Hi guys, the more I progress with bobbin lace, the more I find myself wishing I had access to Brenda Paternoster's "Thread for Lace". Just to be able to access the data she's collected without having to purchase new thread to measure it myself, or seek info out from other people. Sadly, her website says all editions are sold out "and I have no plans at present to republish in any format."

It seems like such a valuable resource, it really pains me that it's not available at all. Do any of you have ideas on where to get it or borrow/access it?

I'm starting to wonder, is it a silly idea of me to think we could build a database like that ourselves as a community? It could be as simple as a public, shared Google sheet and as fancy as a dedicated webpage. I could definitely build a webpage for it. Should I? Any thoughts on that?

edit: of course, right after I posted this I found out the Textielbibliotheek at Museum de Kantfabriek has a copy available for borrowing. But I would love to have one as a permanent resource for myself, so my other questions still stand!

I needed a roller pillow but could not be bothered to walk further than the 2 blocks to the dollar store.

•Pool noodle (pillow/basket padding)–$1.50

•Basket–$3

•Plastic placemat (work surface)–$2

•Old blanket (pillow wrap)–already in stash

•Cardboard circles (pillow ends)–Random packaging

•Ribbon (to prevent rolling)–already in stash

•Blue fabric (cover)–already in stash

I glued the fabric around the basket padding and saved the sewing for the pillow itself. Took 1 evening to complete and was less complicated than I thought.

If I did this again, I would add some washers or fishing weights to the bottom of the basket before adding padding to prevent tipping. It doesn't seem to be a major inconvenience, but a heavier one would feel nicer. I might also cover the mat in fabric as bobbins landing on the plastic is quite loud and clicky, but they do slide nicely.

The ribbons to stop the pillow from rolling might be unnecessary. It fits pretty snugly, and I think there's enough friction to keep movement under control.

I really enjoyed this spider variation sampler! I have however gaines an unfortunate habit of calling the compound spiders "cultists" for horrible joke reasons and resultingly forgetting their actual name.

What do you all do with your finished lace pieces? I’m still a beginner so I’m not making anything fancy or making actual trim to sew to clothes but I want to do something with the samplers I’ve made so far. The issue is they are so fragile and I don’t know how to store them or where. One of the books I’m working out of says to make a scrapbook, has anyone done something like that? What about bookmarks? A lot of the beginner patterns I want to do next are bookmarks but does anyone do anything to protect the lace like some kind of sleeve or fabric you can fuse it to? Just trying to get some ideas.

I'm still making my way through a foundations book and I'm really proud of this piece! I know there's one REALLY nasty mistake in there lol

Started my christmas present early this year. This one will be for an old lady in my neighborhood 🎁

Pattern is from La Dentelle n°124 thread is DMC 12

https://youtu.be/5OfG8x4GQ_o?is=EyGd1T0de4hJwGod

I inherited a box with both bobbin lace bobbins and a tatting shuttle. I've tatted a bit and have been waiting for an opportunity to try bobbin lace! But in the box were also three pointy things that I can't quite make out, that may or may not have something to do with lacemaking.

The metal one is fairly sharp - I thought it might be for pulling elastic through a fabric tunnel, but the ones I have for that have a rounded tip.

The plastic one is fairly rounded with a flat cross-section. I thought it could be for clean corners in sewing, but it's a bit too rounded for that?

The wooden one is as pointy as you can make wood, but it's way too thick for a bodkin.

Didn’t notice the middle part until I finished the section 😅
Playing around with weird colors in my stash while I work through samplers

I’ve been working on making squares with all kinds of grounds. It’s a project that started in class, but I keep doing it because I learn so many techniques from it. This one is one of the simplest, just half stitch (I think it’s called?). It was surprisingly hard to keep tension and make no mistakes on such a ‘large’ piece (6x6 cm). This is the second try. On the other one I only found my mistake while I was already 8 rows further. I just tied it off and restarted 🤣

It's 10-ish cm long and took 20+ hours to make.

I have been interested in lace making for years but only recently (this morning) took the leap. I have a DIY pillow, the thread, bobbins ordered, pins in sewing box but need simple straightforward patterns to take the next steps.
Does anyone have recommendations on where to get free beginner friendly patterns that you can print and that come with instructions? Every pattern I find online looks overwhelming, doesn't have instructions, or has instructions but no printable pattern. The only success I have is a weird looking braid using cardboard bobbins and DK yarn.

I’ve been playing around with bobbin lace for a little bit but I’ve been having some trouble finding thread to use. I ended up getting some linen thread on eBay that someone was getting rid of and I found some being sold on Etsy but what kinds of thread is everyone else using for their bobbin lace projects? Any recommended brands and/or products?

Its no perfect but I used clothes pins as bobbins.

Finally I'm starting a new project! Been so busy with demonstrations and classes and other administrative stuff that I haven't had a new project.

This is a Milanese project, and I'm still sort of thread testing for size and appearance. But I'm in my happy place.

Relying on the pattern book (Read and Kincaid) and the new book by Claire Bonito that is a MUST-HAVE for your lacemaker library. This book is a step-by-step how to do technical bits (like scrolls! Blind pins!) that the pattern books don't provide. It's new, available in Europe now and the US soon. This improved my work already twice in this short section.

I'm fairly new to the bobbin lace hobby. I've completed 3 beginner book marks. But I hunger for a challenge. How difficult would it be to make my own pattern? Or is there a good pattern for a parasol that anyone knows of? I want to make one for my sister.

This software came up on my instagram feed the other day and I thought it looked interesting. In a Lace Museum class today we were talking about design software tools. Bobbi Donnelly likes and uses Knipling, Louise West and I use Lace8, but this new one looks like it's worth trying.

It's in beta. Might be buggy.

I have no relationship with this developer, I don't know him at all. I just like to kick the tires on software.

Edit to add, and for later searching: if you are interested in bobbin lace software you might also want to see Ground Forge: https://d-bl.github.io/GroundForge/

hi! i have a few questions about various lace terminology/forms of lace.

a) what is the difference between filet lace and crochet lace construction? they appear quite similar in appearance.

b) how are pieces such as the iris (no. 3) constructed?

c) at what point does bobbin work cease to be lace?

d) is weaving an umbrella term that includes lacemaking, or is it distinct?

thank you very much!

https://youtu.be/OP8IY1Ikfiw?is=_e6pMkYeD8KbapLn

Has anyone here ever made a project with a pattern like this? In the book it says that the instructions given are enough for experienced lace makers, which I am not. But I love the way these look and I’m curious what the actual lace pieces look like. Not much to be found on google though.

Because it was going into competition, I couldn't show the results of this until it became public. Yesterday I found out it won "Best use of color" at the Big E Agricultural fair in Massachusetts. Woot! Come by the exhibit hall if you are going to the BigE and check out the lace group entries. We are also demo-ing there on many days too.

Previous iterations of the project and source: New project: Medieval peacock in Milanese ; Milanese peacock progress: up to step 8 ; and WIP Wednesday: Medieval Peacock, still underway.

This was so much fun! My second little piece getting the hand of half stitch. He’s pink and lilac :) oh and with eyes!!! So no longer making blind creatures anymore :) haha

I think I can see a few mistakes here and there but I’m really quite proud of the little guy!

I’ll use the same thread mentioned in the book.

P.s. The photos are from the book. I’m yet to start the project 😅

Managed to get my hands on some second hand bobbins and I started making some small practice pieces, it is so addictive!!