Torchon Lacemaking: A Step-by-Step Guide by Jan Tregidgo
This beginners book is packed with pictures, with literally are step by step, and uses colour very smartly, in that each bobbin pair uses a different colour, making the path of each super clear. Samples are presented both in “full colour” and in white only version, and this in itself is incredibly useful for the beginner.
This book is the most thorough of the beginner books I have seen (Lessons in Bobbin Lacemaking, The Torchon Lace Workbook and Beginner’s Guide to Bobbin Lace): it includes 25 samplers that cover all sorts of combinations of techniques, and then branches out to more advanced techniques, such as adding beads to pieces (and yes, there are samplers for this too), designing and modifying patterns, joining and mounting pieces, and finally a “troubleshooting” section. However do note that this book does not include tallies and leaves.
Each sampler lists at the beginning the techniques that are explored in the chapter.
While only few of the patterns in the samplers can stand on their own as projects (unless you are really keen on bookmarks), the great variety of combinations provided, plus the chapter on designing your own patterns, mean that imagination is the only limitation once you get a bit of practice under your bobbins. And there are some patterns, like the very pretty coasters of sampler 10, and the mats from the last few samplers.
It may feel like slow going, but in fact as you work your way through the samplers you are shown how to combine various elements, so I expect the move into adapting and designing own patterns will be a natural one (but I haven’t worked my way through this yet).
After working through this book I think I’ll be ready to work any Torchon lace pattern. Definitely one to have.
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