MARY, MODELING HER FINISHED LACE COLLAR

THIS IS MARY, MODELING HER LACE COLLAR...NOW, THIS IS BOBBIN LACE IN IT'S FINEST HOUR!!!!!!

ALL OF THE PICTURES BELOW SEEM DIFFICULT TO SEE WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE DOING, BUT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CLICK ON A PICTURE AND IT WILL ENLARGE SO YOU CAN SEE THE WORKMANSHIP. TO GO BACK TO READING, YOU JUST CLICK ON THE RETURN BUTTON.

WE WORK WITH WHAT IS CALLED A "PILLOW" AND IT TAKES PINS AND A PATTERN ON A PIECE OF CARDBOARD. YOU HAVE TO PRICK ALL OF THE DOTS ON THE CARBOARD CARD, WIND UP ALL THE THREADS CONSTANTLY, ON THE LITTLE BOBBINS (WHICH HOLD ABOUT 2 YARDS OF THREAD AT A TIME) AND KNOW SEVERAL STITCHES WHICH WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH ALL THIS. A WHOLE STITCH, A HALF STITCH, AND A LINEN STITCH. ON EITHER ONE SIDE OR BOTH, YOU HAVE TO LEARN AN EDGING, AS YOU CAN SEE BY MARY'S NECKLINE.

ENGLAND, IRELAND, AND EUROPE MOSTLY DO THIS LACE. HERE IN THE U.S. IT WAS POPULAR IN THE LATE 1800'S AND 1900'S. WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP THIS LACE FROM BECOMING LOST IN TIME, AND ALL OF US TRY TO GET OTHERS INTERESTED IN IT.

SO FAR, I ONLY KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH ABOUT 30 BOBBINS, BUT EVERY PERSON CAN LEARN, AND IT IS A LIFELONG WORK IN PROGRESS.

I MAKE BATTENBURG LACE, BOBBON LACE (TOURCHON) AND DO TATTING. I AM THE VERY BEST AT THE TATTING, BUT REALLY LOVE THE BOBBIN LACE.