Any Lace makers on here?

[mummyhill]

I have wanted to try lace making for years, I knit, sew and crochet as well as card making and scrap booking. Recently I have been given a cushion and 10 plastic bobins and a small book which tells me how to do a cloth stitch but not much else. So what do I do with it all and where are the best places to get information and equipment from?

I bought a kit about 5 years ago..... have done nothing with it yet though

Any one else?

I used to do this when i lived in cambridgeshire think it is a popular fen activity

I think you need to go to a class because it's complicated..unless you are really good a t following diagrams..they make you make your own cushions stuffed wuith horsehair and bead the bobbins

I used to do this. I think you could learn from a book.
There are only 2 stitches and the other one is easier - cloth stitch is 2 over 3, 4 and 2 back, 2 over 3, but half stitch is just 2 over 3, 4 and 2 back.
There are different sorts of lace and you will need to decide what sort you want to do before you buy any more bobbins, eg if you do Honiton which uses very fine thread you have special light bobbins.

I'd just look on t'internet if I were you.

lol I'm obviously thick ..you have to throw them dramatically for the best click and blur effect

We had a Lace Club at infant school, oddly enough. We used to use iron nails instead of bobbins because they were cheaper but you had to be careful not to let it get wet or they would go rusty and spoil your lace.

That's right Zippi - it looks dead impressive and hard if you do it fast.

pins can go rusty too that use to hold the pattern in place..it's about 20 years since |i did this

Thank you. As I already knit, crodhet, cross stitch and embroider I can easily follow diagrams and patterns. Someone mentioned a chain to me the other day how do I do that?

Will give honiton a miss until I can do something presentable in Torchon or similar I think. (can you tell I have been looking on the web as well as asking here?)

Can't remember about a chain... sorry.

I think there might be a chain in the fen lace

Will carry on searching, so far the only diagram of a chain I have found was as clear as mud!!!