Laces

Day 112: How many ways are there to manipulate a piece of thread? When it comes to lace-making, there are more than you might think. This photo shows four of the most common lace-making techniques, and within each of these, there are numerous variations. From left to right, top to bottom, you see examples of crochet, bobbin lace, tatting and knit lace. Each is done with different tools, i.e., a hook, bobbins, a shuttle or double-pointed needles. In knitting and crochet, the stitches are made by drawing a loop through another loop. In bobbin lace, threads are simply crossed over one another. In tatting, half-hitches are formed over a base thread and snugged into place. By using different weights of thread, the lace may be made finer or coarser. Bobbin lace is generally done with very fine thread, and crochet uses the heavier materials with knitting and tatting falling somewhere in between. A good needleworker should never be bored, not with so many options available to keep her fingers flying.