Christmas ornament

Thanking you all for following my blog, this time I am not writing an article but I am giving you a Christmas pattern to decorate your Christmas tree baubles as a present.


It is a very easy design, made of spiders, appropriate also for beginners.


Before starting to work, you have to take some measurements.

First we have to measure the top circle of the bauble. Then we have to draw this circle on a cardboard (it measures normally around 8 mm diameter). To this circel we have to attach three patterns (as can be seen on picture 3).

Next, we have to measure the bauble itself: our design has to measure the length of the contour divided into 2. So, you have to adjust the pattern to this measurement enlarging or reducing it.

Materiales necesarios

Depending on this measurement, you can use a more or less coarse thread. I have used a silver thread mixed with a yellow thread to make it look golden.

To start, place a few pins all around the edge of the circle, and make a ring putting one thread several times around the circle of pins.  Knot the bobbins of this pair and let it hanging. This pair will be one of the pairs used for the tape of spiders. Hang the remaining 7 pairs to the central ring one next to the other with a hook.

Almohadilla con trabajo en progreso

Work the tape of spiders following the design.

When reaching the end point, leave all pairs pending, as you will need them to finish up the bauble. We can cut the threads at 10 cm, to have the bobbins free to use again.

Once the 3 tapes are finished and all pending pairs are cut to 10 cm, take all the pins off the pillow and remove the lace in order to "dress" your bauble.

We must introduce the top of the bauble through the ring of our lace, cover the bauble with the 3 tapes and tie the ends of the tapes at the bottom of the bauble. With one pair we can make a festoon as long as we like it.

Pattern

Finally, we have to cut all threads to the same length with a pair of scissors.

Now we can hang our bauble from our Christmas Tree or place it where we prefer.

I hope you have enjoyed making this bauble and that you have a good result. I would like you to send me the pictures of your finished laces in order to be able to show them here. I am sure each of you will give a personal touch to the lace.

I wish you all a

Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2011!

Book on Spanish Hinojosa tape lace soon to be published

Portada del libro de Mariña Regueiro

Very soon we will be able to have in our hands Mariña Regueiro's new book. Mariña is a well known bobbin lace teacher, and also an investigator of almost forgotten techniques and promoter of Spanish laces abroad.

Her last book is the result of the investigation of a tape lace made in a small part of the region of Extremadura (west of Spain), in Hinojosa del Valle, with the aim of reconstructing its history and systematize its technique.

The Spanish Hinojosa tape laces are a real jewel  in the history of Spanish lace. They constitute a new gender directly related  to the laces brought from Flanders into Cádiz in the 18th century and they reflect the European tendencies of end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th.

All this makes this book an essential guide for the new generations of lace makers. It is written in 4 languages: Spanish, French, English and German and is aimed at the international community of lace researchers.

As soon as it is on the market, I will give you more information about its price and the way to buy it. Until then... lets wait. The book will soon be here.