New Tutorial on Torchon Spiders

Once you’ve mastered whole stitch and half stitch (see here for tutorials) one of the next techniques you’re likely to come across in Torchon lace are Spiders. They are so called because of their appearance but they don’t need to have eight ‘legs’- they can be made with anything from 4 upwards.

There are many variations on the basic spider, some of which are shown below:

All of these examples were worked as part of making Bridget M. Cook’s sampler, found in her book Building Torchon Lace Patterns.

To learn how to make spiders, check out the new tutorial here and #40lacestitches video on YouTube: https://youtube.com/shorts/Ey8a-2l5elc?si=HQ5spBF7f-oa6oGz

If you want to practice spiders yourself, there are loads of patterns with varying degrees of difficulty. Some patterns I’m familiar with are listed below:

– Various patterns of different levels of difficulty from Bridget M. Cook The Torchon Lace Workbook

– Spider and fan pattern, p14-16 from The Technique of Bobbin Lace by Pamela Nottingham

– Handkerchief with hearts and spiders, p75 from Lace for Special Occasions by Christine Springett

– Large shawl, p118-119 from Miniature Bobbin Lace by Roz Snowden (to practice compound spiders)

– Roseground and Spiders mat from Mainly Lace: http://mainlylace.co.uk/product/rose-ground-and-spiders-mat-lace-making-pattern/

– Lindsey and Millennium patterns from Biggins at: Full Mats

– Sampler from Building Torchon Lace Patterns by Bridget M. Cook