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

>>> <[log in to unmask]> 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 
[log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask])   and Pam Glew [log in to unmask] 
(mailto:[log in to unmask])  , 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
[log in to unmask] 

-
To unsubscribe send email to  [log in to unmask] containing the line:
unsubscribe lace  [log in to unmask] For help, write to
[log in to unmask] 





************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com