Lenka's Way of LaceSponsors
3rd lace|heart|art Challenge and Online Exhibition 2020
of Handmade Bobbin Lace in Colour
is proudly sponsored by:
Barkonie, s.r.o, Czech Republic
Barkonie, s.r.o., established in year 2002 in the Czech Republic, is a family owned firm with focus on manufacturing of engineered yarns for industrial use. Barkonie specialization lies in processes of cotton and linen yarn polishing. They produce a wide range of dry goods for haberdasheries, as well as other products for various industries.
In recent years, the company has strenghtened its position in the market for craft threads, especially for lacemaking. Great emphasis is placed on the quality of the threads for bobbin lace. All cotton threads are made exclusively of high quality long staple Egyptian cotton fibre. High quality linen is spun and polished to produce strong, even threads. Barkonie offers an amazing range of 53 colurs in cotton and 94 colours in linen. It is no wonder that the Barkonie threads are gaining more and more supporters among lacemakers around the world. And they are already making fashion press headlines: Handmade bobbin lace featured on now famous 2017 Czech-inspired Hangisi Pumps by Manolo Blahnik was made from Barkonie linen!
BARKONIE PRODUCTS
Linen thread for bobbin lace
Traditional 100% linen thread reeled in a paper cylinder bobbin, supplemented with information about the type of material, its strength and color number.
Offered in two sizes:
33 tex x 2, i.e. Nel 50/2 – with 200 m length
33 tex x 4, i.e. Nel 50/4 – with 50 m length
The color range, from which you can choose is really wide. Includes nearly 100 colors. There is a possibility of different color combinations, or tuning lace only in a specific color tone with a different shade depth.
Threads for bobbin lacemaking
They are 100% cotton yarns made of quality Egyptian long-fibre cotton. A bonding agent applied on the thread makes it stronger and smoother. Triple ply twisting and special hardening (polishing) ensure the thread does not unravel even under the toughest treatment. The thread is almost hairless, which makes the bobbin lace (especially the one framed under glass as a picture) very accurate. It is not necessary to stiffen the lace itself.
The assortment of cotton threads is broad, but not all the types are suitable for bobbin lacemaking. The thickest thread, suitable for beginners or children, is considered to be the one with the etiquette number 8 (50 tex x 3, Nm 20/3). The thinnest ones have the etiquette number 50 (14,5 tex x 3, Nm 69/3). Thinner or thicker threads, that we produce by this technology as well, are inappropriate for common leisure time lacemaking. However, we do not exclude their use for special projects.
The most requested fineness is etiquette number 30 (20 tex x 3, Nm 50/3). In this fineness we offer a range of colors that we try to expand continually.
As you, lacemakers, requested, since 2015 we have offered colored threads in smaller, 100-meter coils. Nowadays we offer 53 colors. However, there is still the possibility to buy the most attractive colors, namely white, beige and black, in the original length for this fineness, i.e. 1 600 m.
Gassed mercerized cotton threads for needlework, crochet, tatting and machine lace
It is 100 % cotton yarn, made of high quality extra-long staple Egyptian cotton. The process of singeing and mercerization enhance the fibre’s aesthetic and utility properties. By singeing, the loose short cotton strands are removed. Mercerization consists of immersing the yarn in a solution of sodium hydroxide to improve its tensile strength and its attractiveness. The cotton fibres swell and their cross-section changes from a bean shape to a round shape. The resulting yarn is round with pleasant touch and silk-like lustre.
The yarn is spun, of mainly 3 plies, with a Z-twist, which is ideal not only for lacemaking, but also for machine work.
The mercerized cotton thread is suitable for crochet and tatting, as well. It has minimal stretch, so the finished products keep shape and don’t shrink.
Metallic thread Karolína
The Karolina metallic threads are made of two materials. The core of the thread is made of viscose fibre that is wrapped by a polyester (metallic) stripe.
The Karolina metallic thread comes in 4 different sizes – Karolina 1, Karolina 2, Karolina 3 and Karolina 5. Karolina 1 is the thinnest, Karolina 5 is the thickest. Each sizes comes in 29 colour variations ranging from several shades of silver and gold to a varied range of every other colour. We also offer a rainbow-variegated thread.
The metallic threads Karolina 2, 3 and 5 are covered by a special agent which prevents undesirable fraying of the strands after cutting the thread, making them highly suitable for lacemaking and embroidery. The above-mentioned agent is not applied to Karolina 1, therefore this thread can be also used as an added yarn for knitting and crocheting.
Because of the fact that the viscose fiber size (the core of the thread) varies throughout different color variations, we had to adjust the number of strands so the final size of e.g. Karolina 5 is same for all of its color variations as much as possible. Information regarding the basic yarn size, the number of strands, the length and the colour number are printed on the bobbin.
3rd lace|heart|art Challenge and Online Exhibition2020
of Handmade Bobbin Lace in Colour
is proudly sponsored by:
Lenka’s Wire Lace Supplies cater to the needs of adventurous lacemakers, spirited artists, passionate jewellers and one-of-a-kind fashion designers. If you are inspired to learn making bobbin and needle lace with wire, you need good tools and good materials to make your effort worthwhile. And that is exactly what the shop strives to provide – specialized lacemaking bobbins, pillows and accessories, and high grade wires for lace art, sculpture and jewellery.
WIRE LACE SUPPLIES PRODUCTS
Enamelled copper wire
This wire is the best material I have found for bobbin lace making and I have used it exclusively for last 15 years. Colour coating is strong and durable. It doesn’t chip off when wire is manipulated and it is not easily marked with metal tools, such as pins, hooks or pliers. Copper wire is soft and pliable to accommodate lace stitches well, yet it has enough resiliency to sustain firm tensioning. These qualities make lacemaking with wire easier and more enjoyable, and bring better results. Therefore this wire is suitable for many lace types – from plaited laces. through many kinds of ground based patterns, to free form designs.
Available in 30+ colours in glossy, opaque or metal finishes.
3rd lace|heart|art Challenge and Online Exhibition
of Handmade Bobbin Lace in Colour
is proudly sponsored by:
New School of Lace, Canada
New School of Lace was established in 2014 in community of South Surrey, British Columbia. Main goal of the school is to promote interest in traditional craft of handmade lace through teaching, lecturing and exhibiting lace art. Word ‘new’ in the school’s name refers not only to the event of spreading five hundred years old European craft to the New World, but also points out unique potential of lacemaking to evolve and open new horizons for creative activity.
School’s founder Lenka Suchanek – lacemaker, lace artist and lace teacher – has devoted more than thirty years to preserving fine craft of handmade lace and is passionate about keeping lacemaking alive in families and communities, for generations to come. She envision fine craft of lace as a part of modern life, capable to carry on the Renaissance ideal of beauty and harmony.
School’s goal to contribute to well-being of a sustainable community is reflected in the programs that fulfill current needs, inspire possibilities and create potential for future.
Lenka's Way of Lace 