My Lace Making Experience

Yesterday, I went on a lace making workshop at The Malt Cross, here in Nottingham, with the very-talented Louise West, from Louise West Lace Design. Lace making was something that I'd been desperate to try and make for years and years. It looked so complicated, I thought it would take forever for me to pick up and learn!  The session was only £15 for 3hrs, and the materials were all provided for us. Unsurprisingly, the class was full! Everyone must have had the same thought as me: "when in Nottingham, learn to make lace". (Even though Nottingham lace was about the mass-production of lace, instead of the handmade stuff! Fun fact I learnt at the workshop...)

Looking at my pattern, pillow and bobbins, I was terrified. Louise taught us how to make the basic cloth stitch, which is apparently one of the two stitches used to make lace. (Only 2! I thought there would be loads!) She is so quick at making lace, which isn't surprising as she's been doing it for 21 years, I definitely was scared that I wasn't going to get my little snake bookmark finished in time!

She taught us that you only ever use 4 bobbins at once. 2 goes over 3. 2 goes over 1. 4 goes over 3 and then 2 goes over 3. We were muttering that mantra to ourselves when we first started to make the lace and were all engrossed in our work.

I soon picked it up, as I think I have a knack for patterns and sequences and was well on my way! Two hours later, I had a little snake bookmark! I'm so proud of myself :D

I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and would recommend it to anyone, if you see Louise teaching a workshop near to you, go along! It's so therapeutic and I think I could become very addicted to making lace...

Check out Louise on Facebook, Twitter and her website for more information about her work.