Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience
In a message dated 7/27/05 6:38:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: it isn't the problem with it slipping out of stitch while the piece is still being worked. it is the loosening of the stitches once the wax has faded that i am worried about. once the lace is washed a few times and the thread becomes thinner, it will slip a little. this would defintely mess up a picot. Dear Lacemakers, As many know, I have washed a lot of lace. It is not noticible that it will slip a little if it is a standard lace, and not an experiment. Experienced lacemakers allow for shrinkage, sometimes by making a small sample to test, if it is a new thread to them. If it is a weak lace, as suztq fears, it may fall apart for many reasons. My observation is that a weak lace (either through poor techniques or poor threads) would not have been saved by waxed threads for any length of time! Lace has been made for 5+ centuries by thousands and thousands (surely over a million) lacemakers who have refined the process through the centuries. It was known from the beginning, I am sure, that picots would close up in water and that if one wanted to restore them to original shape it was necessary to make lace of a scale that they could be pinned out when the lace was drying. In antique laces, closed picots is one way I can tell if a lace has been washed - an advantage, because then I automatically know it can be washed again (other conditions being considered), without having to test it!! And then, it is up to me whether to pin it out. Part of the instructions to new lacemakers is to leave a new bobbin lace on the pillow overnight so the last few inches of crosses and twists will set and keep their definition. This is probably because the teachers know that many new lacemakers have not established the correct tension yet. Hopefully, a teacher will have specified an appropriate thread. The professional lacemakers of Europe would have put their pillows right to work on a new lace. Once a piece of lace was complete, it was quite necessary to start another. They depended on the lace made each day for their daily bread, while we have time to play with it. While it is nice to be inventive, it is wise to first learn what has been done successfully. I recommend reading more of the history of laces, which is quite affordable on the Professor's web site, before coming up with something that lacemakers before us have surely tried and discarded as being unnecessary or impractical. The subject of wax reminds me of the story Angela Thompson told us about a carefully stored beaded gown of probably the early 20th C. Mice got into the box in her storage closet, and they chewed on the waxed threads (usually used for beading because of strength and less possibility of beads cutting the thread) for nourishment. The beaded dress became a pile of beads and tiny pieces of waxless thread! Waxed lace, applied to some delicate fabrics, could mean staining of the fabrics, because you have not considered storage conditions and climate differences in different nations -- Arachne is an *International* list! Consider that wax is quite hard to remove. If you've ever tried to get candle wax out of table cloths, you can understand (one reason why I always recommend white candles - not brightly-colored ones)! By the way (for people who have never taken home economics classes) thread is wound on spools so that the cut end will be inserted into the needle on a sewing machine. You should also insert that cut end into a sewing needle eye to keep the thread from twisting and knotting up when you hand-sew. Otherwise, you are hand sewing against the grain of the thread. If you are using up sewing machine bobbin threads, reverse the end you put in your hand sewing needle. If any of this information I keep putting on Arachne is of value, once in a while I'd love to hear from some one or two of the 1,200(?) lurkers on the Arachne list. Same goes for the other responders who keep trying to be of help - if they hear from you, they know their time is of value. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience
Thanks for the information on thread wound on spools Jeri. This information was never passed on in my needlework lessons and would explain why I have sometimes experienced thread twisting when hand sewing. Later in life, I discovered that embroidery thread has a nap and now tend to run my fingers along stranded cotton to identify the best way to thread the needle. Karen In Coventry also enjoying the latest edition of Lace Jeri wrote: By the way (for people who have never taken home economics classes) thread is wound on spools so that the cut end will be inserted into the needle on a sewing machine. You should also insert that cut end into a sewing needle eye to keep the thread from twisting and knotting up when you hand-sew. Otherwise, you are hand sewing against the grain of the thread. If you are using up sewing machine bobbin threads, reverse the end you put in your hand sewing needle. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.9.6/59 - Release Date: 27/07/2005 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.9.6/59 - Release Date: 27/07/2005 - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience
Jeri, I for one really appreciate your input on 'threads' such as this. I only wish I could take some of the classes you have been able to. I make it a point to 'print and file' your posts. Thank you again Lorri If any of this information I keep putting on Arachne is of value, once in a while I'd love to hear from some one or two of the 1,200(?) lurkers on the Arachne list. Same goes for the other responders who keep trying to be of help - if they hear from you, they know their time is of value. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience
Jeri, I consider myself an illiterate in textile, so every mail of yours is a treasure to keep. Thanks for your information. Carolina. Barcelona. Spain. -- Carolina de la Guardia http://www.geocities.com/carolgallego Witch Stitch Lace II now available If any of this information I keep putting on Arachne is of value, once in a while I'd love to hear from some one or two of the 1,200(?) lurkers on the Arachne list. Same goes for the other responders who keep trying to be of help - if they hear from you, they know their time is of value. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience
Waxed Linnenthreads have tradition in needlelace, I still wax my thread when I work linnen for needlelace, but I dont use bee-wax, I use a common tealight and my lace is washed after finishing my lace, so the wax will not stay on the fiber. The difference during work is considerable as a waxed thread will be smoth and strong, a not waxed thread will break often and of course always on the wrong places. As you need to cut out all the places where the thread has this little thick wool, so you will have a considerable loss of thread too. Considering the difference in technique, I never had the idea to wax my thread for a BL-project, in my eyes that will be a considerable loss of time for no use at all. On the other hand I use my rests on bobbins to do a little piece of needlelace or sewing, as I hate to throw them away. Alix from Luxembourg - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience
your help and your knowledge is appreciated, and i mean no disrespect towards your studies, but bobbin lace is meant to be experimented with for each new beginner until they find the results they are looking for. i can also definitley tell you are correct that the lace won't budge by the plaits i made on this small strip of lace, but not one picot will remain in that imaginarily permanent position of two little tennis rackets. if you look at the thread while it is finished there is nothing holding the picot in the position of the little brackets. there is thread holding the picot where it is made and there is thread pulled outward where the two picots go, but no way is that little thing going to stay twisted in that shape without some other kind of help. it is something that maybe some one will fix each time they wash it and starch it to remain there? it must be. i'm not arguing the history of lace. it has been around longer than any lacemaker i'll ever see or know, but to keep those little hoops in place there must be another way. i think i'll buy some bedfordlace from someone who makes beautiful picots, so i will have a good example of how it was made. thank you for your help. sincerely, --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In a message dated 7/27/05 6:38:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: it isn't the problem with it slipping out of stitch while the piece is still being worked. it is the loosening of the stitches once the wax has faded that i am worried about. once the lace is washed a few times and the thread becomes thinner, it will slip a little. this would defintely mess up a picot. Dear Lacemakers, As many know, I have washed a lot of lace. It is not noticible that it will slip a little if it is a standard lace, and not an experiment. Experienced lacemakers allow for shrinkage, sometimes by making a small sample to test, if it is a new thread to them. If it is a weak lace, as suztq fears, it may fall apart for many reasons. My observation is that a weak lace (either through poor techniques or poor threads) would not have been saved by waxed threads for any length of time! Lace has been made for 5+ centuries by thousands and thousands (surely over a million) lacemakers who have refined the process through the centuries. It was known from the beginning, I am sure, that picots would close up in water and that if one wanted to restore them to original shape it was necessary to make lace of a scale that they could be pinned out when the lace was drying. In antique laces, closed picots is one way I can tell if a lace has been washed - an advantage, because then I automatically know it can be washed again (other conditions being considered), without having to test it!! And then, it is up to me whether to pin it out. Part of the instructions to new lacemakers is to leave a new bobbin lace on the pillow overnight so the last few inches of crosses and twists will set and keep their definition. This is probably because the teachers know that many new lacemakers have not established the correct tension yet. Hopefully, a teacher will have specified an appropriate thread. The professional lacemakers of Europe would have put their pillows right to work on a new lace. Once a piece of lace was complete, it was quite necessary to start another. They depended on the lace made each day for their daily bread, while we have time to play with it. While it is nice to be inventive, it is wise to first learn what has been done successfully. I recommend reading more of the history of laces, which is quite affordable on the Professor's web site, before coming up with something that lacemakers before us have surely tried and discarded as being unnecessary or impractical. The subject of wax reminds me of the story Angela Thompson told us about a carefully stored beaded gown of probably the early 20th C. Mice got into the box in her storage closet, and they chewed on the waxed threads (usually used for beading because of strength and less possibility of beads cutting the thread) for nourishment. The beaded dress became a pile of beads and tiny pieces of waxless thread! Waxed lace, applied to some delicate fabrics, could mean staining of the fabrics, because you have not considered storage conditions and climate differences in different nations -- Arachne is an *International* list! Consider that wax is quite hard to remove. If you've ever tried to get candle wax out of table cloths, you can understand (one reason why I always recommend white candles - not brightly-colored ones)! By the way (for people who have never taken home economics classes) thread is wound on spools so that the cut end will be inserted into the needle on a sewing machine. You should also insert that cut end into a sewing needle eye to keep
RE: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience
Hi Susan, Some things just require practice. The more picots you make the better they become. Don't give up. May the sun shine brightly on your projects today! Susie Johnson Morris, Illinois [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.comcast.net/~cjohnson0969/home.html -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of susan Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 11:58 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience your help and your knowledge is appreciated, and i mean no disrespect towards your studies, but bobbin lace is meant to be experimented with for each new beginner until they find the results they are looking for. i can also definitley tell you are correct that the lace won't budge by the plaits i made on this small strip of lace, but not one picot will remain in that imaginarily permanent position of two little tennis rackets. if you look at the thread while it is finished there is nothing holding the picot in the position of the little brackets. there is thread holding the picot where it is made and there is thread pulled outward where the two picots go, but no way is that little thing going to stay twisted in that shape without some other kind of help. it is something that maybe some one will fix each time they wash it and starch it to remain there? it must be. i'm not arguing the history of lace. it has been around longer than any lacemaker i'll ever see or know, but to keep those little hoops in place there must be another way. i think i'll buy some bedfordlace from someone who makes beautiful picots, so i will have a good example of how it was made. thank you for your help. sincerely, --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In a message dated 7/27/05 6:38:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: it isn't the problem with it slipping out of stitch while the piece is still being worked. it is the loosening of the stitches once the wax has faded that i am worried about. once the lace is washed a few times and the thread becomes thinner, it will slip a little. this would defintely mess up a picot. Dear Lacemakers, As many know, I have washed a lot of lace. It is not noticible that it will slip a little if it is a standard lace, and not an experiment. Experienced lacemakers allow for shrinkage, sometimes by making a small sample to test, if it is a new thread to them. If it is a weak lace, as suztq fears, it may fall apart for many reasons. My observation is that a weak lace (either through poor techniques or poor threads) would not have been saved by waxed threads for any length of time! Lace has been made for 5+ centuries by thousands and thousands (surely over a million) lacemakers who have refined the process through the centuries. It was known from the beginning, I am sure, that picots would close up in water and that if one wanted to restore them to original shape it was necessary to make lace of a scale that they could be pinned out when the lace was drying. In antique laces, closed picots is one way I can tell if a lace has been washed - an advantage, because then I automatically know it can be washed again (other conditions being considered), without having to test it!! And then, it is up to me whether to pin it out. Part of the instructions to new lacemakers is to leave a new bobbin lace on the pillow overnight so the last few inches of crosses and twists will set and keep their definition. This is probably because the teachers know that many new lacemakers have not established the correct tension yet. Hopefully, a teacher will have specified an appropriate thread. The professional lacemakers of Europe would have put their pillows right to work on a new lace. Once a piece of lace was complete, it was quite necessary to start another. They depended on the lace made each day for their daily bread, while we have time to play with it. While it is nice to be inventive, it is wise to first learn what has been done successfully. I recommend reading more of the history of laces, which is quite affordable on the Professor's web site, before coming up with something that lacemakers before us have surely tried and discarded as being unnecessary or impractical. The subject of wax reminds me of the story Angela Thompson told us about a carefully stored beaded gown of probably the early 20th C. Mice got into the box in her storage closet, and they chewed on the waxed threads (usually used for beading because of strength and less possibility of beads cutting the thread) for nourishment. The beaded dress became a pile of beads and tiny pieces of waxless thread! Waxed lace, applied to some delicate fabrics, could mean staining of the fabrics, because you have not considered storage conditions and climate differences in different nations -- Arachne is an *International* list! Consider that wax is quite
Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience
Susan wrote... but not one picot will remain in that imaginarily permanent position of two little tennis rackets. if you look at the thread while it is finished there is nothing holding the picot in the position of the little brackets. there is thread holding the picot where it is made and there is thread pulled outward where the two picots go, but no way is that little thing going to stay twisted in that shape without some other kind of help. it is something that maybe some one will fix each time they wash it and starch it to remain there? it must be. Hi Susan ! I may have misunderstood you, but from your description, it sounds as though you're looking for picots in which there are two visible little loops for each picot. If this is correct, then you're not looking for the same ideal picot that I look for. In most lace, (and there are exceptions to every rule...) a picot is worked around a pin in one of several methods and when the pin is eventually removed, the picot should look as though the pin were still there, only invisible!! In other words, a perfect little o on top of a tiny, almost invisible stem. And ideally, it should lie flat on the same plane that the rest of the lace lies on. So if you're unable to get the crossed tennis racket look, then you've probably got ideal picots and didn't even know it!! Clay -Original Message- From: susan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Jul 28, 2005 12:57 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [lace] waxing thread for bobbin lace - Jeri's experience your help and your knowledge is appreciated, and i mean no disrespect towards your studies, but bobbin lace is meant to be experimented with for each new beginner until they find the results they are looking for. i can also definitley tell you are correct that the lace won't budge by the plaits i made on this small strip of lace, but not one picot will remain in that imaginarily permanent position of two little tennis rackets. if you look at the thread while it is finished there is nothing holding the picot in the position of the little brackets. there is thread holding the picot where it is made and there is thread pulled outward where the two picots go, but no way is that little thing going to stay twisted in that shape without some other kind of help. it is something that maybe some one will fix each time they wash it and starch it to remain there? it must be. i'm not arguing the history of lace. it has been around longer than any lacemaker i'll ever see or know, but to keep those little hoops in place there must be another way. i think i'll buy some bedfordlace from someone who makes beautiful picots, so i will have a good example of how it was made. thank you for your help. sincerely, --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In a message dated 7/27/05 6:38:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: it isn't the problem with it slipping out of stitch while the piece is still being worked. it is the loosening of the stitches once the wax has faded that i am worried about. once the lace is washed a few times and the thread becomes thinner, it will slip a little. this would defintely mess up a picot. Dear Lacemakers, As many know, I have washed a lot of lace. It is not noticible that it will slip a little if it is a standard lace, and not an experiment. Experienced lacemakers allow for shrinkage, sometimes by making a small sample to test, if it is a new thread to them. If it is a weak lace, as suztq fears, it may fall apart for many reasons. My observation is that a weak lace (either through poor techniques or poor threads) would not have been saved by waxed threads for any length of time! Lace has been made for 5+ centuries by thousands and thousands (surely over a million) lacemakers who have refined the process through the centuries. It was known from the beginning, I am sure, that picots would close up in water and that if one wanted to restore them to original shape it was necessary to make lace of a scale that they could be pinned out when the lace was drying. In antique laces, closed picots is one way I can tell if a lace has been washed - an advantage, because then I automatically know it can be washed again (other conditions being considered), without having to test it!! And then, it is up to me whether to pin it out. Part of the instructions to new lacemakers is to leave a new bobbin lace on the pillow overnight so the last few inches of crosses and twists will set and keep their definition. This is probably because the teachers know that many new lacemakers have not established the correct tension yet. Hopefully, a teacher will have specified an appropriate thread. The professional lacemakers of Europe would have put their pillows right to work on a new lace. Once a piece of lace was complete, it was quite necessary to start another
