This double torchon ground for bobbin lace is almost the same as the single torchon ground I covered previously. It uses the same pricking pattern and stitch, and this sample is made with the same fiber I used previously. All that changes is how many of the same stitch you make. With that tiny change you can switch from having a diamond grid stitch to this, which is more filled in and round/oval in look. This is advantageous because it’s nice to be able to use the same skills for different effects, but more importantly because the two grounds can be used interchangeably in most patterns that call for one or the other.
Supplies:
– #30 crochet thread
– prepared bobbins or clothespins (as shown in this post)
– pins
– cork panels or lace making pillow
Print a pattern:
1 inch wide lace strip pattern (this is what I used) or
large lace sheet pattern (can be cut down or pieced together for any size lace sheet)
This pattern makes use of the Whole Stitch. You can see a detailed diagram of it by clicking here.
This pattern is built off of an understanding of the basic whole stitch/torchon lace ground. It’s much easier to get right, so if you haven’t tried it you should. You could work that pattern for a while, then switch to this one part way through if you’d like.
A good estimate for this pattern is that you should cut strands 2 times as long as the length of finished lace you want. Each strand is folded in half, so you’ll actually cut them 4 times the desired length. As always, if you’re starting a large project it would be very beneficial to do a sample first to be sure your math is right. In this example I’m using 16 bobbin/ends, but it will work the same with any multiple of 4 bobbins.
Set up your lace pricking pattern on cork and hang 2 pairs of bobbins off of the two left side pins.
Twist each pair of bobbins. In every twist the right bobbin goes over the left bobbin of the pair.
Start by setting the furthest right and furthest left pairs out of the way. You’ll be working the two center pairs.
With the 4 center bobbins work a cross, twist, cross, twist.
Cross the two center bobbins by lifting the left bobbin over the right.
Twist the pairs of bobbins by lifting the right over the left in each pair.
Then repeat, cross the center left over the center right, then twist both pairs by lifting the right over the left.
It looks exactly like the diagram in the Whole Stitch post, except that you skip the pin.
Now add a pin below the entire stitch you just made.
And repeat the whole stitch – cross, twist, cross, twist.
Give the pair to the left two twists (right over left) and add the pin on the left side of the first diamond.
Now make another whole stitch, this time with the two left side pairs. Cross, twist, cross twist.
Now pin below that stitch and do it again – cross, twist, cross, twist.
The thing that makes this more difficult than the basic torchon ground is getting the tension right, especially at the start. You’ll need to gently pull on each strand to try to get it all aligned, and repeat these gentle adjustments after each pin you add.
This is the same as in the last photo, but adjusted to be more even.
Slide all of your working bobbins off the left, then add another two pairs to the next pin on the right at the top. Twist each pair (right over left.)
Slide the right hand pair off to the side and cross twist cross twist with the next two pairs.
Add the pin.
Cross, twist, cross, twist again.
Set a pair aside to the right, and pick up the next pair to the left. Cross, twist, cross, twist.
Add the pin.
Cross, twist, cross, twist. Gently adjust out some of the slack.
Again, set a pair aside to the right and pick up a pair from the left. Cross, twist, cross, twist.
Pin it in place.
Cross, twist, cross, twist, and adjust.
Twist the left side pair twice and add the pin for the left edge, then bring those in and work the next whole stitch.
Pin and work another.
Go over your tension again as you slide all of the pairs off the left and out of the way. Add two more pairs and twist (right over left.)
Continue working in the same way, moving pair by pair to the left and adding pairs of whole stitches on the diagonal.
The right edge needs the same treatment as the left – twist the right side pair twice (right over left) and add that pin on the outer edge of the pattern.
Then continue working diagonal rows.
Keep working diagonal rows until you reach the desired length on the left edge, and fill in rows from the right until the piece is even across the bottom (unless you want a diagonal lower edge – it’s your lace!) Carefully unpin your lace and it’s done!
The hardest thing about this for me was, obviously, the tension. I can see a few inconsistencies in the sample I made that would improve with practice. This another ground pattern – literally a background for other patterns to be worked within, but I really like it as is, especially for a simple, modern looking application.
