Dear Devon and all, Thanks to all who have written thus far regarding the lace pillow. Lots of interest which is good. This time i will attach an image. Just to clarify............. The pillow and bobbins are in good condition but the thread is not overly strong. This is why the bobbins need to be supported on display, so that they take the weight off the thread. The threads are tangled but we are currently working on detangling them so thanks for all the offers to do that. Images of what not to do would be just as useful as what to do. Again, ideas about successful techniques with minimal intervention used to support the bobbins are most welcome. Lizou Fenyvesi mentioned plexi shelves - could you elaborate on this? Regarding the display.............. I was under the impression that it would be usual to have groups of threads looped around large pins (NOT the "working" pins that are directly on the pattern). Now I'm wondering if that this is more of a working style and not necessarily the norm? Is it the norm to work with the bobbins all splayed out in front of the pillow? What would you consider a good display? Would a padded pillow, supporting the bobbins be acceptable? thanks for all your interest, shirley Shirley Ellis Textile Conservator Royal Ontario Museum 100 Queen's Park Toronto, ON M5S 2C6 ph: 416 586-5878 fax: 416 586-8036 >>> <Dmt11home@xxxxxxx> 05/11/2007 4:21 pm >>> Dear Shirley, Lorraine Weiss posted your inquiry on Arachne the internet list for lacemakers. I am a little confused about the lace pillow display problem. Of course there are a large number of different styles of lace pillows, so it is hard to know what yours looks like. Typically most lace pillows are displayed badly. In fact, I just reviewed some pictures I took last year at the Hamilton Museum in England and decided not to send them since I think they are more an example of what not to do. If the thread is not rotten, which it may be, I would think the bobbins could be suspended from it, as this is typically the way lace is worked. I am not really sure why the threads would be looped around pins. I suppose sometimes lacemakers take certain threads and loop them over pins to the side of the work when they are not working on them, but having the bobbins splayed out is the way bobbin lace is usually worked and the pin hold stitches in place. (Contrary to the idea that some people have that the lace is made by looping it around pins. Perhaps I am not really visualizing what you have. In any case, I thought I would direct you to two ladies, Nancy Pye _Npye!@xxxxxxxxxx (mailto:Npye!@xxxxxxxxx) and Pam Glew _ppamglowe@xxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:ppamglowe@xxxxxxxxxx) , who are both very knowledgeable about lacemaking and are both Canadian. In fact, I am certain that Nancy Pye has been to your museum to do research for some of her classes. I would love to get a look at it myself, but unfortunately, I am in the New York area. Devon M. Thein Lace Study Editor, Bulletin of the International Old Lacers Hello All, We have a lace-making pillow WITH bobbins and attached lace going out on display. The threads are currently tangled up and the bobbins splayed out in a half circle. The curator would like this pillow to look as if it was "being worked", ie with portions of the bobbins looped over pins in various sections on the pillow. I am concerned about the weight of the bobbins, hanging from their threads and would like to have them supported on display. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of seeing lace-making pillows and bobbins on exhibit and how this was handled? Obviously, whatever is done needs to be unobtrusive and right now I can't think of anything other than plexi tiers which really isn't that minimal. Any ideas would be welcome. thanks shirley Shirley Ellis Textile Conservator, Royal Ontario Museum 100 Queen's Park Toronto, ON M5S 2C6 ph: 416 586-5878; fax: 416 586-8036 shirleye@xxxxxxxxx - To unsubscribe send email to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxx containing the line: unsubscribe lace your@xxxxxxxxxxxxx For help, write to arachnemoderator@xxxxxxxxx ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
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