Liggysasha Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 My mom is an avid bobbin lacemaker, so for a present I've made her a miniature bobbin lace pillow (she is also a miniaturist). It's the first project I've made from scratch with my instructions or tutorial to follow. It's not perfect, but I'm pretty pleased with it!! There's another close up picture in my Gallery under 'Mini Creations'. Here's a website - Beginners Guide to Lacemaking - with pictures of full-size lace pillows (and info on doing lace if you're interested!). My mom is now saying that I should make the pillows to sell them. When we were at Ron's Miniatures store in Orlando they had a couple of pillows there (not as much detail as mine I think) but they were $140!!! I wouldn't charge anywhere near that much - but I just can't see that there is much of a market for them right now. And I'm not really sure that my workmanship is good enough to sell yet - after all I am a novice still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 You do nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muriel Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I did bobbin lace for a year or two. Then I moved and lost the lace group. Might have to investigate again! Was good fun and felt proud when i'd finished something. Still have the lace Don't think i could remember how to do the various stitches though, it was probably in about 10 years ago! Your scene looks lovely and brings back good memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmgervais Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Looks wonderful - and somethink I've been thinking that I would like to try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Beautiful, Sasha! What did you use for your bobbins? Ron does tend to be pricey on his artisan-made items; when I hit his store it's almost always for kits & supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liggysasha Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 I used the tops of fancy cocktail sticks for the bobbins. And then microbeads for the beads on the spangles (the loops of beads that hang from the bobbins). I... errr... 'liberated' the cocktail sticks (10 of them!) from a restaurant, so I need to find somewhere I can buy them instead, so I can make more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 1st time I've heard of this hobby- How neat! your scene looks very nice. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Sasha, it's beautifully detailed work! That's the kind of thing that collectors just go crazy for. When you feel you're ready to start selling, consider either Etsy or CDHM. Those are two places where serious collectors of artisan minatures hang out. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SugarPie Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Your workmanship is definately good enough to sell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Wow!! It's looking Great Sasha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chellebelle Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 You did a wonderful job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hallowell Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Wow, I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I also like the circular pillow, the other mini bobbin lace sets I've seen were a bolster-shaped pillow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin1056 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 wow its fabulous and yes i'd buy one in a minute...definately sellable well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liggysasha Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 I also like the circular pillow, the other mini bobbin lace sets I've seen were a bolster-shaped pillow. Yep, the bolster style is for a different style lace (but I couldn't tell you the difference - my mom is the expert!). The round style is more traditional in England and Victorian. The bolster is older and more European (Belgium I think). It would actually be easier to make the bolster I think, although the stand could be a little more work. Maybe I'll try that next and see how it comes out. Thanks for the tip Deb. I'll need to get faster at making it as well! Luanne - Lacemaking is a real dying art, but it was the only way lace was made up until last century. It was mainly done by young girls and older women, once their children had left home - widowers especially. In some old cities in Europe you get rows of 'lacemaker cottages' - these are tiny 2 or 3 room cottages, rows and rows of them. No front yards, the front doors open straight onto the street. All the old ladies would sit out the front of the houses and chat to each other while they made their lace - they would sit outside because they would need good light to see what they were doing. But also most Victorian homes (the poorer ones) would have a few lace pillows - that how the women of the house (and the men when there was no work in the fields) made their money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Fabulous - I paid a considerable price a while back for a miniature bobbin lace project for my dollhouse lady. -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justmesue Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Excellent job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good Morning Glory Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Sasha, You have done a marvelous job. Your attention to detail really shows. You mentioned in one of your posts that you needed to find a place to get the cocktail sticks that you previously 'liberated' from a restaurant. I too 'lberated' turned toothpicks that will make interesting mini items from the Crackerbarrel. after our third visit to the restaurant I asked where they got their toothpicks from and she reached down under the counter and pulled out a container with over 100 toothpicks in it that they sold for about a $1.00! Why don't you ask at your cocktail stick restaurant where they get theirs? You might just wind up with a container of them like I did. Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynette Smith Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Actually bolster lace is for long pieces of lace which you roll up as you make it, otherwise your pillow might be bigger than your room, or in some instances your house! I have all of Mom's bobbin lace stuff and learned to use a lathe so I could turn bobbins. Yours looks very fine. I love the angled pillow for making the lace on! Having the pillow on an angle helps control the bobbins! It makes me want to make some lace equipment for my house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liggysasha Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 Sasha, You have done a marvelous job. Your attention to detail really shows. You mentioned in one of your posts that you needed to find a place to get the cocktail sticks that you previously 'liberated' from a restaurant. I too 'lberated' turned toothpicks that will make interesting mini items from the Crackerbarrel. after our third visit to the restaurant I asked where they got their toothpicks from and she reached down under the counter and pulled out a container with over 100 toothpicks in it that they sold for about a $1.00! Why don't you ask at your cocktail stick restaurant where they get theirs? You might just wind up with a container of them like I did. Barbara I think I got my at Crackerbarrel too!! It was a while ago that I got them and I just couldn't remember. I'll definitely go back and ask them! Actually bolster lace is for long pieces of lace which you roll up as you make it, otherwise your pillow might be bigger than your room, or in some instances your house! I have all of Mom's bobbin lace stuff and learned to use a lathe so I could turn bobbins. Yours looks very fine. I love the angled pillow for making the lace on! Having the pillow on an angle helps control the bobbins! It makes me want to make some lace equipment for my house! Oh, that makes sense with the bolster pillow! I know the modern pillows have a little cylinder type thing in the middle of a flat pillow that you roll around to do longer pieces, but they are very modern. My mom did mainly Bucks lace which is large flat squares etc. - she never did much of the long stuff. It's been such a long time since I've been involved with my mom's lacemaking - one day I'll get her to teach me how to do it again! I'm sure she would love it if I learned to lathe and turn bobbins for her!!!! Not likely though - me and power tools don't mix!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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