Milanese Sampler - Ovals

I didn't knit at all this weekend, I spent some time on this sampler. After a few cloth divisions, I turned the corner with a scroll and began some Ovals.

The scroll corner was a little tough, I twisted a pair or two, and didn't see it until it was too late. The Ovals are easier, but I have to follow the directions line by line, and I am beginning the 3rd repeat.

I think my interior space might be too wide. I've never done any fillings before, so I'm not sure about that. I think when I turn this next corner, I will cut the space back to 2 squares.

I'm getting more comfortable with the smaller thread, and the Ovals seem to shape almost automatically when I finish a repeat. I think this is a sign of a well-written design and not evidence of my skill as a bobbin lacer. It's not easy to get a good picture of my lace, the contact paper on the pricking gives a terrible glare. When it's cloudy, I get a flash and that makes the glare even worse. My ultimate goal is to have the flash shine to one side of the lace, and crop out the worst of the glow. I'll try to take the next picture when the sun is actually shining.

Milanese Sampler - Basketweave

Here's an update of my Milanese Sampler, warts and all. The camera doesn't lie, especially when it's on the close up mode. Whew.

Just to give you some perspective, this graph paper is 8 squares to the inch. It looks like I'm using macrame thread, but honestly, this little braid is only about 1/2 inch wide.

I am learning from my mistakes, which is the purpose of this sampler. I make certain to pin under both pairs at the sewing edge, and I am trying to be more careful with pin spacing. I just realized that the optimum distance between pins changes when the pattern changes. Seems so obvious, I wonder why I didn't think of it before? I'm also using a worker cloth and think I might be able to add a second one and be even more efficient.

I'll do a little more cloth stitch, and then turn this corner with a scroll. I'm not unlacing to correct any mistakes. I have taken out as much as one row, when I saw a twisted pair. I'd like this sampler to be a record of my improvement, so I have to tolerate some mistakes.

New Project on My Pillow

I am done, done, done with the torchon lace edging. You can see it on the corner of my pillow. I cut it off and felt such a sense of relief. I jumped in with a new project, a Milanese Lace Sampler. I am knitting a lace sampler with the Yahoo Group, SamplerM, and have come to realize how a sampler can be a good learning tool.
About a year ago I tried to teach myself Milanese Lace from the first two books of Read and Kincaid. Those books suggest making sample braids before beginning a full project, but I gave up after 4 or 5 braids. I had to wind new bobbins after every sample, and then where to keep each little strip? I always lose such things. I decided I would stick with Torchon, but I find myself once more thinking about Milanese lace and the things I could do if I only knew how.
I found this Milanese Sampler designed by Martha Polanski, and worked by Christine Vyhnal. I like this sampler a lot, especially since I see how the lace improves from the beginning to the end. It also gives the student the opportunity to practice fillings, corners, and scrolls, a distinct advantage over making separate samples for each braid.

I don't have the course folder designed by Ms. Polanski, and I don't intend to copy her sampler stitch for stitch. This is such a good idea, though, I can't resist starting a sampler of my own.
I am using Finca 50, and am taking some time to adjust to the finer thread. I am delighted to be done with the #20 Coats and Clark Cordonnet, but I have to be careful and check my work often for twisted pairs in the cloth stitch.
I've done two Cloth Divisions and just finished my first corner. I'm waiting to try a scroll when I'm more comfortable with the finer thread and bobbins. I also have to be careful where I place my pins, I didn't do a real pricking because I had no idea what this thread would need. I also wanted to be free to turn corners and change designs when I wanted and not be confined by some dots on the pricking. I'm not usually a spontaneous person, but sampler seems to demand it.

Kimberly Edging - Chapter 3 Southard

I hesitated to post this picture, I hate to show my mistakes. I am a beginner in bobbin lace, and this picture is proof.

This lace is so bad, it makes me cringe. I am posting it in the hope it will encourage other newbie bobbin lacers. Not all our bobbin lace is going to be beautiful. We have to do our samples and trial pieces, learn from our mistakes; so our final efforts are perfect.

The edging is from Southard's book, chapter 3, Kimberly edging. I have trouble following her written instructions. The first repeat is skewed because it is the start, the second repeat is okay. Then I got bold and tried the third repeat without reading her instructions. That repeat is wrong, I didn't know why. I took it out twice and it was still wrong. I didn't take it out again. Instead, I drew a diagram and learned why I was making my mistake. I was leaving a pair out at the end of each row for the diamond in the center. The pattern doesn't do that, there is one row right at the center of the diamond that does not leave off a pair. I never would have realized that without making my own diagram.

I don't know how many more repeats I will do on this edging. I don't like the way the half stitch bunches up on the outer edge. It's not my mistake, it looks the same way in the book. I'll be looking for a new bobbin lace project, I have a feeling this one will be done soon. Very soon. (Where are those scissors?)

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

There's good and bad in everything. My husband is a wonderful man. You've seen his handiwork on my blog. He loves to work with wood, and has made tools for my bobbin lacemaking - the Puerto Rican Travel Pillow and the elegant pillow stand. He even turned bobbins on a lathe. They are fairly large and hefty, but I love the feel and colors of the different woods he used; sassafras, maple, zebra wood, cherry.

What you haven't seen is his recent foray into building musical instruments. He has crafted a guitar, mandolin, acoustic bass guitar, octave mandolin, and is currently working on a violin. Whew. He's made some beautiful instruments, and they sound as good as they look.

Here comes the bad part. I went to the mailbox this morning and discovered that a stump, complete with fungi, had appeared at the side of my driveway. What kind of twisted joke is this? I wondered. Then I remembered, his boss was having a hickory tree removed, and DH asked for a chunk of wood if any was big enough.

Now he has to peel the bark, and cut it into some wedges to dry. I think he has to paint the ends with wax or something to seal it. Then he will have to store it while it cures and dries. In the basement, no doubt. I'll have to walk around the chunks of hickory for a year or so while they dry, but I know he'll use it for sides and back of a beautiful instrument. Maybe even a few bobbins, if I play my cards right. Yeah, it's ugly now, but I can wait to enjoy the good.

Here's a peek at my latest bookmark, size 12 perle coton, a nice sage green color. I'm not very pleased with it. Even though the color matches my friend's stamped cards, this one will not make the trip to her house. For some reason, the spiders don't show up very well. I'm not sure if is because of the thread, pricking or ground, or some combination of the three. I simply don't have enough experience to know. I am also unhappy with the tails at the end, I think I must be ready to learn something new.

In Stott's book, 'The Bobbin Lace Manual', p. 82 is titled Bookmark Tops and Tails. I have pointedly ignored this page till now. If I'm unhappy with how my bookmarks look when finished, it must be time to raise the bar and learn a new technique (or two).

The West Michigan Lace Group meets tonight, and I'm trying to decide what to take. I intended to start a lace edging (Southard's Lesson 3, Kimberly edging) on my travel pillow, but I got busy and knitted all weekend. (See the 6.5 Hour Baby Sweater on tatt3r.blogspot.com ) The pricking is ready, but I haven't wound any bobbins. I have laundry, dishes and some baking to do today. I'll never get 9 pairs of bobbins wound in time for the meeting.

Now I am considering bringing my temporary bolster pillow. Some members might like to see how I made my own bobbin lace pillow from found items, rather than dusting off the plastic for an order from the internet.

Bobbin Lace Pillow Stand

My husband made this pillow stand for me. It wasn't his idea, I left at least 2 sets of plans on the kitchen table, including these. He's always looking for hints and tips for Christmas gifts for the 'woman who has everything'. He asked a few questions, the plans disappeared, and on Christmas morning, I was surprised to open a box and find this wonderful pillow stand!










It works very well for me. I have a 22" cookie pillow and it fits with no problems. Since my pillow didn't have a center hole in the underside, he left off the dowel peg, and put two small dowels on the ends of the arm to hold the pillow in place. I can take it apart and it fits in the trunk of a car very nicely.