The book is built around the idea that if you test the thread first, you will know what to expect before starting a lace pattern. It takes the guesswork out of wondering whether the lace will be too dense or too open. You can clearly see how a thread looks across a range of grid sizes for the type of lace you want to make.
Graduated Grids
Each tester grid is graduated, meaning the spacing between pinholes changes gradually across the grid. As you work from top to bottom, the lace shifts from more open to more dense. This makes it possible to see several densities at once using the same thread.
Grid Angles and Lace Types
Different types of lace are traditionally worked on different grid angles. For that reason, the tester grids are designed with angles that match common lace structures:
30-degree angle – Chantilly
35-degree angle – Tønder, Torchon, Bucks
45-degree angle – Torchon, Flanders
Grid References
The book will have a full range of images of threads already worked on the grids. If you are using a thread referenced in the book, you only need to choose which density looks best to you. Otherwise, you can work the thread on the appropriate tester grid for the lace you are making.
This is an example on a Flanders 45-degree grid. I tested multiple sizes of Fil au Chinois (Sajou) cotton thread. Studying the formation of Flanders ground for each pin spacing, I was able to decide my density preference for each thread size. To get this look with my pattern, I would need a pin spacing of:
3 mm for
80/2 Fil au Chinois
3.5 mm for
70/2 Fil au Chinois
3.5 mm for
60/2 Fil au Chinois
4 mm for
50/2 Fil au Chinois
Testing Your Own Thread
Testing thread in 3-steps:
1. Choose the tester grid that matches the type of lace you want to make. As mentioned earlier, it means looking at the lace type and angle of the grid for your bobbin lace pattern.
2. Choose the size range for the thread you are using.
For some types of lace, like Chantilly, there are only two choices for the range of sizes for the grid’s pin spacing. This is because Chantilly is normally made on a small scale.
Chantilly 30-degree – 2mm to 5 mm OR 4.5 mm to 7.5 mm
For other laces, like Torchon, you will have many choices for pin spacing, including some that are wide enough to test yarn.
Torchon 45-degree – 1.5 mm to 4.5 mm (smallest grid range)
Torchon 45-degree – 14 mm to 17 mm (largest grid range)
I will also include a study of lace pattern books with a comparison of pin spacing and suggested thread. This helps to guide you in choosing a grid size range.
3. Make lace on the grid. As you move down the grid, you can see how the thread looks at different pin spacings. Some areas may feel too dense. Others may look too open. Somewhere in between, you will find a spacing that looks right to you.
The tester grids are designed to work up quickly, making it easy to test many threads without a large time commitment.
Using the Results
The purpose of testing is not to tell you what thread or grid size you must use. It is to give you a starting point.
Once you know which grid spacing looks best with a particular thread, you can enlarge or reduce a lace pattern to match that pin spacing. This gives you more control over how your finished lace will look.
Two lacemakers may choose a different pin spacing for the same thread. Both choices are informed, and both lacemakers know what to expect before starting the pattern.
Is This Different From Other Thread Books?
There are wonderful thread sizing books that meaningfully contribute to the subject. These books present systems for measuring thread thickness by analyzing the diameter, wraps per centimeter, or weight. This is important for understanding each thread’s physical properties for comparison.
The Thread Testing for Lace Making book approaches thread differently. Instead of measuring thread in isolation, the graduated grids allow lacemakers to observe how thread performs within a specific lace structure. Using existing lace skills, thread can be evaluated across a range of pin spacings, making it possible to determine which scale produces the preferred density.
Why is Thread Testing Important?
Thread behaves differently depending on scale, grid, and lace type. By making those differences visible and testable, this gives lacemakers the information they need to choose with confidence.
Ultimately, my hope is to get rid of thread stress and help you make lace that looks the way you want.