Lace peas and open spiders |
An ordinary spider has a number of 'legs' (twisted pairs of threads) which are joined at a single point in the middle, anchored by a pin. There are similar shapes with legs, but with holes in the middle. They are called peas or open spiders. I'm not sure which style of lace uses them. There are various ways to construct the central hole. In these diagrams, the pairs of threads are represented by a single line (as it's quite complicated enough without making it anymore difficult!)
Simple open spider Variant of open spider Pea |
Simple open spider
The open spider crosses over the middle three pairs of threads on each side similar to an ordinary spider. The outer pairs on each side work their way through the threads from the other side, pin, then back again. This pulls the other threads apart from each other making the central hole. Then the open spider is finished with the remaining three pairs on each side crossing each other again. All stitches are cloth stitch. There is a more detailed explanation below. There is a pattern with an open spider here. |
1. Start with eight pairs, four on each side. | 2. Cross the middle three pairs on each side, like an ordinary spider. | 3. Work one outer pair across the three pairs which came from the other side. | 4. Pin. | 5. Work it back again. | 6. Do the same on the other side. | 8. Cross the middle three pairs over again. |
Variant of open spider
Here is a similar, but slightly more complicated version of the open spider. There is one more pair of bobbins on each side. The middle group of bobbins cross each other as before, leaving out the outer pair on each side. These outer pairs cross the pairs from the other side, as before, but this time there are four crossings back and forth, with a pin at the end of the 'rows'. On the right, you can see the pricking, with the pins framing the spider, and the inner pins for the central hole. |
Pea
When I do a pricking pattern, I tend to write in where all the threads go, to help me (see right). This pea is quite complicated to work. Essentially, you work half a spider, then take the middle two pairs, work them outwards to a pin, then back to the middle (without a pin). A pair on either side leave the pea, and another pair join the pea. Then reverse that for the second half of the pea. See right for a moving image, and below for a more detailed explanation of the different steps. All stitches are in cloth stitch. See the zig-zag pattern for an example. | |
1. Start with six pairs, three on each side. Work middle two pairs and pin. | 2. Work half a spider with the six pairs as they now stand - i.e. work each pair on one side across all the other pairs. | 3. Take one of the middle pairs (as they now stand) and carry on working it in the same direction until it has crossed two pairs to the outside. Pin. | 4. Work it back across the same two pairs. |
5. Do the same with the other middle pair on the other side. | 6. The outermost pair leaves the pea at a pun and another joins. | 7. The new pair works across two pairs to the centre. | 8. Do the same on the other side. |
9. Work the pale blue thread out to the edge, pin and work it back to the centre. | 10. Do the same to the pink thread on the other side. | 11. Work half a spider with the six pairs as they now stand - i.e. work each pair on one side across all the other pairs. | 12. Pin between the middle and work the middle two pairs. |
No comments:
Post a Comment