Torchon patterns

My students have encouraged me to include the photos below as an example that not all lace needs to be complicated to give interesting effects.  Both bookmarks are just worked on a grid with the same stitch, the top on half stitch, pin, half stitch and the bottom on cloth stitch and twist pin, cloth stitch and twist.  One of our beginners is working the first bookmark as pattern number three in her lace journey – more bobbins than I would normally use with beginners but she did make lace the Spanish way until 15 years ago.

Here are some Torchon patterns I have designed – enjoy!  All patterns are my copyright, they have been set to print on A4 paper so if you are from a county that doesn’t use A4 paper please amend your printer settings so that the prickings are exactly the same size as I designed them.  More will follow in time.

This bracelet is one of four I designed for West Lancashire Lacemakers if you click on the image you will see the pattern and instructions.

The patterns for the bookmarks appeared in LACE 147.

The lace is based on an unusual piece of Torchon lace in The Lace Guild collection.  

Click on the image to see the original article with all three patterns and a working diagram for the first pattern which should give you enough information to work the features in the other two bookmarks.

The pattern for my Torchon bangle appeared in LACE 151, the instructions linked here are the ones I used with my students prior to publication in Lace.  

Click on the image to see a PDF of the pattern and  instructions (including a colour working diagram.

I had another Torchon Bangle in the Kantcentrum’s ADELAIDE KANTSPECIAL, this pattern was based on the bookmark pattern above.

The pattern for my fan and snowflake bookmark appeared in LACE 152.  Click on the image to see a PDF of the pattern, thread details and a colour working diagram.

The pattern for this bookmark and motif appeared in Issue 132 of the West Lancashire Lacemakers newsletter, there is not picture of the lace to go with this one as it hadn’t been worked at the time.  Click on the image to see a PDF of the pattern and colour working diagrams

 

The pattern for this mat was in Issue 133 of the West Lancashire Lacemakers newsletter, there is not picture of the lace to go with this one as it hadn’t been worked at the time.  Click on the image to see a PDF of the pattern.

The pattern for this bookmark appeared in Issue 134 of the West Lancashire Lacemakers newsletter.  Note that the working of the fan is slightly different to the instructions.  I used a technique used in Brugge flower lace of pivoting on a pin for the inner pin hole of the fan, the fans lie much better using this method.  I call this pattern “Twisted” because the working of the central trails makes it took like they are twisting.  Click on the image to see a PDF of the pattern and a colour working diagram (I used Aurfil 28/2 to work it).

The pattern for this bookmark appeared in Issue 135 of the West Lancashire Lacemakers newsletter.  I used it as a sampler hence the different variations in the bookmark.  When photographing the piece I struggled to find a coloured background that both the gimp and working threads would shown on.  Each of the ground pins forming the diamonds is encircled by gimps.  Click on the image to see a PDF of the pattern, thread details and a colour working 

The pattern for this bookmark appeared in Issue 136 of the West Lancashire Lacemakers newsletter.  Click on the image to see a PDF of the pattern, thread details and a colour working diagram.

The pattern for this bookmark appeared in Issue 139 of the West Lancashire Lacemakers newsletter.  Click on the image to see a PDF of the pattern, thread details and a colour working diagram.

This bookmark was in issue 140 of the West Lancashire Lacemakers newsletter,

This bookmark, with basket weave fans was in issue 142 of the West Lancashire Lacemakers newsletter.