Bobbin Lace, A Gift for a Special Friend

The Corgyncombe Cottage Lacemakers Diane's bobbin lace pillow is dressed to do a bookmark with spiders and half stitch fans. The wooden bobbins are turned in a design called bees knees. The bobbins are spangled with beads that serve as weights to keep the bobbins from rolling about, for tension, and they also look so pretty. Collecting beads and spangling is great fun. Sometimes the Corgyncombe lacemakers, Diane and Sarah, get their beads from old glass necklaces. Their collection looks like a treasure chest!

Although there are many bobbins that are used whilst making the lace pattern, one works with only two pairs (four bobbins) at a time. There are two motions called cross and twist that make up the two stiches called whole stitch and half stitch. The Corgyncombe lacemakers make the type of bobbin lace called Torchon. A good book for beginning lace making is "The Bobbin Lace Manual" by Geraldine Stott.

The lavender sachet was made by Sarah. Along the border are whole stitch fans and spiders. The center square contains the roseground pattern. The pattern is from "Torchon Lacemaking, A Manual of Techniques" by Elizabeth Wade.

The letter box is full of some of the letters that Tasha Tudor sent to Diane and Sarah. The Corgyncombe lacemakers gave Tasha one of their handmade bookmarks called Love-in-a-mist, like the one pictured on the corgi card in the letter box.

Here is a link to: The Corgyncombe Courant, March 12th edition titled "Tasha Tudor Remembrances at Tea, Special Memories in a Box!" featuring the letter box.

This is part of what Tasha wrote: "Dear Diane and Sarah, Such a delightful surprise the other day to receive your nice letter full of your news, and with the charming photographs of Sarah making lace! I assure you I am impressed no end by your new skill and really treasure the dainty lace Bookmarker. Thank you so very, very much!!!" She goes on to say, amongst other things, how she is eagerly awaiting spring...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~