Master the art of needle lace making in this image-rich guide! Step by step, it explains the needed materials, takes you through the first, core skills, and teaches the process, from creating the pattern and preparing the support to separating, trimming, and smoothing. Detailed row-by-row drawings and photos clearly showing the threads' placements help you learn quickly and without frustration. Then follow the instructions for 40 different lace patterns. Included are many examples of ways you can use your finished lace in beautiful and creative ways, along with dozens of variations that will let you add your own personality to your lace, and understand the draw that lace making has had over the millennia.

Bobbin lacemaking is a wonderfully therapeutic hobby. This manual is intended as a primer for the newcomer, or those taking up a class of study. Torchon lacemaking is ideal for the beginner as it is geometric, and mistakes are easily corrected. It is also a stepping stone to other forms of lacemaking. The book also contains information on reading patterns, on mounting lace in a variety of ways, and advice on changing the scale of the lace using different grids and a variety of threads. Ideas are given for colored lace and tips on lace design. A number of projects to try are included--cake frills and garters, small mats and handkerchiefs, lavender bags and pin cushions.