Home Again and Lace

I finally made it home after a wonderful extended vacation with my parents. I have to say it is nice to be back in my own house, and I'm sure my parents collapsed from exhaustion the second we drove away. God bless them.

So, after settling back in and doing a little cleaning, I finally got to break out my bobbins! I didn't think to get my camera out yesterday when I actually started working through the "Bobbin Lace Without a Teacher" book that came with my kit, but I did think of it this afternoon when I was winding up more bobbins to start the third pricking that came with the book.

Two pairs wound, eight to go.

Winding bobbins takes forever... may have to invest in a winder.

Last night, after I finished my transcription shift, I worked my way through the first two prickings that come with the book. I photocopied the originals onto cardstock and punched/pricked them. When I finished each practice piece I taped it right to the card to keep for reference (as it suggests in the book). I don't think I did too shabby for my first attempt.

Prickings one and two.

Whole stitch and whole stitch with an extra twist of the workers.

Half stitch plait. Exciting, I know

My only regret so far is staying up until 1 am yesterday working on this. I really need to sleep more. Unfortunately I just can't pull out the bobbins and pillow during the day with my very curious 2-year-old around. He needs to touch everything with his sticky little fingers, not that I blame him. Bobbins are very pretty.

This is the book that I'm going to start working my way through once I finish with the one I'm working on now. I found it at my local library and liked it so much I bought a copy. 

Obviously I haven't started with this book yet, but it's full of great advice, illustrations, and tons of prickings. It works through Torchon, Bedfordshire, and Bucks Point laces. The part I like best just paging through it is that it explains a bit about how the laces evolved and what makes each style unique and identifiable. Then towards the end of the Bucks Point chapter it says a little about designing your own patterns, which I'm far from but very excited to try.

I found this book on ebay for a steal, but amazon has it too (The Technique of Bobbin Lace). Seriously though, if you can find it on ebay snatch it up. I got my copy for $13 plus shipping from somewhere in England. It's used, but it's a library-binding hardcover copy and in good condition. Can't really do better than that.

I was hoping to get to trying out the next pricking (Torchon ground) tonight. We'll see if my little girl likes that idea. She just fell back asleep. Now to try and move her from my lap, a dangerous proposition indeed.

Oh, and I figured out what kind of wood the bobbins are made of, birch. When I was working with them last night it felt really familiar, and I immediately remembered a set of birch double pointed knitting needles I once owned. Has a great feel to it, but definitely a super soft wood. I loved those knitting needles until the day I snapped one of them, so sad.