Patterns

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BASICS

NATURE and ANIMAL SERIES

Wire Lacework: Lenka’s Introduction to Bobbin Lace in Wire


Handmade bobbin lace is a rare textile technique that accommodates fibre as well as metal medium. Most lacemakers are familiar with the prevalent fibre form. This manual endeavours to introduce a lesser known wire lace techniques to a wider audience.

Price: CA$18
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
“Wire Lacework: Lenka’s Introduction to Bobbin Lace in Wire”

Flower Earrings (Pattern and Tutorial #001)


Introduction to  following techniques: Plaits (braids), picots, windmill crossings, joining plaits, finishing. These are essential building blocks for plaited laces (also called braided laces), and guipures, such as Cluny, Maltese or Bedfordshire lace.
Skill level: 1     Pairs: 4
Required Bobbin Lace Skills :  Familiarity with Cross and Twist

Price: CA$9
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
Pattern & Tutorial #001 – Flower Earrings

Half Stitch Leaf (Pattern and Tutorial #002)


Instruction covers: Half stitch, working with colours, finishing.
Half stitch is an essential building block in wire lace. Wire effectively supports open half stitch weave, showing off the pattern intricacy. An effect of flowing diagonal and horizontal lines plays out especially well in colours.
Skill level: 1     Pairs: 6
Required Bobbin Lace Skills :  Familiarity with Cross and Twist

Price: CA$9
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
Pattern & Tutorial #002 – Half Stitch Leaf 

Seedlings (Pattern and Tutorial #003)


Instruction covers: Leaf tallies, joining leaves to plaits, working with colours, finishing.
Wire is a wonderful material for tally making. It is easy to use, shapes and holds well and creates three-dimensional, attractive tallies. The tallies made in wire are also perfectly stable, and unlike fibre tallies, do not distort in the weaving process or after. Therefore, the leaf tallies are very popular in wire lace and are implemented in many patterns and lace jewellery designs. SEEDLING PENDANT shows simple but effective use of leaf tallies.
Skill level: 1     Pairs: 2
Required Bobbin Lace Skills :  Familiarity with Cross and Twist

Price: CA$9
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
Pattern & Tutorial #003 – Seedlings

Snail (Pattern and Tutorial #004)


Instruction covers: Cloth (linen) stitch, gimp with beads.
Cloth stitch weave is a basic building block in bobbin lace. It is often the first thing that new lacemakers learn, before advancing to more complex architecture of the holes. Cloth stitch forms a backbone of many lace patterns. It provides contrast in the open weave and strength to the lace edges.

In wire lace, cloth stitch poses a certain challenge, which is caused by the characteristics of the material. Compared to soft and pliable threads wire is hard and rigid. Made in threads, stitches can sit very close to each other and create a dense, solid weave. In wire lace, the same stitches need much more space, because wires, even in fine gauges, do not want to snuggle. When lacemakers work for the first time with wire and come across this disappointing behaviour, they get discouraged. If it’s not possible to make a plain cloth stitch, they might think, how can wire work for lace at all?

I like cloth stitch in lace, and I like wire as well, and I did not want to give up either. I found a method to accommodate the material, and I am happy to share it. This tutorial explains various techniques which lead to a beautiful, dense and even cloth stitch weave in wire lace.

The Snail motif was chosen purposefully for this exercise. Not only does the pattern feature a long tape for practicing the stitches, but it also provides a secret hiding place for any uneven, not perfectly tensioned stitches. They are bound to happen when you are learning a new technique, and it applies doubly for wire lace. When the lace tape is finished, it is rolled into a spiral to create the snail’s shell. So if there are any imperfections in lace, they are safely hidden inside the cosy house. And the happy Snail is not in the least perturbed by it!

Skill level: 1     Pairs: 12
Required Bobbin Lace Skills :  Familiarity with Cross and Twist

Price: CA$9
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
Pattern & Tutorial #004 – Snail

Chicken Egg Stand (Pattern and Tutorial #11)


Pattern #11: CHICKEN EGG STAND is popular not only for spring celebrations, but the egg holder can be used as decoration all year around. It is one of those charming little gifts that bring about big smiles.
Skill level: 1   Pairs: 5
Required Wire Bobbin Lace Skills :  Plaits and Windmills (PT 001), Half Stitch (PT 002), Leaf Tallies and Sewings (PT 003)

Price: CA$9
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
Pattern & Tutorial #11 – Chicken Egg Stand

Snowflake (Pattern and Tutorial #12)


Pattern #12: SNOWFLAKE is an ornament for winter festivities. It can be used as a decoration on a Christmas tree or windows, added to season’s greeting cards, or made as a gift for someone special. When fitted with a bail or attached to a bangle frame, the Snowflake can be worn as a pendant, especially when made in fine silver wire.

This pattern looks great when made in Non-Tarnish Silver (0.2mm) or Ivory colour. But it can be done in many other colours: in gold it will look like a star, in red, purple or yellow, it will blossom as flowers. Imagination in wire lace has no boundaries!

Skill level: 1     Pairs: 4
Required Wire Bobbin Lace Skills : Plaits and Windmills (PT 001), Half Stitch (PT 002), Leaf Tallies and Sewings (PT 003)

Price: CA$9
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
Pattern & Tutorial #12 – Snowflake

Spring Garden (Pattern and Tutorial #13)


Pattern #13: Spring Garden is a popular design for festive spring celebrations, from vernal equinox to Easter, from birthdays to Mother’s day, and from spring weddings to baby showers. The Spring Garden lace can be finished as an egg holder or napkin ring, used as a greeting card insert, framed as a picture, or shaped as fanciful free standing 3-D decoration.

Cheerful grass greens with colourful beads brighten spaces and minds, especially after long winter. It is a wonderful gift that does not take too much time to make, and it is sure to impress the lucky recipient. The pattern is easy to learn, and is therefore suitable for lacemakers of all skill levels.

This pattern looks great when made in wire in 3 green colours (yellow, bright and leaf green) with colourful seed beads. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be tried in other colour combinations.

Skill level: 1     Pairs: 7
Required Wire Bobbin Lace Skills :  Cloth Stitch (PT 004)

Price: CA$9
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
Pattern & Tutorial #13 – Spring Garden

Butterfly Pendant (Pattern and Tutorial #14)


Pattern #14: Butterfly Pendant combines a simple tape lace with beading and wire wrapping techniques to create delicate lace jewellery.
Rich tape lace history has shown ingenuity of designs made with limited numbers of pairs. Wire lace builds on this creative tradition and expands the possibilities of decorative tape in jewellery and sculpture. In this pattern, decorative 4-pair tape with support of gimp outline folds into delicate filigree wings. Body is made of thicker wire with beads. Therefore, the butterfly perches perfectly between two fine crafts – lacemaking and jewellery making. If you are interested in either of them, or both, this 🦋 pattern is for you!

The tutorial presents samples of four colour variations, and opens the way for many creative interpretations of the pattern. After all, the butterflies, wires and beads are all known for brilliant colours, so we shouldn’t limit our imagination 🙂

Because of many materials required for the Butterfly Pendant, I decided to offer Butterfly DIY Kits to make the start easier. The kits are available in four colours and each of them has carefully selected materials for making two 🦋 pendants. Once you know how the pattern works, I am sure that you will be able to design your own lace lepidoptera species in colours of your choice!

Required Bobbin Lace Skills:
• Familiarity with plaits, half stitch and gimp work

Required Wire Lace Skills :
• Basic skills of handling wire (see “Wire Lacework” Manual)
• Plait (see Basics #001 – Flower Earrings)
• Half Stitch (see Basics #002 – Half Stitch Leaf)
• Gimp (see Basics #004 – Snail)
Safety rules are included with this pattern. Please read before you start working.

Price: CA$9
Available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies shop on Etsy:
Pattern & Tutorial #14 – Butterfly Pendant

Butterfly Pendant DIY Kit (all materials, pattern not included) in four colours here:
currently not available

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