This is unashamedly experimental! I am trying to figure out what stitches were used in a photo of lace. I haven't described the different parts in the usual way, partly because I was inventing them for this piece! Instead, I give a photo of each piece, plus a description of what I've done. I do not recommend you do this pattern! But you might like to try some of the effects.
Pattern:
Bobbins: 16 pairs
Style: Torchon (experimental)
Size: 9 inches long
Stitches:
half stitch
cloth stitch and twist
cloth stitch
twist single pair
Details:
Torchon ground
twisted footside
Description:
Top diamond: This is described here. Two rows of cloth stitch, then two pairs are worked in cloth stitch and twist (i.e. there is no worker pair). I think I've got this one right! You must kep an eye on which pairs are worked in cloth stitch and twist. They must give a diagonal pattern, so the pairs must be different from the previous one. That means that a pair (or two) may not be involved. I just twisted those. Only criticism is that I think I should have twisted all pairs before doing the cloth stitch and twist.
Top ground: 2x2 half stitch spiders. These are rather nice! But nothing like the original one I was following.
Second diamond: Alternately cloth stitch and half stitch across each row, lined up. NOt very pretty and not like the original.
Second ground: rose ground, but done with half stitch rather than cloth stitch and twist (or half stitch, pin, half stitch) for all stitches. Rather pretty! Not done this before... But not like the grounds I was looking for.
The third diamond looks the same as the second. I thought I'd worked them differently. Oh well!
Third ground: 2x2 half stitch spiders, but separated by twisting all pairs several times. This shows some similarity.
Fourth diamond: Row of cloth stitch, then row of half stitch, and so on. Nothing like the original, and a bit as if I'd done a row of cloth stitch then twisted every pair (see later).
Fourth ground: rose ground, but done with half stitch rather than cloth stitch and twist (or half stitch, pin, half stitch) for all stitches. These are separated by twisting the pairs several times. Hum - no!
Fifth diamond: Row of cloth stitch, then twist all pairs (see fourth diamond). No, it looks different.
Fifth ground: rose ground, with half stitch crossovers. (I must investigate rose ground with different stitches...)
Sixth diamond: Conventional half stitch diamond
Sixth ground: rose ground, with half stitch crossovers separated by twisting all pairs several times. Rather a mess.
Seventh diamond: Gravenmoer diamond - like a half stitch diamond, but there are vertical threads as opposed to horizontal ones. I thought this was it, orginally, but definitely not.
Eighth ground: star ground with a pin in the middle (which I don't normally do) and separated by twisting pairs. Normally star ground is separated by lines of Torchon ground, and this shows why! But the bits near the edge of the ground are better. And the original did separte the units with double Torchon ground. This seems better than most, but I still don't think I've got it!
Eighth diamond: Two rows of half stitch, then every two pairs worked in cloth stitch and twist. Rather like the top diamond, but in half stitch rather than cloth stitch. And lining up the cloth stitch and twist vertically rather than diagonally. Possibly....
Close up of the lace, so you can see the working in more detail.
© Jo Edkins 2026 - return to lace index