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The Tools
One
of the things I like best about lacis is that it's a
"bargain basement" art form. Museum quality
pieces of lacis can be produced for practically no money.
Most tools necessary for lacis can either be found around
your house, or cobbled together with a minimum of effort
and cash. After four years of work, I have spent
cumulatively less than $200 on my art.
The NETTING
PILLOW is the anchor for your work. It needs to
be stable enough to resist being tugged on repeatedly.
But it need not be complicated. A doorknob can provide a
stable anchor; so can a table leg, or a nail driven into
a wall. My first netting pillow was my husband's belt
buckled firmly around my leg.
The classic netting pillow, however, resembles a pillow;
it has a weight inside to stabilize it. But you need not
spend any actual money on it. My own pillow, which has
served me well for many years, is made from stuff around
the house. It is a piece of broken cinderblock (you could
also use a brick, a spare weight from a weight lifting
set, or a largish rock). I wrapped it with cotton batting
(left over from a quilting project) and then covered with
scrap cloth. A large button (replacing the earlier large
diaper pin) was a convenient catch for anchor loops, and
two fat rubber bands around the body served as non-skids,
and all purpose stuff holders.
Investment: $0.
The SHUTTLE
is probably the most expensive item in your tool kit.
Standard shuttles can be bought for less than $10
(www.lacis.com is a good source for shuttles). But you
can make your own, for a good deal less than that.
A homemade shuttle can be fashioned in a number of ways.
Two large upholstery needles (or shish kebab skewers),
taped together. A notched rod cut from wood, bamboo
skewers, bone or antler also work; I certainly recommend
them for learning the stitch. But such makeshift versions
are not reliable for long term work, or heavy thread.
They don't have the same durability as metal shuttles,
and will eventually split at the notches.
But making a homemade metal shuttle
isn't that hard. Go to your local hobby store or model
railroad shop, and spend a dollar on brass, steel or
aluminium round, solid rod stock (beware of the hollow
stuff; it will cut your thread). Twenty minutes with a
Dremel tool will provide the proper shape: about 6-8
inches long, the ends tapered gently, and a 6-5 mm
lengthwise notch cut into both ends.
The MESH
GAUGE is easily the most important tool in your
arsenal; it alone determines the size of each mesh, and
thus the size and shape of your project. The irony is
that it's also the easiest tool to come by. Anything
smooth and straight will work. Wooden dowels, pencils,
ball point pens, popsicle sticks, glass rods, lollipop
sticks, metal rodstock, straightened paper clips,
chopsticks or shish kebab skewers, bits of wood. you name
it. Skilled fishnetters can even use their own fingers (I
don't recommend this for newbies, though; if you get it
wrong, it quickly can become a thread version of those
fingertrap puzzles).
What your mesh gauge is made of isn't really important
(the largest piece I ever made, a 4ft x 4ft panel, was
made with a wrapped-paper lollipop stick for a mesh
gauge). what's important is the size. It should be a
comfortable length -- I prefer 6-10 inches -- and the
diameter should be large enough to give you the size mesh
you're looking for. Experiment with a lot of mesh gauges,
until you find some that satisfy. Experienced netters
tend to end up with a "palette" of gauges, each
of different diameters.
In period, the THREAD for lacis was
invariably silk or linen. For the modern lace-maker, I
recommend the same. You just want a thread with a firm
twist, and no slubs or fuzzies. During the netting
process, the thread rubs against itself a lot; slubs,
fuzzies and knots will catch, either breaking the thread
or making the knot form in the wrong place. You don't
want a silk thread that's too slippery either. The knots
need to stay firm, not slide around or loosen; that will
allow the mesh to shift and lose shape.
I have a confession to make: I use cotton thread. A lot.
No, so far as we know now, cotton thread was not used for
lace making in period. But, for SCA uses, cotton thread
is convenient. Crochet cotton (the kind your granny uses
to make doilies) is cheap, it's easy to find, it's
available in several different sizes, and it's strong.
When I'm concerned with authenticity, I use linen or silk
thread. When I'm concerned with whether a piece of lacis
will survive repeated trips through the washing machine,
then I use cotton.
There is another
tool available: BURATTO, or woven
netting. Buratto was certainly used in period. It can be
purchased online, for around $20 a yard (60" wide).
Like mondano, it can be cut to any shape, and decorated
with the same patterns as mondano. It looks much the same
as, and is woven in the same way as needlepoint canvas.
I do keep buratto, and use it from time to time. But it's
rather too expensive for my production level. However,
some people work exclusively in buratto produce some
exquisite pieces of lace. It's mostly a matter of budget
and personal preference.
[The
information and images on this website are Copyright of
Lady Cecilia Bartoletti (June). You may make a copy and
use any information contained herein for personal use
only, or for SCA documentation purposes. Unauthorised
publication is not permitted.]
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