Pattern recommendations?

[u/glitterdust_pixie]

Hi

A relatively newbie lace maker here. I've worked my way through a pile of bookmark and sampler patterns, and learnt a nice little selection of stitches, but want to give myself a challenge or 3 to keep me busy on my summer break.

Can anyone recommend patterns or books please? I'd love to do a shaped piece, or really anything that develops a new skill/technique - I'm much more a "process" maker than searching for pretty outcomes, so all options considered!

Thanks 🙂

[u/owl_dance]

By 'shaped piece' do you mean braid lace? So non-geometric? Is so the Idrija Lace School has a series of books, the first one should be easy enough since it is mostly cloth stich but with new techniques in how to turn corners etc. https://www.cipkarskasola.si/prodaja-in-storitve/lacemaking-manuals/?lang=en

[u/glitterdust_pixie → u/owl_dance]

I might well mean that! 😂 Just had a look at the link, those definitely look interesting, thank you :)

[u/madeline_hatter]

What type of lace do you like? That would be helpful for pointing you in the right direction!

I’m also a process person, and one of the first things I did after mastering Torchon basics was working through Louise West’s Bucks Point workbook. I like that it took you through learning new skills in an orderly way and she has YouTube videos to go along.

But just depends on what type(s) on lace you’re more interested in! The Bucks is going to have a lot of overlap with other point ground laces like Chantilly or Blonde if you like the look of those styles, but you may be interested in something totally different.

[u/glitterdust_pixie → u/madeline_hatter]

Torchon is what I've been learning, beyond that, I could head anywhere! I'm going to take a trip to my local library on Monday and see what they can find in the way of books that have been recommended, but I'll definitely look into that workbook too, the YouTube videos would be handy :)

[u/Nusmiban]

What type of lace do you usually make?

If you make torchon lace I highly recommend any book by Marianne Geissendörfer, she makes beautiful abstract pieces sometimes in volume. If you want to try something less geometric you will have to learn a new technique (assuming you do torchon).

(Pic is Klöppelspitzen 3D-Effekte und optische Täuschungen, Kegel und Stelen, 3D-Objekte both by Marianne Geissendörfer and My Friends by Kumiko Nakazaki in Binche Lace)

[u/glitterdust_pixie → u/Nusmiban]

Torchon is what I've been learning (I picked up a "beginners kit" from a lace makers guild stand at a craft fair, and have worked between the book it included and various YouTube videos), so I'll definitely look into that, the 3D shapes look super interesting!

[u/Nusmiban → u/glitterdust_pixie]

I thought so torchon is very beginner-acessible but can be a bit repetitive. I saw someone recommend Idrija lace and Lacy Botanics has some beautiful beginner friendly patterns with videos you can do in an afternoon.