Blog Posts

1/5/2021 0 Comments

Let's Talk About Pewter and Lace Bobbins

Pewter is an alloy, in other words, different metals are mixed to make a new metal.

Traditionally, lead was used in pewter.

Modern English Pewter is highly regulated and is lead free, modern bobbins with pewter in them from reputable bobbin makers such as Chris Parsons are safe to use but you should always check with the maker to be sure.

However, antique bobbins are a different story altogether.

There are two issues with the lead that is in these bobbins.

Antique pewter inlaid bobbins with 'butterfly' motifs

Toxicity
Lead is easily dissolved in acidic environments - this means that simply handing lead or lead based metals can cause the lead to leach out onto the skin.

Wash your hands
Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling any antique bobbin that has pewter on it

Keep your bobbins away from children and animals
Little hands like to touch and then lick their fingers whilst furry paws don't understand 'do not touch' signs. So, it's easier to just put them out of reach.

Don't store under glass
Bobbins should be stored out on a shelf or on a stand, putting them under glass, where there is little or no air circulating will cause blooming

Not just wood, but also bone bobbins
Remember, pewter inlay appears on both wooden and bone antique bobbins.

A Nasty History
Lead has a toxic history (sorry, couldn't resist the pun), from being included in the paint on toys being used as a sweetener in drinks. Yes, there was a history of adding lead to cider to make it sweeter leading to brain damage and death and is the origin of the jokes about 'country yokels'.

Lead musket balls with surface corrosion caused by exposure to organic acid vapours while displayed in a plywood display cabinet. Western Australia Museum

Blooming
Lead can oxidise and start to have a white 'bloom' on it. This is a sign of 'lead disease'.

Keeping antique bobbins in airtight containers will cause blooming.

The first thing is do not touch this with your bare hands. Put on gloves.

If you find that an antique bobbin has developed blooming then follow the advice from the Western Australian Museum on treating lead bloom.

0 Comments

11/4/2021 0 Comments

Coddiwompling

When you start out as a lacemaker you have no idea which lace style will become your true love.

So you go on a lace coddiwomple

0 Comments

22/3/2021 0 Comments

Why don't you sell some of your lace for our charity event?

This is a question that you are going to get asked as newbie lacemakers. Whenever I show of a piece of lace that I've made, someone outside of lacemaking is going to tell me how I should:

Sell it
Offer it as a prize
Go to a local craft fair and take a stall
Give it to them

For a newbie, even a Springett Snake is going to take you 4 hours of your time. When you ask people what they would pay for it, they will give you a price that is less than the plastic cover to the snake.
When I did 17th Century reenactment I would have members of the 'officer class' come up to me and say that they needed lace for their personae and would I make it for them. But when you ask them what they think would be a reason price for some lace that will take 100 hours work they won't pay you even a £1 an hour.

One group I'm in runs regular dips (raffles) where you put up something you have made and people buy a number for £2. To raffle off the bracelet below, I would need to allow for the 4 hours the bracelet takes to make along with the fittings and thread. If I take my hourly wage that I earn for my day job, this would mean that the bracelet is worth £105. If I only charge minimum wage it would be work £45. But I'm a better lacemaker than I am a digital marketing manager. What makes it worse is that this group is made up of people who knit, sew and crochet. They would not price this over £25. But the thread along and the fittings cost £13.

So why do so many lacemakers make Xmas decorations? Because these only take a few hours and if you are going to donate something to a charity drive, they are a good choice.

Value your work and only give it to those you deem to be laceworthy.

0 Comments

5/2/2021 0 Comments

Pillows

The only pillow problem I have is keeping them stable on top of the racking

0 Comments

17/1/2021 0 Comments

Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise

English lace has the footside on the right (apart from Downton lace). So, making a round or square piece we work anti clockwise.

Most of the continental laces have the footside on the left, so when working a round or square piece it is worked clockwise.

Most of the time, this makes no difference unless you are making a fan as it will affect which end is on show with the fan sticks.

0 Comments

2/1/2021 0 Comments

Keeping Up Your Enthusiasm

When I took my first lace lessons back in 1988 (in Willesden Telephone Exchange - long story), I was fascinated with the thought of making miniature lace (long before Ros Snowdon's books came out) as my mum was starting out a dolls house.

When we got our lace pillows and bobbins, we also got a copy of Pam Nottingham's little paperback and in there were a number of smaller pieces.

I showed one to my teacher and said that I'd like to work towards that piece. Her response? Oh, you won't be able to do that for years.

After 2 months of making worm bandages (whole stitch, 1cm wide and 30 cm long) I came to the conclusion that she wasn't the teacher for me.

I joined my local group and whilst they didn't offer teaching, they were all very supporting in showing me tips and tricks and helping me if I got into difficulties.

With lockdown, access to face to face tutors has become very difficult, so this group and the meet ups via zoom are a godsend.

If any of you have a piece that you have seen and want to work towards it, then shout out and we can help you break down the patterns you might want to work in order to get there.

And that piece that she said I wouldn't be able to do? Made it 4 months after I started.

0 Comments

Forward>>

YOUR CART

The Lace Notes

Let's Talk About Pewter and Lace Bobbins

Coddiwompling

Why don't you sell some of your lace for our charity event?

Pillows

Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise

Keeping Up Your Enthusiasm

Categories

Archives