Drafting Torchon Lace Patterns

by Alexandra Stillwell

The most important factor in an attempt to achieve good lace is to use an accurate pricking, and to draft it oneself is one answer. This applied to the reproduction of existing patterns, where the pricking may be in bad condition due to constant use, the drafting of a pattern from lace or a photograph, and also to the transfer of one's own ideas from the sketch pad to graph paper. The necessary equipment and materials for this work are described and sections comparing the different types of graph paper and the choice of thread are also included. Instructions are provided for drafting a wide range of patterns, including simple pieces suitable for beginners to copy through to those aimed at the more experienced lacemaker.

144 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 1986

About the author

Alexxandra (Alex) Stillwell was born in Essex where she lived until 1990 when she moved to West Sussex.

As an only child she was encouraged to develop an enquiring and independent mind. She qualified as a maths and science teacher specialising in physics and taught ages 11 to 18 years at St Edwards C of E Comprehensive school from 1963 – 1967, when she left to have the first of my two children.

A girls hobby book, which she purchased in a street market contained a section on lace making. This was to change her life. By 1973 she had taught herself enough about the subject to start teaching lace making for the Essex Handicraft Association and she progressed in leaps and bounds. As well as running her own lace making classes, she has also taught for several adult education centres, including Eastbourne College of Arts and Technology, Chelmsford Adult Education Authority and also for West Dean and Knuston Hall Residential Colleges. She also taught two classes of of the City and Guilds Lace Making Pilot Scheme.

Alex Stillwell has demonstrated lace making and exhibited her lace in the USA, Tenerife, France and Northern Ireland as well as in the UK, and taught courses at the USA and Australian Conventions, she was a section winner in the Lace Guild International Exhibition in 1995 and won the medal at the Sansepulcro International Exhibition 1996.

Quite early on she discovered there were few practical books on lace making, so she started writing, and to date has published nine books, two papers and 13 booklets.

As well as lace making, she enjoys dancing and as an accredited Round Dance cuer and teacher and have travelled across Europe, USA and Canada in that capacity.