A roundel is a circular mat with a hole in the centre. Click here to see how to work a roundel. The last part of working a roundel is to join the end of the lace to the start (which can be rather a messy process). If you don't do this, but carry on working the lace on the existing pattern (folding the previous lace out of the way, of course), then you get a circular shape which overlaps. Finish it as a normal strip by tying off (so do not join it to a previous part of the lace) and hold one end, and you have a helix, an attractive shape which could possibly be used as a Chistmas decoration.
I found when making these that it is better to use a stiff thread, such as a gleamy plastic thread, rather than cotton or polyester, which is too floppy. These do work with floppy threads, but the helix hangs down more. You can experiment!
Click here to see how to work a helix.
© Jo Edkins 2017 - return to lace index
