This could be used for a Christmas tree decoration.
| Pattern: |  |
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Bobbins: 14 pairs
Style: Torchon
Stitches:
half stitch
cloth stitch and twist
Details:
Torchon ground
twisted footside
how to work a roundel
how to finish
Description:
Follow the links above for explanation of how to work the different parts of the lace.
This is exactly the same as the straight Torchon ground pattern except it is bent round in a circle. This causes two problems. First, the threads don't always lie the way you might expect. Round the edge the pins are further apart, and you may feel that you have mised out a pin where you haven't, and near the middle the pins are close together, and it is easy to miss a pin! Also the threads lie in a curve, which is attractive, but disconcerting while you're working it!
The second problem is where you start and where (and how) you finish, since there is no top and bottom. There is a yellow line across the pattern (see below). This will be the start, and every pin hole on that line has two pairs on it, as before. The colours of the pin holes, below, show which colour should start on which starting pin.
That deals with the start. Continue with the lace, as before, turning the pillow from time to time, so the bobbins lie downwards, naturally, from the lace. Leave the first two rows of pins in the lace, and push them in up to their heads (so the threads won't catch on them as you turn the pillow). It also helps to keep the pins on the outer edge, again pushing them up to their heads. Other pins will eventually need to be removed, as they will get in the way of the threads.
Finally, you will find that the end of the worked lace meets up with the start, which means that you have finished. Now, take one pin at a time. Remove a starting pin from the edge of the lace. (The second pin stays in. That's the point of this second row of pins at the start - to keep the lace firm as you do this finishing off.) There are two pairs of threads which need to be attached to the starting loop at this point. Unwind one bobbin from one pair, thread the thread through a needle, and get the thread through the starting loop. Unwind a bobbin from the other pair. You now have two threads. Tie them together with a reef knot. Do the same with the other two bobbins. Move onto the next start pin, and so on.
Close up of the lace, so you can see the working in more detail
© Jo Edkins 2018 - return to lace index