Books and Protective Covers

STOP PRESS –

Even in these new difficult times I will still be able to supply the following books.

Since I need to make space all orders of £50.00 and over will claim a free copy of  Salex Illustrated Dictionary of Lacemaking.

All about making – Mechlin Lace. Mechlin lace was the precursor to Bucks Point lace and All About Making Mechlin Lace is the concluding part the trilogy, following on from Geometrical and Floral Bucks Point. It begins with a brief history of the lace and its development. As with the Bucks books it concentrates on the theoretical and practical methods required to follow prickings and make Mechlin lace, together with the skills needed to experiment with working techniques, adapt and alter designs and ultimately to achieve your own original Mechlin lace creations. This book is for those with some experience of making floral point lace.

80 pages, 240 monochrome photographs, line drawings and prickings, soft back. £19.50

A Study of Techniques used to make Mechlin Laces. An in-depth account of research work studying techniques used for making Mechlin Lace.

52 pages, 153 monochrome photographs and line drawings, comb bound. £12.50

All about making – Geometrical Bucks Point Lace. The detailed and in-depth research and Alex’s skill in clear line drawing, of which there are over 600 in this book, have resulted in a comprehensive guide, unique in its field. The aim of this book is to help the student to tackle each piece of the 30 Projects in turn, and ultimately to become independent. The individual projects are varied, usable and of convenient sizes, so that the student can progress within a reasonable time scale. Alex’s new approach to working hexagons makes them easier, and produces improved results.

Details on drafting the patterns and designing, to be found in the End Notes of each chapter, run in parallel with the information for making the lace. Again, these progress in easy stages so that students may ultimately be able to design their own. These may be followed at the same time as learning to make the lace, or left until a later date. The End Notes also include a wealth of alternative techniques and helpful hints.

260 pages, 614 monochrome photographs and line drawings, 8 colour plates, PUR sewn soft back. ISBN 978-0-9554694-0-4      £24.50

All about making – Floral Bucks Point Lace. This book explains the differences between making Geometrical and Floral Bucks Point Lace and then guides the lacemaker through a carefully selected progression of patterns ranging from edgings through to a jabot and a doll’s christening set.

The book is divided into six sections: Standard Floral Bucks, Kat stitch, Regency Bucks, Very Fine Bucks and Black Holey and includes the tricks of the trade and how to draft patterns. The last part contains useful advice on bobbins and threads.

252 pages, 137 black & white photographs, 51 prickings, including 11 samples, 313 line drawings, PUR softback with 8 sewn blocks. ISBN 978-0-9554694-7-3  £28.50

Instructions in the Art of Making the Buckingham Pillow Lace.  While writing my book ‘All about making – Geometrical Bucks Point Lace’, I became aware that the unfinished manuscript by Georgina Roberts was probably the earliest written record of the techniques used for the lace and, after completing my book, decided that, as it is an important as part of our lacemaking heritage, it should be made available to all, particularly as it contains variations on the techniques popularly used today. However, before that could happen the patterns needed extensive truing up, the lace needed remaking and the diagrams referred to in the text, but missing from the manuscript, had to be drawn. I have preserved Georgina’s phraseology and wording as far as possible and hope that she would have approved of this edition.

32 pages, 11 patterns, 11 black & white photographs, 17 line drawings, stapled, soft  back ISBN 978-0-9554694-2-8 £7.50

DRAFTING TORCHON LACE PATTERNS

SALEX ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF LACEMAKING

SUPPLEMENT TO SALEX ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF LACEMAKING.

is now availlable under the PDF HELP tab for free downloading

Drafting Torchon Lace Patterns. An important factor in achieving good lace is to use an accurate pricking, and to draft it oneself is one answer. This applies to the reproduction of existing patterns, where the pricking may be in poor condition due to constant use, the drafting of a pattern from lace or a photograph, and also to the transfer of one’s own ideas from the sketch pad to graph paper. The necessary equipment and materials for this work are described and sections comparing different types of graph paper and the choice of thread are also included. Instructions are provided for drafting a wide range of patterns, including simple pieces suitable for the new lacemaker to copy through to those aimed at the more experienced worker. All lacemakers should find this book invaluable in taking their art one stage further.

In this new edition all the prickings have been improved by being produced using a CAD program and the majority of photographs have been retaken.

140 pages, 64 black & white photographs, 69 prickings, 70 line drawings, spiral bound. ISBN 0-978-9554694-9-7      £19.50

Salex Illustrated Dictionary of Lacemaking, formerly Cassell  Illustrated Dictionary of Lacemaking, The revival of interest in the traditional art of lacemaking during the 1960s brought lacemakers from all the different lacemaking areas together for the first time, and with it confusion over the many different names associated with these terms that had developed in these isolated areas. Here at last is a much-needed guide that has been compiled to systematize these various usages and to reflect the vocabulary of lace making as it is currently used.

Traditional and modern terms, which describe the wealth of techniques and equipment, are covered in over 2000 entries and 800 detailed line drawings. Bobbin, needle and crochet laces, netting, tatting and decorated nets are simply and clearly explained and extensive cross-referencing makes it easy to find further information on related topics within the book, and to link the words that have several meanings and the different words and phrases that have the same meaning.

257 pages, over 2000 entries, over 800 line drawings, perfect bound, soft back.              ISBN 978-0-9554694-6-6       £22.50 (including a copy of the Supplement below)

As I continue to come across new entries the Supplement to this dictionary will be found under the tab PDF Help Files for free downloading and updates will be added when I come across further entries.

THE TECHNIQUE OF TENERIFFE LACE

Closely related to the Sol laces of Spain and South America, Teneriffe Lace is basically one of the simplest of the needle made laces to create. Using a blunt needle and smooth thread, the lacemaker ‘darns’ and ‘knots’ the design over a web of threads, stretched across a small pinwheel, to form the medallion – the basic unit of the lace.

The origins of this lace are to be found in the drawn thread work and cutwork of the Middle Ages, in which open squares within fabric were decorated with embroidery. Throughout the centuries, particularly in Spain and Teneriffe, this lace developed its own distinctive style, and the imaginative variations in stitches, webs and fillings, which emerged during the Renaissance, form the heart of this unique and attractive lace as it is practiced today.

This book presents a brief history of the lace, and shows how to make the basic wheel or loom using readily available materials. Instructions are given for producing a simple round medallion, and then adapting this to form square, oval, shield, pear and leaf shapes. About thirty variations on the three basic stitches are described, and a wealth of patterns is provided to be traced from the page. Sections are also included on working in thick yarns and raffia, using the multi -needle and flower loom, as well as on design and application.

Certainly one of the most versatile of the needle made laces, Teneriffe can be used for borders, insertions and trimmings as well as for making whole panels and garments. Even the more elaborate designs are based on simple stitches and techniques, bringing this traditional form of lacemaking well within the ability of the average needlewoman. 144 pages, 120 monochrome photographs, 115 diagrams and 4 colour plates. ISBN 9780852196274 (currently out of print)

As the interest in this subject is limited, and this book was financially not worth reprinting,  I offered it to the Arizona University Free Library from where it is available for free download. http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/lace.html

Booklets

The first of these was produced as a Christmas card for my laces friends. It was so popular that I have continued with them. These are the three latest.

Handkerchief Bonnet no. 1, with Torchon Edging

Handkerchief Bonnet no. 2, with Bucks Point Edging

Handkerchief Bonnet no. 3, with Bedfordshire Edging

Traditionally a lacemaker will give a lace handkerchief as a wedding present and it is folded into a bonnet for her baby’s christening. Alternatively is given folded at a baby’s christening and then becomes her wedding handkerchief, if the baby is a girl, or his bride’s wedding handkerchief if the baby is a boy.

Each booklet comes complete with pricking. Each describes a different method for mounting the lace to fabric and a different method for folding the bonnet.

Handkerchief Bonnet no. 1, with Torchon Edging. 1 pricking, 9 line drawings and black/white illustrations,             8 pages, A5 stapled      £2.00

Handkerchief Bonnet no. 2, with Bucks Point Edging.1 pricking,14 line drawing and black/white illustrations,          8 pages, A5 stapled     £2.00

Handkerchief Bonnet no. 3, with Bedfordshire Edging. 1 pricking,13 line drawings and black/white illustrations,      8 pages, A5 stapled      £2.00

A SHOAL OF FISH, FLOWER IN PINK AND PURPLE,

and BUCKS POINT ROSE INSERTION

  

Shoal of Fish. Designed for a Guides’ craft session these four variations on a very simple theme proved a suitable for introduction to lacemaking for all ages. These pieces are sufficiently small for many new to lacemaking to finish a fish in a single session.                1 pricking, 15 line drawings and black/white illustrations, 9 pages, A5 stapled        £2.00

A Flower in Pink and Purple. A simple flower made using two different petal shapes.      1 pricking, 14 line drawings and black/white illustrations, 8 pages, A5 stapled        £2.00

Bucks Point Rose Insertion. My first piece selected after completing ‘All about making – Floral Bucks Point Lace’ required  researching a technique previously unknown to me.  1 pricking, 13 line drawings and black/white illustrations, A5 stapled      £2.00

FLOWERS IN POLYCHROME BUCKS.

Three prickings for making Bucks Point using coloured silk thread.  20 illustrations including 3 prickings, A5 stapled      £2.50

A HONITON FLOWER, HONITON STARS, A FLOWER IN RAISED HONITON

and FUCHSIA IN HONITON RELIEF

A Honiton Flower A booklet for the new Honiton lacemaker that concentrates on sewings at the start of the piece rather than leaving them until the end when a passable piece of lace can be ruined. Some experience in making bobbin lace is required. 1 pricking, 29 line drawings, 8 pages, A5 stapled     £2.00

Honiton Stars An instruction booklet on making the intriguing raised Honiton star. Some experience in raised Honiton is required. 1 pricking, 9 line drawings, 8 pages, A5 stapled      £2.00

A Flower in Raised Honiton. A pricking with instructions for exploring the various methods of working raised Honiton. Suitable for the experienced Honiton lacemaker who is ready to start raised work. 1 pricking, 19 line drawings, 8 pages, A5 stapled      £2.00

Fuchsia in Honiton Relief 

A pattern for the  Honiton lacemaker with experience in raised work; this flower is made in one piece with as many as five sewings on a single bar.          1 pricking, 9 line drawings, 8 pages, A5 stapled        £2.00

LACED WITH LAUGHS, DESIGNING A CORNER, ALEX’S ‘U’ SHAPED BLOCK PILLOW and TRUING UP AN ANTIQUE BEDFORDSHIRE PRICKING AND

Laced with Laughs. Originally drawn to raise money for the Lace Guild Headquarters ‘The Hollies’ these cartoons are available once again. ISBN 978-0-9554694-4-2, 44 pages, 25 cartoons, 21.5cm x 15cm, soft back, comb bound  £3.50

Alex’s ‘U’ Shaped Block Pillow. A pillow that is a cross between a mushroom and a block pillow with the advantages of both, for use with Midlands bobbins. 9 line drawings, 8 pages, A5 stapled        £2.00

Truing up an Antique Bedfordshire Pricking and Designing a Corner. A booklet produced for a Bedfordshire lace workshop on designing with suggestions for truing up a traditional Bedfordshire edging and designing a corner for it. 1 pricking, 9 line drawings, 12 pages, A5 stapled        £2.00

TECHNIQUES USED IN THE EAST MIDLANDS TO MAKE

THE FOOTSIDE OF POINT GROUND LACE

and TECHNIQUES USED TO MAKE

POINT GROUND LACE IN THE EAST MIDLANDS 

Techniques used in the East Midlands to make the Footside of Point Ground Lace. An in-depth account of research work studying the different techniques used for making the footside of Bucks Point Lace. 273 pieces of lace from six sources were studied, the different variations on the stitches recorded, graphs drawn to show the numbers of times these were found and conclusions made. Samples were made to verify folklore explanations for the use of some of these techniques, proving that some of the explanations are valid whilst others are not.

26 pages, 5 line drawings, 8 graphs, 13 back & white photographs, comb bound (colours may vary)., ISBN 978-0-9554694-1-1       £5.00

Techniques used to make Point Ground Lace  in the East Midlands. An in-depth account of research work studying the different techniques used for making Bucks Point Lace. Over 300 pieces of lace from six different sources were studied and the different techniques recorded. From these records graphs and histograms were prepared to show the numbers of times variations were found and how they relate to date.

48 pages, 24 line drawings, 47 graphs and histograms, comb bound (colours may vary).           ISBN 978-0-9554694-3-5       £7.50

LYFJACKETS

Crystal-clear plastic covers to fit the above books. Lyfjackets ordered without an accompanying book of that size may become creased when packed.

No. 210mm     @ £1.06 each, for all booklets  

No. 240mm     @ £1.48 each, for ‘Salex Illustrated Dictionary of Lacemaking’

No. 266mm     @ £1.60 each, for ‘Instructions in the Art  of making the Buckingham Pillow Lace’. 

I no longer stock no. 286, suitable for the Bucks point and Mechlin books. These covers are available from http://www.bookprotectors.com

For ordering books and covers please go to the ORDER tab.