birds and bees and trees and leaves

I have seen several people on here trying out lace which makes me super dooper happy! None of them have just made a bandage or a snake. It feels like if everyone took up knitting by making a cable jumper as their first project, instead of just doing a garter stitch scarf. Which is great if that is what you want to do, go for it. But if that all feels a bit too much you can start 1 stich at a time, just make a snake (or a bandage if you must be mature) .

Bobbin lace is no harder than knitting. Can you count to 4? Then you can make bobbin lace, there are only 2 basic movements and you use 4 bobbins at a time. And there are loads of patterns out there that are the equivalent of a garter stitch scarf. Just the basic stich repeated until it is in your head but following a different shape. Cross, twist put a pin in it. Doesn’t that sound easy?

Please please please don’t be discouraged by seeing the work of people who have been making lace for years. You can start out with easy things and get used to the process, figure out your tension etc. Here is my third piece I ever made - hey it is a snake, so were the first and second! This one has eyes and a sparkly thread! 

Snake pattern - Snakes galore by Christine Springett    

Edit to include better instructions for book/online learners thanks to @nianeyna:

Bandage pattern: https://www.theedkins.co.uk/jo/lace/pat1.htm (other great help is also on this site https://www.theedkins.co.uk/jo/lace/index.htm)

 A free alternative cool fire pattern - https://www.laceguild.org/beginners-pattern -hang on all bobbins on first pin and work in same way as the bandage

IMINT #06562 from NROL-129 (TS/SCI)