Plastic anyone?

After seeing Mrs. Sibley's lace pillow, the first thing I discovered about bobbin lace was that it was not made with just one bobbin.... ooooooh no!  Depending on the lace you are making, you could need hundreds of these little sticks!  

So I began the task of collecting them.  That was when I discovered Plastic bobbins.  They were affordable and came in many different styles and colors!  They are still the first bobbin I suggest to people I teach for those very reasons.

Before you gasp at the idea of making gorgeous handmade lace with "plastic", let me say that I was privileged to watch a lacemaker at work on a very detailed handkerchief edging.  She was only using plastic bobbins, and her work was phenomenal!!  

So, is the tool or the lacemaker what is really important, I ask you...

Once the love bug bites....

...you have been bitten!!

Now that I had the bobbins, I just HAD to find out how to use them! I made an subconscious point to check for bobbins whenever I was anywhere that might have them. In a village called Godmanchester I was at a craft store when EUREKA!! I found lace bobbins for sale! Not just one style, but two different styles of bobbins were offered.

I asked the shop owner if he knew of anyone who taught lace, and he did not. But he did know someone who made lace ... and in a few short weeks, I was sitting in the house of my very first lace teacher, Barbara S.

She invited me first to have a look at what I was considering, since I had no idea what would be involved. She had her pillow set up on a table in her living room, and I was enthralled! She had been given most of her lace supplies by an older woman who had been a lacemaker in days gone by, but could not make lace anymore. It was like stepping back in time! Her pillow was full of old bobbins and her work (when dormant) was covered with an old tea towel.

It was love at almost first sight!

So good!

Today is Good Friday. I can remember as a little girl wondering why it would be called Good if it was the day that Jesus died. Later on, when I asked Him to become my Savior, it was clear that my forgiveness would not have been possible without His death; so yes, Good Friday.

And something else that is a little reminder to us that struggle here today. No matter what the struggles are: loss of those close to us, fear of future losses, worries about even little details we are facing; whatever it is, God cares. He knows what it is to be alone or hurting. He knows how we fear. He knows our every weakness... and He hurts with us over them all.

So while I know there is a much better end to the story, and I anticipate the glorious celebration that is ahead of me on Easter, I will take time today especially to remember how much He loves and cares for me. It IS good....SO good!

Plain James

While wandering in a local antiques shop several months after watching the program on romantic collectibles, I came across two old lace bobbins!! I was so excited, to have found some so quickly! The price was good, so I made my first lace purchase. They were both bone bobbins, one was rather plain with only turning for the decoration, while the other one had the name "James" inscribed into the bobbin.


I laid them on a shelf for decoration after I got home. It wasn't enough though. They seemed to demand handling! Everytime I passed by them, I just had to hold them and wonder how - how in the world could lace be made from something like these?

It would not be long before I would find out!!