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Book Blog

Handkerchief Bonnet No.3 with bedfordshire Edging - Alexandra Stillwell

1/7/2025

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Publisher : Self Published
Handkerchief Bonnet No.1 with Torchon Edging by Alexandra Stillwell
Alex in her introduction to this pattern, says that it is a lacemaker's tradition to give a bride a lace edged handkerchief that is later folded to become her baby's christening bonnet.  

Alex has created a series of three bonnet patterns covering the most common English laces:
  • Torchon Edging 
  • Bucks Point
  • Bedfordshire (this one)

What works well?
  • The booklet is illustrated throughout with clear diagrams that show how to attach the lace and then to fold the handkerchief into a bonnet
Anything that we need to take into consideration? ​
  • You can also download this booklet as a pdf for free from Alex's website.
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Heritage Lace Designs - Louise West

17/9/2022

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Publisher : Louise West (Sep 2022)
ISBN-13 : 978-0995737320
Heritage Lace Designs by Louise West
Inspired by the Erewash Museums Archive
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In 2021, Louise West was one of 5 resident artists at the Legacy of Lace Exhibition, held at the Erewash Museum.

The exhibition was a celebration of the machine lace made by the workers of Erewash.

During the 10 weeks of the project, Louise produced 11 designs. From that project has sprung a truly unique and wonderful book.
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Louise has taken these outstanding machine laces and designs and create some beautiful bobbin lace patterns in both Bedfordshire and Buckingham laces, with black & white and full colour imagery through out

Louise provides suggestions and some guidance on how to work these patterns and so, are aimed at the adventurous beginner and above.
What works well?
  • Louise takes you through how she started with the inspiration image and then created the lace design.  This is a unique opportunity to see the creative process
  • Julie Varo's history of Frank Woodward and his involvement in the Nottingham Lace Industry adds an extra depth to this book.
Anything that we need to take into consideration?
  • This book available direct from the author or other lace suppliers.
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​Verbindungen - Crossings - Ulrike Voelcker

25/7/2022

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Publisher. : ​Self Published (2022)
Verbindungen - Crossings by Ulrike Voelcker
​This book has been divided into two parts.

Part 1 - Crossings
196 different crossing variations are included.  Many of them work on the windmill crossing principle and these are indicated in the book with a green cross.

​Some of the crossings have sub variants shown as well.

The crossing are illustrated using colour and black and white diagrams to show how to achieve them. 

​Written notes on the crossings are minimal.
This book assumes a basic knowledge of lacemaking.  The instructions for the crossings and exercises are aimed at the confident beginner and above.
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Part 2 - Exercises
8 Patterns are included to practice many of the crossing techniques. 

Each of the patterns is supplied with a pricking, photographs and a working diagram. 

The working diagrams are annotated with which of the crossing variant to use at which point in the workings.

Note that there are no written working instructions for the exercises.
What works well?
  • The colour and black and white working diagrams make this book visually easy to follow.
Anything that we need to take into consideration?
  • There are no instructions for the exercises.
  • This book is in print.
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Harry Armstrong and the Bucks. Cottage Workers' Agency - Elizabeth Knight

24/7/2022

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Publisher  : Self Published
Harry Armstrong and the Bucks. Cottage Workers' Agency by Elizabeth Knight
Harry Armstrong set up the Bucks. Cottage Workers' Agency in1906 to help the local women lacemakers collect and market their lace.

Harry and his family promoted the work of the Agency's lacemakers worldwide and images in the booklet show Harry's wife at the Agency's trade stand in Buffalo, Canada.

​Two patterns are included in the booklet; Town Trot and Plaited Wheel.
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The whole of this booklet, excluding the two patterns, is available to read on the Olney and District Heritage Society Website.

Elizabeth Knight has also given talks on Harry Armstrong and you can read her talk here.

Cis Elderton worked at Harry Armstrong's lace factory and you can read about her experiences here.  The lace factory building is still standing in Olney but as a private building.  You can find out more about the Factory here.
What works well?
  • The booklet is richly illustrated with images which bring the text to life.
Anything that we need to take into consideration?
  • This booklet is out of print but the text and illustrations can be read here
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Folio of Bobbin Lace Design - Joan Duckworth

23/7/2022

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Publisher  : Self Published (1981)
Reprinted  : D J Hornsby (1982)

Folio of Bobbin Lace Design by Joan Duckworth
As Joan Duckworth says in her introduction to this book:

"It will be noted that the quality of the designs illustrated is variable.  A few of them may be well be described as 'rough and inaccurate'.  It has been the aim of the publisher to illustrate these as found, emphasising the difference between designers' prickings ... And the cottager's own designs.'
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Although the patterns here are taken straight from rubbings of the original parchments, they have a wonderful feel of being connected to the workers who originally used them.

The final pricking #25 'oak' flounce, is the same pattern as shown in plate 17 of Thomas Wrights, Romance of the Lace Pillow.

No instructions on how to work the lace is included with the prickings so a knowledge of lacemaking and the styles included is needed.

Patterns cover both Bedfordshire and Bucks Point lace
What works well?
  • The origins of each of the prickings has been added to the pricking details.
Anything that we need to take into consideration?
  • These are direct copies of original prickings and may need to be trued up prior to usage.
  • This book is out of print
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    I'm the lace bee and these are my books

    With currently over 400 books and about the same number of individual patterns, I have an enviable library.  So here are some of my books.

    ​You can see all of the titles by opening up the archives or by clicking on the categories which I've used to group by authors, language and lace types.  Want to find a particular book?  Scroll to the top of the page, click on the magnifier glass and type in a title or author.

    I am very grateful to the lace gumnuts of Australia for permission to quote and link their reviews to this site.

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  • Home
  • Book Blog
  • The Lace Notes
  • Podcast
  • The Christmas Lace Notes
  • Want To Make Lace?
    • First Things First
    • Choosing a Pillow
    • Bobbins >
      • Bobbins
      • Bobbin Materials
      • Spangling
    • Tools, notions and beads >
      • Boxes and Bits
      • Bruges - chocolate and lace
  • So Who is the lacebee?
  • Every bobbin tells a story
  • My Lace
    • big projects
    • modern
    • traditional
    • miniature
  • Freebies and Whatnots
    • Bits and Pieces
    • Where shall we go next?
    • Local Groups and Support
    • Arachne
  • Contact Me
  • Blog