TANGLED THREADS

Take a look at the pictures below! How's this for some interesting winter projects? Do you know what this is? Allow me to introduce you to one of my hobbies--Bobbin Lace! This is the principle way lace was made before machines were invented during the industrial revolution. Bobbin lace was popular from approx. the 1500's on until machines came on the scene that could do the same work. Bobbin lace is made on a "pillow" that is packed with some form of stuffing. The traditional material is straw. Then the pillow is covered with a smooth cloth. A pattern with holes in it is placed on top and bobbins wound with thread are hung in pairs at the top of the pattern and the lace is woven on the pattern and supported at regular intervals with pins. In this first picture, you see one of my pillows; I have several. This one is homemade. The bobbins from left to right are as follows: 2 homemade ones constructed from bamboo skewers and wooden beads. Next are English style plastic bobbins with beads attached for weight. The beads are called "spangles," and serve to weight the bobbins and keep them from rolling around too much. I love spangling as much as I love lacemaking. I collect glass beads and save broken jewelry for this purpose. You also see a dark bobbin closer to the center of the pillow. This one is a nice wooden English bobbin--the most expensive style I own. Almost directly under the pattern near the center is a plain wooden one that appears like a sort of "handle." This one is a Danish style bobbin, if I remember correctly. It's been quite a while since I purchased it. Next to it is another homemade one and so on across the pillow. Atop the pillow is a beautiful magnifying glass and you can probably guess why I keep that attached to the pillow. It fits in the black bag. Two pincushions are also pinned to the pillow as well as a pair of scissors.

The second picture is a close-up of some of the spangles. The green beads with roses on them are antique glass beads that I have in abundance. A friend gave them to me. Of all things...she found them in a dump in an old cold cream jar. Someone had saved the beads from an old necklace and apparently they were thrown away. Wow, was I glad to get those! The very last picture is one of my other pillows--straw stuffed--with my all-time favorite lace pattern. I read that it is meant to represent the winding of a certain English river. When Rhiannon and I visited England two years ago, we suddenly crossed a river and the sign indicated that it was this one! We had to take a picture! The piece of lace called lies next to the pattern being worked on the pillow. I keep it together so that when I demonstrate people can see the finished product as well as the work in progress. This is a "Bedfordshire" lace pattern. Many types of bobbin lace are named for the regions in England or Europe where they were produced. Befordshire is my favorite style, though I have not become totally proficient at working it. I did make the piece shown. The Bedfordshire style has many thicker areas in the patterns as well as picots--the little loops that you see on the edges. Another feature of "Beds" the shortened name for this type of lace is "plaiting," a type of braiding that is difficult to see in this picture.

Since we posted these pictures, I have finished the bookmark being constructed on the lavender pillow. I'll try to post a picture soon. It is exquisite, if I do say so myself.

I know this looks like tangled threads to many people, but it intrigues me. Stay tuned for some spiritual comparisons that can be drawn from lacemaking! Blessings, LORI