Ninepin edgings in bobbin lace

 

Ninepin lace is made up of a series of plaits and picots. It is the traditional edging on the headside of many Bedfordshire lace patterns, which are characterised by cloth stitch trails, plaits, leaves, tallies and picots. There are many variations of ninepin. The image shows a basic type, consisting of a plaited loop, which links in to the footside on each downward point, and is stabilised by a continuous plait running parallel to the footside through all the loops.

The plait is made with two pairs of bobbins, by crossing the second thread over the third (the cross) and then passing the second and fourth threads over the first and third (the twist). This crossing and twisting is then continued until the length of plaiting is complete. Where two plaits meet they are crossed in the same way using each pair of threads as a single thread. Picots are made on the outer edges. In the main image five picots are made on the top part of each main loop, but in this image two picots have been made and the loops are wider and shorter making a more solid edging.

The ninepin on the upper part of this image is a basic style but the lower part of the image shows a variation which follows the same basic pattern with the addition of three larger loops of plaiting at the apex of the main loop.

This variation includes one main loop intersected by two wider and lower loops crossing it and each other, with one picot at the top of the main loop. There are many other types of ninepin, including versions with two main loops overlapping each other or an outer and inner loop intersected by a long joining plait. The plaits linking the loops may also be replaced by leaves or tallies to make a more solid join, and the number and placing of picots can also be varied.

Ninepin lace makes a distinctive and beautiful edging to any piece of lace and even a small section can be added to a design to provide a highlight along a straight edge or an attractive link across an indentation.  

 

Weldon’s magazines: Bruges bobbin lace

 

I’ve been lucky enough to be given some issues of Weldon’s practical needlework magazines from the early twentieth century (thank you Sue!). The advertising notes that each magazine ‘is devoted to one subject of fancy work’. There are over 350 different titles and 21 of them cover various types of lace. Weldon’s clearly published a wide range of monthly magazines covering domestic subjects such as needlework, dressmaking, millinery, cookery and ‘fancy work’ which included knitting, embroidery and various types of lacemaking. They also produced Weldon’s Ladies Journal every month which was a more general interest magazine and published stories, letters, and household hints as well instructions and tips for domestic crafts.

The issue I’m looking at deals with some of the pillow laces and describes how to make Bucks, Beds, Maltese and Bruges style bobbin lace. The magazine includes illustrations, patterns and instructions and suggests that Bruges lace is the easiest type to make because interesting designs can be made by just using cloth stitch. The lacemaker is therefore able to ‘perfect herself in one stitch before going on to the next and makes quicker progress in consequence’. Having been given that advice I am going to focus on Bruges point lace for this blog and the photo shows the pricking Weldon’s gives for the starter pattern as well as two worked examples. The instructions are thorough and the illustrations are clear but the lacemaker is expected to master whole stitch, straight and pearl edgings, gimp threads, removing and adding pairs, gaining on a pin, sewings (for which a fine crochet hook is recommended rather than a needle or pin), and raised and rolled work in this first motif. Just as well she only had one stitch to learn!

The second pattern is a border for a handkerchief with separate prickings for the corner motif and the edging. This pattern introduces half stitch as well as plaited connecting bars, a spider filling in the centre of the rose, and leadworks. I’m impressed by how competent the novice lacemaker was expected to be but, at that time, women of all classes would have had at least a basic understanding of needlework. Fancy work was also popular, as attested by the number of Weldon’s magazines, suggesting that most women had practical skills. Also by this time, people like the Tebbs sisters in London had written their books on The art of bobbin lace so there were other lace manuals to turn to if the reader needed more help. I’m certainly enjoying reading these old magazines as I’m sure their original readers did.