This is exploring half stitch spiders, otherwise known as Eye of Horus.
Pattern:
Bobbins: 16 pairs (6 pairs blue, 1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow, 1 purple)
Style: Torchon (experimental)
Stitches:
half stitch
cloth stitch
cloth stitch and twist
Details:
Half stitch spider (green)
Torchon ground
double Torchon ground
complex start (blue)
single twisted footside (blue)
Description:
Follow the links above for explanation of how to work the different parts of the lace.
Half stitch spiders are like ordinary spiders, but done in half stitch rather than cloth stitch. This pattern has such spiders with 8, 12 and 16 legs. It is (even) easier to get lost than with a normal spider. Remember, there are only 2 (or 3, or 4) stitches per row, with each pair on the left working across the pairs on the right. When this is complete, put in the pin, and do the reverse. I think you really need to understand conventional spiders before attempting this! The pin may not be necessary to the final spider, as the pairs don't wrap round it, but I found it useful while working it!
The pairs get split up working the spider, but rather unexpectedly, end up coming back together again. This pattern shows this effect by making the pairs different colours.
This pattern has rather a complicated start and end. I've put a link to "complex starts". That describes putting a headside at the top. This is putting a footside at the top, but the principle is the same. You can make a simple start if you prefer.
Here is a larger scale photo, to see the working:
© Jo Edkins 2024 - return to lace index