Lacemaking Books

David Springett has made lace bobbins for close to 25 years. He specialised in turning highly decorated bobbins traditionally used in the East Midland area of England. He has developed a variety of tricks and techniques evolving an efficient method of working which made him one of the country's leading bobbin makers.
In this book David describes how to make over 24 different styles of lace bobbins explaining the techniques required to turn in both wood and bone. As well as describing the production of bobbins such as "Cow and Calf", "Bees Knees", "Caterpillar" and "Mother and Babe", he explains how to select and prepare bone, how to turn miniature bobbins, inlay pewter, produce Tunbridge Mosaic and make dowel using a simple jig. Many of these techniques are invaluable in other forms of turnery making this book packed with valuable tips and information.
Described in "WOODTURNER" magazine, May 1997 by Ian Wilkie, "I read it from cover to cover with great pleasure and could hardly get into the workshop fast enough…..I have no hesitation in recommending this book….David Springett's techniques, ideas and methods are an inspiration." 120 pages.

This 44 page A5 booklet contains detailed instructions for working 3 projects in which the Bedfordshire leaves are worked in a special way. Making a series of leaves in which the colour changes of the variegated thread match from leaf to leaf, creates a stunning effect, so give Christine's crazy leaves a try! 4 lengths of special variegated thread (enough to work the leaves of all 3 projects) are supplied free with each book.

This 44 page A5 booklet contains detailed instructions for working 3 projects in which the Bedfordshire leaves are worked in a special way. Making a series of leaves in which the colour changes of the variegated thread match from leaf to leaf, creates a stunning effect, so give Christine's crazy leaves a try! 4 lengths of special variegated thread (enough to work the leaves of all 3 projects) are supplied free with each book.

If you buy the Fun with Leaves book & this DVD, you pay only £10:00 for the two. Please see the next item for purchase.
This 18 minute programme, which is an excerpt from the Bedfordshire 1 DVD, deals only with making Bedfordshire leaves and is the perfect companion to the book "Fun with Leaves".
If you already have the Bedfordshire Lace 1 Basic Skills DVD you do not need to buy this DVD.

This is a special discounted price for the 2 items listed above.

This is a 48 page A5 size booklet explaining how "magic threads" can be used to make joining your lace both neater and easier. Detailed instructions are given for inserting magic threads into starting loops of a simple Torchon edging and for using them at the end of the project. Also included is a Bedfordshire motif with directions for using magic threads not only for joining, but also for darning away into plaits, leaves & twisted pairs. You'll wonder how you ever managed without magic threads!

An A5 size booklet which has 20 jam-packed pages containing 10 all new variations on the famous snake bookmark pattern This pattern, first published in "Lace for Children Of All Ages" in 1989, has been incredibly popular. Now here are 10 variations on that snake with more challenging techniques so that you may continue to make them and never get bored.

A 38 page A5 booklet, with 2 colour plates detailing the types and variety of glass beads used on the spangles of English East Midland Lace bobbins of the 19th Century.
Discover which beads will help you avoid making mistakes in your lace; what a Kitty Fisher bead really looks like, and many tales and superstitions from the lacemakers of the past.

This 24 page A5 booklet with 2 colour plates contains 38 prickings in various shapes all adapted from the same simple edging. Along with the usual detailed working instructions there is a radical new method for joining and mounting lace onto cards.

A 44 page A5 booklet crammed with 12 new projects following a Christmas theme. There are 28 prickings for a number of variations on the basic designs so there's plenty to keep you busy whatever the time of the year. Three colour plates show how effective these new designs can be.

92 pages, 30cm x 21cm, 250 b&w photos, 8 colour plates.
This book provides a history, classification and identification of 19th Century East Midland lace bobbins and their makers, adding a further 16 years of research to their first book published in1981. This book is used by Phillips, the international auction house, to classify bobbins in their auctions.

72 pages, 30cm x 21cm, 6 colour plates, 68 b&w photos. and numerous working diagrams.
This is a most popular book planned with children in mind, but can be equally well enjoyed by adults. On the whole the projects are simple and straightforward, beginning with the simplest of patterns and gradually taking the lacemaker through a series of lacemaking techniques. The projects rely on colour, glitter and careful mounting for their effect. Christine has done her best to make all the instructions clear and easy to follow and there are lots of working diagrams to assist you.

100 pages, 30cm x 21 cm, 4colour pages plus numerous b&w photographs and working diagrams.
Christine's usual detailed written instructions ease you through a wide range of lacemaking projects for those special occasions. Projects include edgings for posies, photograph frames, fans and cards which can be adapted to suit a variety of occasions. There are hankies & headdresses in both Torchon and Bedfordshire lace, wedding garters, a horseshoe and hearts galore to celebrate weddings, engagements, birthdays, christenings and every anniversary.

56 pages, 30cm x 21cm, 25 b&w photos and plenty of working diagrams.
This book has been written to accompany the two Torchon DVD's, but stands alone as an excellent first book for a new lacemaker, giving clear and precise instructions for all the basic Torchon skills. It contains a number of new projects to give a less experienced lacemaker plenty of practice, but these should also appeal to more experienced workers. There is a section which helps you to spot common mistakes and tells you how to put them right, there are also instructions for using "Magic Threads" which can greatly ease the joining process at the end of a piece of lace.

104 pages, 30cm x 21cm, 4 colour plates, 70 b&w photos. and over 40 working diagrams.
This book is crammed full of new and exciting Christmas projects all with that special Christine Springett touch. Clear diagrams, accurate prickings and detailed instructions will enable you to make each piece successfully. If you liked "Lace for Children of all Ages" you will love this book.

11 large pages 45cm x 30cm
Eleven pages of glorious Bucks. Point patterns (prickings only) produced by Miss Sivewright and Miss Pope of Headington Hill, Oxford early in the 20th Century.
In publishing this collection of patterns we have reproduced the actual pricking holes for absolute accuracy. Although we have drawn in some of the marking, because several of the prickings were a little worn, we have traced them from the originals so that they too remain true to the original design. We hope that you will find inspiration in these stunning patterns but if you find the prospect of working some of the pieces a little daunting then they may be a useful source of motifs which can be transferred to a less ambitious design.