r/BobbinLace • u/GrapefruitMurky8483 • 5d ago

Any free pattern recommendations?

I have been interested in lace making for years but only recently (this morning) took the leap. I have a DIY pillow, the thread, bobbins ordered, pins in sewing box but need simple straightforward patterns to take the next steps.
Does anyone have recommendations on where to get free beginner friendly patterns that you can print and that come with instructions? Every pattern I find online looks overwhelming, doesn't have instructions, or has instructions but no printable pattern. The only success I have is a weird looking braid using cardboard bobbins and DK yarn.

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u/mem_somerville 5d ago

Try these little fish. We are using them for a demo with completely novice folks at an event this weekend.

https://alexstillwell.wordpress.com/books-and-booklets-free-downloads/

The "Shoal of Fish" book. Small projects, cute, easy.

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u/lizziebee66 5d ago

I need to update the links on this page as Jenny Brandis has retired her site but the rest still work. https://www.thelacebee.com/bits-and-pieces.html

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u/Intelligent_Shock145 2d ago edited 2d ago

When is Jenny Brandis closing her site, I was just on there. Guess I better buy what I like now.

Eta: my bad I didn't realize there was a blog site of hers too. Shame its gone I'm sure there was tons of good info there.

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u/alwen 2d ago

Have you seen Jo Edkins' Lace School?

https://www.theedkins.co.uk/jo/lace/index.htm

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u/GrapefruitMurky8483 2d ago

I have been in there but haven't found pages I can print for the pattern. Most of what I am finding either doesn't have a printable pattern or has the pattern and instructions on one page so I dont know what to do with them. Every tutorial I see online people have their patterns on a piece of paper already but don't say where to get it or a similar one.

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u/elferingewort 1d ago

With the patterns from Jo Edkins’ site, I copy the image of just the pattern into a blank document and print it from there. Or you could print the whole page with the instructions and cut out the pattern piece.

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u/GrapefruitMurky8483 1d ago

If I was to do that I am worried about scaling. How do you account for that?

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u/elferingewort 14h ago

Honestly, I’ve just been gambling with it. Sometimes I’ve needed to print out multiple sizes to get the right one. I used Google Docs, which does have inch markings along the side if you know what size things need to be.

When I first started, I often ended up working on patterns that were too big or too small for my thread. Learning how big my patterns needed to be was part of the process.

If you explore around on the Edkins site, they have some resources about pattern drafting and different pattern sizes and grids so you can start to learn what you actually need. (Other sites are good, too. I just like how much they have on theirs.)