Family ties

A scurry (yes, that is the collective noun)

Regular readers of this blog (thank you) will know that the choice of animal in the picture above can mean only one thing; I'm considering a new project.

Actually, it's not entirely new. The cylindrical things are lace bobbins, and I used to make bobbin lace.

The bobbins in full

It was a long time ago, well before I started the blog. My lace has only appeared on here once, when I used some pieces which I had made years before to trim my Armistice Blouse.

The lace was made specifically to fit the blouse pieces

Close-up of the lace in situ

Because it was so long ago, I don't have any pictures of me making lace or work in progress, so I'm using a book cover to show what is involved. A very simple explanation is that thread is wound around the bobbins, which are then passed over and under each other to weave or plait the threads to form the lace.

Lacemaking in progress

Bobbins were traditionally made from wood or bone. They can be plain, but also carved, turned, or painted. The beads at the bottom provide weight to tension the thread, and also stop the bobbins from rolling on the pillow - the working surface. They are usually used in pairs.

A selection of my bobbins, from different makers

Mum also made lace for many years; in fact, I can't remember which one of us started it first. We had a lot of hobbies in common, and regularly swapped supplies and other items as we each needed them. She gave me her bobbins years ago, when arthritis started to make lacemaking too difficult for her, but I must admit that they just sat in the box she stored them in. Then this week, on a whim, I took out both her bobbins and mine. So many memories came back - of swapping notes and patterns, and of going to lace fairs together and buying the bobbins.

From talking to friends after Mum died I've become aware that not all of them have/had good relationships with their mothers, and some have been very strained indeed. I was so lucky that not only did we get on well, but we had so many shared interests which brought us even closer. Which is why, despite not being short of things to do, I'm considering taking up lacemaking again. With my own bobbins and with Mum's.