I live in the Lynchburg area, how can I learn bobbin lace?

 

Bobbin lace has been a craft that has been handed down from generation to generation by watching and learning. There are  books that can help some people to get started on their own, while others do best learning by watching along with a hands-on approach. 

 

The Cardinal Lace Guild of Lynchburg can help to some degree. Members of the Guild have access to our library of collected materials including periodicals, books, and videos/DVDs. We also have members who are happy to share their knowledge with newcomers at our monthly meeting. 

 

Our group is currently small, with most meetings averaging 4-6 members in attendance. We have one expert level lace maker who has been dedicated to making a variety of intricate laces for many years. Our other members have varying degrees of skill levels who can help to guide you along your learning journey.

 

We have a limited supply of beginner pillow kits you can borrow for 6 months at a cost of $25 (when available). Generally, once you've decided to move forward, you'll want to purchase your own supplies. There are a few companies that offer beginner's kits (see links below) that are perfect to get you started. As your skills develop you'll want to purchase more midland bobbins so that you can do more complex patterns. You can purchase them through bobbin lace suppliers but you can often find good deals on eBay and Etsy on used bobbins.  

 

Here are some sites to help you purchase supplies. Please check with the supplier for current prices and availability - the below are only estimates.  Cardinal Lace is not associated with the following companies, but our members have purchased from them before with great success!

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Important note: there are many types of lace. Torchon lace is the best lace to begin learning with as it will teach you the foundational movements you'll need to make various types of bobbin lace.  

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Snowgoose Lace  offers a Beginner's Kit, 20" pillow $85

(the 20" pillow is recommended)

 

Various Lace making supplies:

 

Van Sciver Bobbin Lace & Lacemaking

Large USA source of in-stock bobbin lacemaking supplies. Holly Van Sciver also teaches classes across the country and her teaching schedule can be found on her website (linked above).

 

Threads for beginners:

 

Lizbeth size 80 and 40 (for larger patterns) is one of the common threads used for Torchon lace.  Handy Hands offers a wide variety of colors to choose from (see below). 

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Tip: Do not buy variegated thread colors for bobbin lace making. If you find a variegated pattern you like simply order the individual colors that are in the variegated thread and then use them together in your pattern to create the same color scheme effect.

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Handy Hands Tatting:: Lizbeth thread

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Video/Online Courses

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A beginner's course is offered by Sharon Perry, Learn the Art of Bobbin Lace.  It is available online at bobbinlace.online or at Udemy.com. (note: we have not reviewed this course)

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Videos can be great ways to help you learn lace making. Hensel Productions offers several DVD courses for various lace makers skill levels which are wonderfully done and a great way to supplement your lace education. For example:

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Color in Torchon Lace by Jean Leader.  Jean is an excellent teacher in Scotland. Using color threads really helps students to grasp the concept of the string's path and journey through the piece. This might be jumping in to the deep end for someone brand new to lace making but because of the colored threads and her clear teaching style, you may be able to pick it up without understanding all the terms. Patterns are included along with the recommended colors for each pattern. 

 

Starts and Finishes with Susan Wenzel. This would be good for those with some prior knowledge of Torchon Lace making. 

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