[lace] Working with black thread [was "Thread"]

[Karen Thompson]

Interesting discussion about working with black thread.  I have worked
many, many hours with black silk thread while reconstructing the Ipswich,
Massachusetts laces from 1789-1790. I do not find it hard to work with when
using light grey pricking stock. The preserved Ipswich lace samples from
the late 1700s were made with black silk thread, not dyed later. Possibly
imported black sewing silk. One of the many areas still needing more
research. The Japanese companies YLI and Clover make nice black silk
threads for this lace. It is also sometimes sold as Tiger.  In regard to
the laces made in Ipswich, MA in the late 1700s, some were made with white
or ecru linen. Regretfully we don't have those samples available to study.
Only the black silk samples from 1789 have been located with correspondence
to Alexander Hamilton.

-Karen on the beach in Delaware

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Re: [lace] Working with black thread [was "Thread"]

[Alex Stillwell]

Good morning Diana

I am also sure some black lace was made using black thread. I have an 
antique pricking that is a light card with the indicators drawn in red. If 
the indicators were in black they would be confused with the black threads.


This is Arachne at its best. Blow the dust.

Alex 


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RE: [lace] Working with black thread [was "Thread"]

[J-D Hammett]

Hi fellow Arachnids,

I believe that some black lace was made with white thread and dyed black and
some made with black thread. If you have some old pieces of black lace you do
not mind unpicking you can see for yourselves. Lace dyed after it is made will
be very slightly lighter inside the crossings and twists where the dye has not
penetrated as deeply. Lace made with black threads will be darker inside the
crossings and twists as it will not have faded as much as the outside of the
threads.

Joepie in East Sussex, where Autumn is trying to creep in.

From: Diana Smith


Like Alex I’ve always understood that on the whole black lace produced in the
English east Midlands was worked with white thread which was later dyed.
On the other hand I have old Beds lace prickings on grey card which I believe
were used for work with black thread.
Diana in Northamptonshire


> On 4 Sep 2018, at 16:37, N.A. Neff  wrote:
>
> I have found black thread hard to work with if the pricking is made of a
> card too light in color. <..>
> I have come to greatly prefer a medium-dark red card for my prickings, for
> white, ecru, and black threads all. It is much easier on my eyes than the
> brighter or lighter blue cards.
>
> Nancy

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Re: [lace] Working with black thread [was "Thread"]

[Diana Smith]

Like Alex I’ve always understood that on the whole black lace produced in the 
English east Midlands was worked with white thread which was later dyed. 
On the other hand I have old Beds lace prickings on grey card which I believe 
were used for work with black thread.
Diana in Northamptonshire 

> On 4 Sep 2018, at 16:37, N.A. Neff  wrote:
> 
> I have found black thread hard to work with if the pricking is made of a
> card too light in color. If the contrast is too great, then the eye has
> trouble seeing the details of the black threads. (Same with photographing
> or photocopying black lace.) So it might seem contrary, but using a medium
> to darker color for your pricking or background makes the contrast within
> the black thread paths clearer.
> 
> I have come to greatly prefer a medium-dark red card for my prickings, for
> white, ecru, and black threads all. It is much easier on my eyes than the
> brighter or lighter blue cards.
> 
> Nancy
> Connecticut, USA
> 
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> 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://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/

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[lace] Working with black thread [was "Thread"]

[N.A. Neff]

I have found black thread hard to work with if the pricking is made of a
card too light in color. If the contrast is too great, then the eye has
trouble seeing the details of the black threads. (Same with photographing
or photocopying black lace.) So it might seem contrary, but using a medium
to darker color for your pricking or background makes the contrast within
the black thread paths clearer.

I have come to greatly prefer a medium-dark red card for my prickings, for
white, ecru, and black threads all. It is much easier on my eyes than the
brighter or lighter blue cards.

Nancy
Connecticut, USA

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