or Bayeux bobbins, or for that matter any other bobbin, they fit right in and play well with others. I will say, however, that I'm not convinced they would meet David's criteria for ultra-slim. Clay On 5/29/2012 3:57 PM, Donna Fousek wrote I to have a few bobbins made by Richard Pikul. I agree with Janice about the feel and balance of them. They are very a pleasure to use.\ Donna - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Was it Neill? Richard's are less than 1/4 on the stem but do open out to a little less than 1/2 which is less than spangles take up. I just like the feel of them. Janice Blair Crystal Lake, 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois, USA www.jblace.com http://www.lacemakersofillinois.org I have some, but they aren't that narrow. They take just as much space as most of my other bobbins. The most slender I have were made by the Perrins' son (SMP lace, his name escapes me, starts with N?) and lots of them would fit on a pillow in one layer. On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 10:53 AM, Janice Blair jbl...@sbcglobal.net wrote: If you want narrow bobbins but with a square end, you should check out the bobbins made by Richard Pikul in Canada. They are as slim as a midlands but flare out at the bottom. -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Hi, Richard Pikul does not have a web site just email. His bobbins are a dream to work with, the wood finish wonderful. Joan in Ontario. On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 7:04 PM, Janice Blair jbl...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Was it Neill? Richard's are less than 1/4 on the stem but do open out to a little less than 1/2 which is less than spangles take up. I just like the feel of them. Janice Blair Crystal Lake, 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois, USA www.jblace.com http://www.lacemakersofillinois.org I have some, but they aren't that narrow. They take just as much space as most of my other bobbins. The most slender I have were made by the Perrins' son (SMP lace, his name escapes me, starts with N?) and lots of them would fit on a pillow in one layer. On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 10:53 AM, Janice Blair jbl...@sbcglobal.net wrote: If you want narrow bobbins but with a square end, you should check out the bobbins made by Richard Pikul in Canada. They are as slim as a midlands but flare out at the bottom. -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
David C COLLYER dccoll...@ncable.net.au wrote: A thin wood dowel ought to work just as well as coathanger wire and As soon as I read that I immediately thought of those cheap wooden meat skewers. I recall in my early days when I didn't have enough bobbins I used them with just a rubber band wound round the head and no spangle at all. It was a pain though. However, if I glued a small metal nut on to the end, they could work. The only disadvantage I can see with such think bobbins is that they'd be a pain to wind. I was thinking of the skewers, too, but opted for a more general description. But they would be a lot easier to wind than your coathangers. Both are hard because they're very narrow, but that's what you want. On the other hand, it's really hard to get thread to stick to metal for winding smoothly and reasonably tightly, while the skewers are usually bamboo (at least in the US) and hold the thread well. Robin Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA robinl...@socal.rr.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room (collapsible boxes)
lynrbai...@desupernet.net wrote: The last time this issue came up, I was discussing some sort of tray as Shirley and Liz mention, but I wanted sides that came up for storage to prevent rolling off, and came down when I wanted to use the bobbins, so they could just be put on the pillow and treated as some sort of cover cloth on the pillow, then the sides come up again for storage. Any ideas, anyone? I like the cloth idea especially, much less chance of breaking the thread on an edge.- Instead of trying to construct a box with sides that fold down, how about a lid that a box comes down onto? There are plenty of plastic boxes out there with snap-on lids. Some of them are of non-brittle plastic so you could probably carve one side's edge off. Then 3 sides of the box fit into the groove in the lid and the 4th side has a shallow gap that the threads feed through from the bobbins inside. I suggest you keep an eye out for shallow, soft-plastic boxes of appropriate dimensions. Second option: Big cardboard rectangle to support the bobbins, covered with fabric with a seam around the cardboard (acts as hinge for sides and keeps the cardboard in place). Three sides have a narrow rectangle of carboard and the fabric from the base extends over these cardboard walls. Put laces or velcro hook-and-loop fabric or button-and-loop at the corners of the side pieces. To create a tray, fold the sides upright and tie/hook them together. To turn it into a cover cloth, untie/unhook the sides and they'll flop down. I don't know how clear this is. I could draw something and send it to you if you're interested. It's beyond my ASCII-art abilities. Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA robinl...@socal.rr.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
RE: [lace] There's never enough room
Some kinds of stainless steel will stick to magnets. -- Joy Beeson A thin wooden bobbin with a metal insert might work! Jeanette Fischer, Western Cape, South Africa. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] There's never enough room!
Hi David A few years ago at a Congress in either Denmark or Germany we saw one of the suppliers working on a project which required some 4000 [continental] bobbins [not sure if my husband misunderstood the number when he asked how many - but there was an awful lot of them] - she managed them beautifully. Those not in use were slid into an implement shaped pretty much like a tuning fork [but with longer arms] the handle part was actually a long pin which was stuck into the pillow, holding the bobbins in a vertical stack. They were kept in order and pinned neatly like sentinals on her pillow and were kept out of the way while not in use. I have a number of similar holders [though not the version with the pin] which I use for my Suffolk bobbins, for Midlands bobbins I use slim metal knitting stitch holders which I can then stack on top of each other and secure with a long pin or two [ie a hat pin] to keep them out of the way. Nicky in Suffolk The thought came to me that there never seems to be enough room for all those bobbins - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Dear All I am now definitely now 'thinking outside the box'. How about 'virtual lacemaking'. The younger generation (and probably some of the older ones) play various games etc on their computers. So has anyone thought of writing a programme for 'lacemaking'?It could be considered as progress Maureen E Yorks UK Where it is hot and sunny - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Dear Clay, So, I put my mind to it and designed wings. My DH cut the shape and engineered a way to attach it to the brass rod. Now, when I am working with a large number of bobbins, I can stack those not being used on the wings, on whichever side is appropriate. Then, the apron is clear for bobbins that are in use, and I don't have to bundle and unbundle nearly as often. I have some pictures of the big project on the Arachne Webshots page. You'll see various angles of the pillow and the wings - both empty and filled!! There were times when I had two piles of bundles on each side of the wings, with each pile being tied with a ribbon to hold them in place. I don't know the Christina pillow but from what you've written the amount of space provided would be equally guaranteed by my table top sized work area. When I need dozens of bobbins available to go back and forth across a leaf or flower, I lengthen the threads as much as 18 inches sometimes. Yet still I have stacks on either side in the wings so to speak, and get frustrated by the lack of room. As for picking them up, I find (when I even notice) that I usually pick them up using the spangles anyway, so I don't think narrowness of the bobbin shaft would worry me. They certainly would take twice as long to wind though. As far as your bobbin ideas, my own preference is that I like the organic nature of our bobbins. Oh, so do I. I talk to them, remember them when they were trees and tell them all about their spangles - LOL. David - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room!
Dear Nicky, I have a number of similar holders [though not the version with the pin] which I use for my Suffolk bobbins, for Midlands bobbins I use slim metal knitting stitch holders which I can then stack on top of each other and secure with a long pin or two [ie a hat pin] to keep them out of the way. I used to do the same way back when, but then I invented an even better way by buying those too thin plastic coated metal coat hangers. Simply cut one in half either side of the hook and using pliers bend what was the straight bottom edge around to make it into a giant safety pin. When you load one of these up it takes about 18 pairs, but then you can slide them round the U shape at the end and get up to 25 pairs on each. They do not stand up vertically very well, but I often have 7 or so stacked horizontally on top of each other and if necessary use a hat pin to keep them out of the way. I cannot stress too strongly though that life was made a lot easier when I used the laws of physics and placed another hat pin at a 45 degree angle about an inch (2.5cm) out from the last pin on each edge of the lace. That way the threads don't get tangled in your pins and it also takes a lot of stress of the threads so they don't break. David in Ballarat, AUS Nicky in Suffolk The thought came to me that there never seems to be enough room for all those bobbins - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Dear David, et al, I think the beauty of Clay's wings is that they are above the pillow. That enables the part under the wings to be used, and provides storage space above. Looking at her pictures, especially http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2427344170048870129FeIbLa it becomes apparent that there is a post behind the roller that supports the 'wings', making that part of the pillow a double decker. I know your pillow is table sized, you have a picture of it somewhere, but I'm not aware as to whether it is a block pillow. If it is, the post should be able to fit at the intersection of 4 pillow pieces, being anchored underneath by being attached to a large flat piece of something that fits under at least those 4 pieces of the pillow, if not more. you can then make the shelf as far above the actual work surface as you wish. So you can fan out pretty much to your heart's desire while storing the bundles above, out of the way. You'd probably have to enlist the aid of a metal worker, unless you are accomplished in that area. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, where it's hot, but I finished pruning the antique climbing rose. Now we can get into the garage without getting attacked. David wrote: I don't know the Christina pillow but from what you've written the amount of space provided would be equally guaranteed by my table top sized work area. When I need dozens of bobbins available to go back and forth across a leaf or flower, I lengthen the threads as much as 18 inches sometimes. Yet still I have stacks on either side in the wings so to speak, and get frustrated by the lack of room. Clay Blackwell wrote, So, I put my mind to it and designed wings. My DH cut the shape and engineered a way to attach it to the brass rod. Now, when I am working with a large number of bobbins, I can stack those not being used on the wings, on whichever side is appropriate. Then, the apron is clear for bobbins that are in use, and I don't have to bundle and unbundle nearly as often. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] there's never enough room
Lace makers find their own way of controlling bobbins: large safety pins, stackers, crocheted strips etc. I use 15cm strips of 10cm wide elastic, burn the ends with a match so they do not fray, lay them over about a dozen bobbins and put divider pins in both ends. I can stack them and put the divider pins through 5-6 layers. Do I talk to my bobbins? Not as much as my friend Sue does, she also strokes them as she talks to them. When my husband started to turn lace bobbins after a lot of pestering from me, I decided to start a lace bobbin collection of different woods from around the world. I buy from various bobbin makers and wood sellers too to add to my collection. To date I have 557 different woods, and another 198 on the list of woods in stock, but not yet turned. I protograph them, index them with details of name, species, place of origin etc. Agnes Boddington Elloughton UK - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
I'm not good at thinking up new ideas but I'm better at tweaking and critiquing. First off, the magnetic sheet doesn't need to cover the pillow, just the apron where the bobbins lay. This means there's no issue about pinning through the magnet. Second, the bobbins just need some part that'll be attracted to the magnet. If you're putting a rectangle on the bottom end to prevent rolling, the rectangle could be metal or have a metallic piece (or a snippet of magnetic sheet material like the apron) on one side of it. No reason the rest of the bobbin has to be metal. A thin wood dowel ought to work just as well as coathanger wire and be easier to make up. And wood will grip the thread beginning, making them much easier to wrap. The newer international bobbins that some US suppliers carry are quite a bit thinner than the earler versions. Like the earlier ones, they have a square section but it's not much thicker than Midlands bobbins (but don't need spangles). Granted, you're looking for something thinner than Midlands, but these are thinner than other continentals and take up a lot less room than spangled bobbins. An alternative magnetic bobbin is carriage bolts, if they come in a thin enough size for you. Carriage bolts are longer than most bolts, have a head (where the screwdriver goes) to keep the thread from pullling off the end, can have a nut screwed onto the bottom (instead of your rectangle), and have a short section without threads on which to wrap the thread. Being metal, though, they'd be just as difficult to wind as coathanger wire. I got a Christine-style pillow from Kathy Kirchner (Michigan, USA) a few years ago. I don't know if she still makes them, but if real Christine pillows are hard to find and are desireable, people could check with Kathy. She has a website but I don't know the URL. Last, a modification of Clay's wings. How about a transparent shelf (plexiglass? Perspex?, some other plastic?) above the work area? If the supports for the shelf are 'way out to the sides, you could have a double decker work area (maybe in addition to Clay's wings for storage?). If you're watching threads instead of bobbins (as we're supposed to), the fact that bobbins upstairs hide the ones downstairs may not be a problem. Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA robinl...@socal.rr.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] There's never enough room
David, I was taught Never to pick up the bobbins by their spangles as that can wear and break the wire or thread - whatever - that holds the beads on. That is what the shank is for - for picking them up! :) As to stacking them up - I have seen people use the base of a plastic dish - like an ice cream tub, cut down to just about a one inch side, - on 3 sides, and no side at all on the 4th, and the bobbins sit in the tray, and they can be stacked one on another at the side of the working area. It seamed to work OK. Regards from Liz in grey, cold, Melbourne, Oz. lizl...@bigpond.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
And I was taught (way back when, with Norma Turner, Hi Norma) to use working cloths to support about 10 pairs at a time, stacking on top of each other to either side. One can stack an awful lot of bobbins that way. Cheers, Shirley T. - in wintry Adelaide, South Australia but I can curl up in a comfy chair with my OIDFA 30th Anniversary book and dream of all the lace I'm going to make. :-) As to stacking them up - I have seen people use the base of a plastic dish - like an ice cream tub, cut down to just about a one inch side, - on 3 sides, and no side at all on the 4th, and the bobbins sit in the tray, and they can be stacked one on another at the side of the working area. It seamed to work OK. Regards from Liz in grey, cold, Melbourne, Oz. lizl...@bigpond.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] There's never enough room
Dear Friends, I was thinking of you all today as I finished another piece of Point Ground lace. It was quite complex and used about 150 pairs of bobbins. The thought came to me that there never seems to be enough room for all those bobbins even though I have a table sized pillow. Then I thought with all our hundreds of minds out there, what about giving them a real challenge. Try forgetting every tool and implement you have ever used, and come up with a completely new system for making Bobbin Lace that will make life a lot easier for all of us who use so many bobbins. I gave it a shot and began considering the following:- I wondered whether instead of a pillow we could use something like a large sheet of the stuff that fridge magnets are made from. Then instead of the bobbins we know and love, I thought: I need to reduce the actual width of each bobbin for a start; the volume of thread rarely takes up much room at all, and I don't think I actually need a neck on the bobbins as such. I would like it not to roll around the working area though. SO How about making bobbins from something like coat-hanger wire with a small knob on the top and an ever so slightly wider flat rectangle on the bottom. That way they would adhere to the magnetic sheet. If they adhere well, then the rectangle on the bottom may prove un-necessary. I wonder whether the magnetic sheet durable enough to take repeated pin holes though. Or if it's really cheap may be it could be disposable. I look forward with great interest to your replies to this challenge. David in Ballarat, AUS - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] There's never enough room
I use hooked bobbins for certain things, and a while ago one of our suppliers changed his from totally wooden to wooden handles with about 1/8 thick wire for the neck and hook. Winding them to use once has put me off using them altogether, it was an absolute pain; thankfully he has gone back to just using wood. One of the things that came up in conversation with my fellow demonstrators at Cardiff yesterday was the possible need for a bobbin, or means of holding thread, that could be used by lacemakers whose hands are affected by arthritis, and thin bobbins would definitely be out there! Part of the reason why the head and body of the bobbin are wider than the neck is so that the wound thread doesn't (or shouldn't) come into contact with your hands or the pillow - this is to keep it clean, so dispensing with those aspects of the bobbin might mean the lace would have to be washed as soon as it is made! I would imagine the magnetic sheet would be quite hard to push pins into, and being magnetic, if you use steel pins, you would possibly have problems with the pins becoming magnetised and either attracting or repelling each other - could make for some interesting lace grids, though! In message 20120527151832.a4357339...@gex-cn03.ncable.net.au, David C COLLYER dccoll...@ncable.net.au writes I wondered whether instead of a pillow we could use something like a large sheet of the stuff that fridge magnets are made from. SO How about making bobbins from something like coat-hanger wire with a small knob on the top and an ever so slightly wider flat rectangle on the bottom. -- Jane Partridge - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Why not do what the lacemakers of old did, and make the lace in clever little pieces that fit together, then join them, expertly. Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
At 02:26 AM 28/05/2012, dmt11h...@aol.com wrote: Why not do what the lacemakers of old did, and make the lace in clever little pieces that fit together, then join them, expertly. Nah - don't think I'd enjoy that as much David in Ballarat, AUS - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
David, I worked a project last year that had 375 bobbins, plus gimps, and bobbin management was the big challenge. I was able to get a Christina pillow a few years ago, and it was one of the older ones which had a brass rod behind the roller that supported a tray to hold tools, pincushions, etc. The rotating apron of the Christina makes it much easier to have a large number of bobbins in action, but the drawback is that when there are many, many bobbins, those not being used at the moment must be stacked on the side. I like the paddles with elastic for doing this, since I mostly use Binche bobbins. When you have a stack of bobbins on the apron, there is only so far you can move the apron before there is a strain on the threads of the stored bobbins. So, I put my mind to it and designed wings. My DH cut the shape and engineered a way to attach it to the brass rod. Now, when I am working with a large number of bobbins, I can stack those not being used on the wings, on whichever side is appropriate. Then, the apron is clear for bobbins that are in use, and I don't have to bundle and unbundle nearly as often. I have some pictures of the big project on the Arachne Webshots page. You'll see various angles of the pillow and the wings - both empty and filled!! There were times when I had two piles of bundles on each side of the wings, with each pile being tied with a ribbon to hold them in place. *http://tinyurl.com/7ekbc8e* I know that there have been several discussions on this list from time to time about making a similar pillow, since the Christina is nearly impossible to find these days. Maybe some of the people who have successfully fashioned a pillow with a rotating apron can add to this discussion. As far as your bobbin ideas, my own preference is that I like the organic nature of our bobbins. While you might be able to have more bobbins in a small space, unless you have tiny fingers, I suspect you would find it harder to pick up the right bobbin, and that would slow you down. But good for you for not being hide-bound to tradition! I like that!! Clay How about making bobbins from something like coat-hanger wire with a small knob on the top and an ever so slightly wider flat rectangle on the bottom. That way they would adhere to the magnetic sheet. If they adhere well, then the rectangle on the bottom may prove un-necessary. I wonder whether the magnetic sheet durable enough to take repeated pin holes though. Or if it's really cheap may be it could be disposable. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
No Devon. That's where the old pieces of lace come apart from first. Any repairs show up because it's impossible to match thread after many years have passed. Karen in Malta --Original Message-- From: dmt11h...@aol.com Sender: owner-l...@arachne.com To: dccoll...@ncable.net.au To: Arachne ReplyTo: dmt11h...@aol.com Subject: Re: [lace] There's never enough room Sent: May 27, 2012 6:26 PM Why not do what the lacemakers of old did, and make the lace in clever little pieces that fit together, then join them, expertly. Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent Let your email find you with BlackBerry® from Vodafone - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
[lace] there's never enough room
David I think Diane is right. If the bobbins get too thin, like coat hanger diameter, they are hard to pick up. All lacemakers would have to grow fingernails long enough to help the picking up. I also would find the stickiness of magnetic attraction quite annoying. Storage slabs shaped like the lace for a fan is the best I can think of. But it is storage. Lorelei - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Fw: Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Dear David, I appreciate your frustration. I think at one time I did 100 pairs, and with Flanders, there are always more than enough bobbins to go around. But I don't think it wise to try and re-invent the wheel. Make adjustments, try the new materials, yes. The equipment we use now, and the bobbins we use have been the subject of much contemplation over the years by a lot of smart, practical people. You are not alone in thinking about how to make it easier, I'm sure. But I suspect most innovations, except those using new materials, have been tried. I switched to Binche bobbins after my first couple pieces of significant Flanders, because they are much narrower than any other Continental that is out there. The 1/4 inch (.6cm?) difference is significant. I have no problem with the traditional Continental stitch holders. When I saw in 2007 that all the lace places I went to in France for 4 weeks used a block pillow, I got me a couple of those, and like them better than anything else. The problem with the thick wire bobbins is that you won't have a space between the bobbins to pick them up. Maybe long fingernails would help, but I doubt it. On the other hand, you might want to just remove the spangles from your bobbins, see how that works. I know those who use Midlands think rolling bobbins are an abomination, but the rest of us seem to have few problems with them once you've used them a year or two. But again, I think there needs to be just a tad of space between bobbins so you can pick them up. I took one class in Honiton 8 years ago, so I am not familiar with Honiton bobbins. As for magnetic, I'm not at all sure, as pulling them away from the magnet might cause problems. Of course, one could only try. But the plastic magnets you're referring to would be difficult to put a pin into. A small bobbin with an earth magnet imbedded might do the job if there were something like iron shavings to put under the sewn cover of the pillow, that might solve that problem, instead of making the pillow the magnet, make the bobbin the magnet. You might want to remove the spangles from your Midlands bobbins and substitute one small magnet. Then put some sort of iron filings under the cover of your pillow. But I'm not planning on making such an adjustment until you tell us how it works. Lyn from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA where it's a lovely Memorial Day weekend. The thunderstorms last evening pretty much passed us by, but we may not be so lucky today. It's 1:21 p.m and 86F 27C David Collyer wrote: I was thinking of you all today as I finished another piece of Point Ground lace. It was quite complex and used about 150 pairs of bobbins. The thought came to me that there never seems to be enough room for all those bobbins even though I have a table sized pillow. Then I thought with all our hundreds of minds out there, what about giving them a real challenge. I gave it a shot and began considering the following:- I wondered whether instead of a pillow we could use something like a large sheet of the stuff that fridge magnets are made from. Then instead of the bobbins we know and love, I thought: I need to reduce the actual width of each bobbin for a start; the volume of thread rarely takes up much room at all, and I don't think I actually need a neck on the bobbins as such. I would like it not to roll around the working area though. SO How about making bobbins from something like coat-hanger wire with a small knob on the top and an ever so slightly wider flat rectangle on the bottom. That way they would adhere to the magnetic sheet. If they adhere well, then the rectangle on the bottom may prove un-necessary. I wonder whether the magnetic sheet durable enough to take repeated pin holes though. Or if it's really cheap may be it could be disposable. I look forward with great interest to your replies to this challenge. David in Ballarat, AUS My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
I realize that David is really looking for a metal and magnetic answer to the space/bobbin continuum puzzle and I wish had something clever to offer in the way of an electro-magnetic force field that holds the bobbins in some kind of holographic suspension, but taking a leaf from Lyn's observations that people have grappled with this problem in the past, I am posting to the Ning site a picture of some bobbins that I was given. They claim to be Valenciennes bobbins and they certainly look as though they have been attached to the card they are on for a long time, so perhaps they are actually quite old and date to the era of the fantastically complicated straight laces. They are quite small, only 2 1/2 inches. I have no idea what they are like to work with, and since there are only two, I guess there is no way to try them out. Here is the link. You don't have to join the Ning site to read it. (The Ning site is free, but requires you to go through a little certification procedure just to keep out non-lace people, so it is no big deal to join it.) _http://laceioli.ning.com/group/tools-and-equipment_ (http://laceioli.ning.com/group/tools-and-equipment) Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
I'm sure David will correct us if necessary, but I think David is looking for a way to store bobbins in a project which are not in use in a way that they are safely stowed, but can be retrieved easily. And a way to fit more bobbins in the 'sweet spot' on the pillow, the area where the work is actually being done. Magnetism is certainly a possibility. And, Devon, I looked at your Valenciennes bobbins, and they are too wide. I think the consensus is that narrow is better when lots of bobbins are needed. These bobbins are not. But going too narrow, as in a thin Honiton when there are dozens of bobbins on the pillow might be too much. I like the small space between bobbins made by the slight bulge of the thin bulb at the bottom of the bobbin. Looking at Cole's progress pictures of her stupendous piece of Brugge, the one picture is telling. The Christina pillow is not a perfect answer. You can't turn the outside piece very far before you're needing to increase the length of the thread on one outside section. On the other hand, the concept of the upper shelf can easily be adapted to a block pillow, squeezing the supports into the interstices between the blocks. but simply grouping the bundles together the way Clay did might help a bit. Or using the pins to stack groups of bobbins on the side might help. Has anyone made any personal progress in solving this problem, or is bobbin management still a work in progress? Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, toward the end of a lovely day. But we're expecting a severe thunderstorm this evening that's on the weather maps. Devon wrote: I realize that David is really looking for a metal and magnetic answer to the space/bobbin continuum puzzle and I wish had something clever to offer in the way of an electro-magnetic force field that holds the bobbins in some kind of holographic suspension, but taking a leaf from Lyn's observations that people have grappled with this problem in the past, I am posting to the Ning site a picture of some bobbins that I was given. They claim to be Valenciennes bobbins and they certainly look as though they have been attached to the card they are on for a long time, so perhaps they are actually quite old and date to the era of the fantastically complicated straight laces. Here is the link. You don't have to join the Ning site to read it. (The Ning site is free, but requires you to go through a little certification procedure just to keep out non-lace people, so it is no big deal to join it.) _http://laceioli.ning.com/group/tools-and-equipment_ - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Just as a point of information, the Valenciennes bobbins I posted the picture of are about 1/4 at the widest part of their bulb. Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Gosh. Well, they donât look it, but if they are that thin, they should do the job. From: dmt11h...@aol.com Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2012 7:38 PM To: lynrbai...@desupernet.net ; dccoll...@ncable.net.au ; lace@arachne.com Subject: Re: [lace] There's never enough room Just as a point of information, the Valenciennes bobbins I posted the picture of are about 1/4 at the widest part of their bulb. Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
Hello David and everyone Ok, mind is cleared (as much as possible) per your request. Slender paddle-shaped metal bobbins on a magnetic platform, hmmm, yes you could fit many more than our conventional type on the apron area in a single layer. You are moving the bobbins by the pick-up-and-put-down method (as opposed to rolling them as some like to do). You are making point ground lace which overall, doesn't require that much thread per bobbin. The bobbins don't get jumbled being held in place by the magnetic force, which isn't so strong that the bobbin can't be picked up readily (not earth magnet force as I think someone mentioned!). Some questions - will there be much strain on the outermost threads? Flat or rounded metal bobbins? You mention coat hanger wire - would that be friendly to silk thread? Could the bobbins be crook-shaped for thread-minding off the hitch? You would probably want the thread package to be above the pillow surface to avoid abrasion, an advantage of having the paddle shaped end, or rectangle, its thickness greater than its width as you mention (I had an idea that you could wear tiny magnets on the fingers to pick up the bobbins, but ... no, complicated and clumsy). Your magnetic sheet need only be a layer between the bobbins and the pillow, then the pins would be going through a conventional pillow surface. The magnetic sheet could last indefinitely. To mark groups of bobbins, place a small fridge magnet. Could you move groups via a system of longer magnetic strips placed over the rectangular ends? The hypothesis seems to me a fair proposition for those who make lace in a steady, deliberate manner. Then there are others - speaking for myself entirely - who tend to get giddy and can imagine I'd get all the bobbins magnetized to each other in clumps. On Sun, May 27, 2012 at 8:18 AM, David C COLLYER dccoll...@ncable.net.auwrote: Try forgetting every tool and implement you have ever used, and come up with a completely new system for making Bobbin Lace that will make life a lot easier for all of us who use so many bobbins. I gave it a shot and began considering the following:- I wondered whether instead of a pillow we could use something like a large sheet of the stuff that fridge magnets are made from. Then instead of the bobbins we know and love, I thought: I need to reduce the actual width of each bobbin for a start; the volume of thread rarely takes up much room at all, and I don't think I actually need a neck on the bobbins as such. I would like it not to roll around the working area though. SO How about making bobbins from something like coat-hanger wire with a small knob on the top and an ever so slightly wider flat rectangle on the bottom. That way they would adhere to the magnetic sheet. If they adhere well, then the rectangle on the bottom may prove un-necessary. I wonder whether the magnetic sheet durable enough to take repeated pin holes though. Or if it's really cheap may be it could be disposable. -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
A ferrous metal bobbin will discolor your thread. Probably any metal bobbin will! Lauren in Snohomish - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
Re: [lace] There's never enough room
On 5/28/12 12:11 AM, L.Snyder wrote: A ferrous metal bobbin will discolor your thread. Probably any metal bobbin will! Some kinds of stainless steel will stick to magnets. -- Joy Beeson http://www.debeeson.net/LakeCam/LakeCam.html west of Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.A. where it's hot and we could use a little rain. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
