Lace Making
What is Bobbin lace?
Bobbin lace is a lace textile made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread, which are wound on bobbins to manage them. As the work progresses, the weaving is held in place with pins set in a lace pillow, the placement of the pins usually determined by a pattern or pricking pinned on the pillow.
History
Bobbin lace evolved from passementerie or braid-making in 16th century Italy. Coarse passements of gold and silver-wrapped threads or colored silks gradually became finer, and later bleached linen yarn was used to make both braids and edgings. The making of bobbin lace was easier to learn than the elaborate cutwork of the 16th century, and the tools and materials for making linen bobbin lace were inexpensive. There was a ready market for bobbin lace of all qualities, and women throughout Europe soon took up the craft which earned a better income than spinning, sewing, weaving or other home-based textile arts. Bobbin lace-making was established in charity schools, almshouse, and convents. In the 17th century, the textile centers of Flanders and Normandy eclipsed Italy as the premiere sources for fine bobbin lace, but until the coming of mechanization hand-lacemaking continued to be practiced throughout Europe, suffering only in those periods of simplicity when lace itself fell out of fashion.
Varieties of Lace
Many styles of lace were made in the heyday of lacemaking (approximately the 1500s-1700s) before machine-made lace became available. Some well-known types of bobbin lace are:
Honiton - A very fine English lace with many flowers
Torchon - Well-known for its variety of beautiful, often geometric grounds
Cluny - Flowers, braids and picots (tiny loops of thread) make this light and delicate Bedfordshire lace (Beds) - this has flowing lines and picots (to foil the machines) Bucks point Buckinghamshire lace - very "lacy" with characteristic hexagon ground and often with a gimp thread (a heavier thread worked through for emphasis)
Mechlin, a fine, transparent Flemish lace known for its floral patterns, fine twisted-and-plaited, hexagonal ground, and outlined designs
Valenciennes, a French bobbin lace with a net-like background originating in the 18th century
(entries from Wikipedia)
Learning How To Make Bobbin Lace
If you would like to learn to make bobbin lace, there are many resources you could use including books, web sites and courses run by a number of organisations both national and local. Some of the links given below may be of help to you, but an Internet search will provide many more.
How to make Bobbin Lace eHow
Beginners Guide to Bobbin Lacemaking
lacefairy.com
How to make Bobbin Lace answerbag.com
The Lace Guild
The Lace Guild is the largest organization for lacemakers in the British Isles, and our membership is international. Our aims are to provide information about the craft of lacemaking, its history and use; to promote a high standard of lacemaking; and to encourage design, development and professional presentation of lace.
http://www.laceguild.demon.co.uk/
The Lace Circle
The Lacemakers Circle, usually known as the Circle, was formed in 1988 to provide a focus for hobby lacemakers of all ages and degrees of skill through a quarterly magazine and the promotion of workshops, classes, courses, demonstrations, lace days and similar events. The Circle also maintains a library, the books being available for loan to UK members. The Circle is managed by a committee comprising a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and up to six voting members. The magazine editor is appointed by the committee.
http://www.lacemakers-circle.org.uk/
Chiltern Crafts Lace Bobbins
Chiltern Crafts sells lace bobbins made by Peter of Hedgerow Bobbins
Follow this link to go to our bobbins page.