Roller Pillow Restoration

This pillow was passed to me having been rescued from being thrown away.    It was unusable due to smell and rust but I like an occasional challenge so set to work. 

The book which came with it was dated 1934. 

"I feel sure this charming book on Lace-making will be a great help and incentive to out Guides....We owe Miss Milroy a deep debt of gratitude for the labour and time she has expended on bringing out such a valuable addition to our Guide literature.....Lace-making is one of the oldest and most beautiful of all our handicrafts." 

 I suspect the wood was taken from bits of cut down furniture as evidence by the green railway paint still on some pieces.  The stuffing was cut up blanket and knitted wool, with a flock layer on top.  The photographs show the work progress from original to finished dressed pillow along with the original hand drawn patterns. 

 I had to rebuild the pillow using high density EPS foam because I couldn't work with original materials.

I love the idea that some little girl guide's father or grandfather would have made this in their shed,  a snapshot of the period. 

 

Starting Two Pair Edge in Two Directions

Starting a two (workers) pair edge, how I do it.  More experienced lace makers and books will show many different ways.  With no one to teach me, this is what I figured out.  

This is the edge I prefer because it gives a nice smooth outline on any work.  It can easily be replaced with a standard pin and twist edge using one pair of workers, or even with a picot edge.  I think the choice of edge is a lace makers decision on each piece.  

On a two pair edge, the worker pair changes place with the left behind other worker pair each time they reach the outer edge.  

Place pin in an outside hole.  Hang four pairs open (open = like a rainbow).  

Using the two pairs on right, (or two pairs on left)  twist both pairs twice, cloth stitch, twist both pairs twice.  Snuggle up to the top of the pin. Do not close around the pin.  This is how I start a two worker pair edge.  The four workers are now ready to work in opposite directions, two to the right, two to the left.  

The passives pairs are hung open on a temp pin placed below the worker pin.  For 3 pairs of passives you need 6 pairs of bobbins, one of each pair goes in the opposite direction. It is best to secure the passives on the opposite side as they will try and pull through until there are a few weavings to hold them in tension.   Twist the 'spare' side threads around a pearl head pin and push into the pillow to secure the pairs out of the way. 

Working to the left. Take the inner of the two pairs of worker, work through the 3 pairs of LH passives.  Twist worker pair twice and place the pin,  Work back through the passives, twist the worker pair twice, cloth stitch through the outer waiting worker pair and twist both worker pairs twice each.  The two worker pairs have now changed position and the new inner worker pair is ready to work through the passives and so on. 

The worker pair left on the outside is often given an extra twist. 

Reference : Pattern 5 Jean Leader's Introduction to Bedfordshire, published by the Lace Guild UK.

Sunrise Heart start point. 

To add Honeycomb pairs on the inner edge for the ground, I twist the workers, place the pin and lay the workers down on the pillow.  Hang the new ground pair(s) open on the same pin with one bobbin on each side of the worker pair.  lift the worker pair and hop over the new ground thread(s), work back through the passives, leaving the new ground pair(s) secured on the pin. 

The Lace Map Trilogy

I always wanted to write.  Only when I became regularly trapped indoors for months on end did I get the chance.  

What prompted me to have a lace maker as a central character I have no idea.  Maybe it was my Mother, talking about researching her family tree.  Some of her ancestors came over to this country via the route many lace makers had used to flee the religious persecution of that time.  

I wanted to hear what the bobbins sounded like so I could be accurate in my descriptions of this disappearing skill.  A chance sighting of a poster advertising a demonstration of lacemaking in the next village set me on a path I never saw coming. 

The novels sat patiently in my computer while I fell down the lace making rabbit hole.  So much to learn.  Not just the making of the lace itself, but learning how to turn the bobbins, all the history, pattern making, lace schools, agents, trends and threads.  

Now, several years later, I have returned to have another look at the novels and have decided to put each chapter online as I edit the first book.    This is where you can follow the progress along with me, chapter by chapter.

Lesley 

https://thelacemap.weebly.com/

Winder time

 Doing a bit of maintenance on my home made bobbin winder. Nice to be using my favourite hammer again!  This winder was made as an experiment and it never got replaced because it just keeps doing the job.  Made from an old bread board, rolling pin and a bit of kitchen chopping board. 

Lace Bobbin making

 

Part of my lace journey involved the making of the tools. I bought a little Proxxon db250 micro lathe, three basic wood turning chisels and faced the whirling dervish that was to become a bobbin.  Very scary stuff!  

Practicing on oak dowel, l made some basic and useable bobbins, l could have stopped there, turned a few dozen and been happy, but l discovered the exotic woods and there l was, falling down another rabbit hole.   

The history and local variations of bobbins  took me down another path of reseach, all those amazing stories in tiny sticks of wood and bone, if only they could speak.  Saddest thing is knowing that most of them have been thrown on fires over the years when lace and lacemaking went out of fashion.  

My choice of Midlands spangled bobbins meant l had to make a 1mm hole at the tail of each one.  Discovered an amazing little gadget, an Archimedes drill which did the job just fine. 

The local wood turning store was very kind and took me through all the products, l chose 300, 800 and 1200 grade sand paper,  Sanding sealer and microcrystaline finishing polish.  

The scary sharp tools, fast spinning wood and, worst of all, the vibration, limited me to one or two bobbins at a time.  Even these could take me an hour.  Watching Chris Parsons turning a bobbin on his youtube video was inspirational, but l knew l would never be able to be that proficient. I was pleased enough with myself for facing this fear and producing useable bobbins, but it was taking me away from my lace, and my lovely zen calm mind space.  I would come in from the shed shaking sometimes, but at least l can say l did it!  

An early skirt of my own bobbins.

Purple heartwood on the lathe

Ebony long handled tools

Mattress Pin Cushion for Block Pillow

I made several of these pin cushions to fit into the space of a half block on my block pillows.  This saves space on the pillow for moving bobbins and, because the pins are always in the same place,  I don't need to look up to reach for them. 

Draw around a half block on 2 pieces of calico or cotton.  Draw a second line about 2.5cm outside of the first box.  Sew the pieces together on the outside line, leave a space along the long side for stuffing.

Pin a pinch on the corner of the inside, unsewn box. Do this on both sides of the fabric.

Pull the two pins away from each other.  Flatten the corner and sew between the pins.  This creates a boxed edge corner. 

Repeat on all corners.  Trim off the triangle excess fabric.  Turn box inside out.  

Cut wadding (batting) into rectangles.  Make them larger than the half block.  Cut more than you think you need.  You can use ordinary stuffing if you choose, but I found layers of wadding gave a more even cushion.  Secure the pile with a few running hand stitches.

Stuff the box liner.  Test firmness with a pin.  If using stitched wadding, roll it tightly, push roll into box and unroll the wadding inside the box so it fits nicely into the corners.   Sew up the open edge.  

Cut some old blanket or felt to fit the top and bottom of the cushion.  Use a running stitch starting in the centre, to compress the stuffing into a flatter block.

Measure around the block.  Cut final layer fabric 3cm larger than this measurement and 3.5cm more at each end. 

Sew along the long edge to make a tube with pattern inside.   

Test how easy it is to fit the cushion inside about half an inch.  If it is easy, sew a second line to make the tube narrower.  

When it is really snug, trim excess fabric, turn tube inside out so the pattern is now on the outside. 

I use two rulers to help pull the cushion inside.  Hand sew the box ends

You could pin and sew the top cover by hand if you can tension the top fabric enough. 

Sew the box ends up.  

Hope these instructions make sense!  I tend to just cut and make as I go along.

If you find your cushion is not high enough, cut a piece of exercise/camping mat and place it underneath the cushion.