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Hallie Ray
Hallie Ray
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
2.25" x 1"
Lizbeth size 10 color 603
My first piece of needle lace.
17 Nov 2023
Devon Thein
Livingston, New Jersey, USA
Leaf size 4 ½ inches
Bottom half is unknown thread from Maggie.
Top half is a DMC 12.
Maggie is very concerned that lacemakers are largely anonymous and she plans to have everyone’s name on the art work. In an effort to test methods for self-identification for the lacemaker, I put my initials and the date on the leaf. I think it will make it easier to find in the large assemblage.
2 December 2023
Mary Elizabeth Barron
Logan City, Queensland, Australia
Leaf sizes, two each at:
6.5 cm (2.6 inches) by 2.5 cm (1 inch)
5.8 cm (2.3 inches) by 2.2 cm (0.9 inches)
I used a spool of old crochet cotton, Coats mercer-crochet cotton thread No. 40, from my mother’s stash.
This was my first attempt at needle lace but certainly not my last.
Mary Mangan
Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
Materials: DMC No 50 cotton.
Size: ~~3.5 inches or 8.7 cm
This is a sample of a leaf for the project. I'm only a beginner at needle lace, but I am grasping the appeal now. From nothing you create an object using only thread and a single needle.... My leaf is one half Maggie's guidance, and one half a scallop pattern in an old needlework text from Modern Priscilla that I have admired but never had the courage to try. That's why I included the book in the photo. The text is from 1925.
I have been meaning to try needle lace for a long time so I was very happy when this community project came along to give me a prod in the right direction. The leaves are just the right size for learning and experimenting. Thank you Maggie Hensel- Brown!
I used white and ecru DMC Cordonnet Special 50 left over from something else.
Gillian Clarke
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Denise Botkin
Curran, Michigan, USA
I have played with Armenian needle lace a little and battenburg. I was happy to see the instructions for another type of needle lace. The challenge sounded fun and it has been. I have the 5 leaves done. The smallest was with an unknown brand of #50 cotton. The rest are done with #30 DMC and the largest leaf has a center vein and the outside done in # 8 DMC pearl cotton. Thanks!
Leaf size: 7cm x 2.8cm (2.7 x 1 inches) Thread: 2 strands of The Thread Gatherer Silk ‘n Colours (col
Prairie Winter #721)
Border Thread: House of Embroidery Pearl Cotton 8 (col #41)
Stitches used:
Detached buttonhole with return
Detached up and down buttonhole
Twisted buttonhole with return in alternate stitches
Leaf size: 4.6 x 2cm (1.8 x 0.8 inches) Thread: 2 strands of Silk Caron Waterlilies (col # 130 eggshell)
Border Thread:
DMC Cotton Perle 8 (col #950)
Stitches used:
Double Brussels, Trellis stitch,
Detached buttonhole with return
Sue Babbs
Northfield, Illinois, USA
The stitches are much more distinct when worked in the smooth Soie Perlée than in the fluffier Silk ‘n Colours or Caron Waterlilies. Though I did like the subtle variegations in those threads.
Leaf size: 12 x 5cm (4.6 x 1.9 inches) Thread: Au Ver à Soie Soie Perlée (col # 80)
Stitches used:
Knotted buttonhole, Trellis stitch
Knotted buttonhole in alternate stitches
Knotted double buttonhole
Detached buttonhole with return
Double Brussels
Yvonne Taylor
Douglasville, Georgia
11 cm
DMC 12 cotton ecru
Enjoyed learning this and working on it at Christmas time so family and friends could see! As a bobbin Lacer, I love the mobility of this craft.
Carolyn M. Wetzel
Massachusetts, USA
Top left:
apx 7 cm in length.
DMC Cebelia, No 20, Ecru
Edge Clark's, 30, Color 4A (Vintage)
Top right:
apx 6.5cm in length.
Lizbeth 20, Col. 168
Edge DMC Cebelia No 20, Ecru
Larger leaf:
apx 9.5cm in length.
Lizbeth Size 20, Color 601
Edge DMC Ecru, No 20, Cebelia
I enjoyed creating the leaves and participating in the Community Lacemaking Project.
Carol Parry
NW Indiana, USA
Liz Redford
Liz Redford
North Carolina, USA
I have sent 4 leaves to Maggie. They are made of size 20 crochet cotton. They are about 2.5 inches long.
Mary Ramke
Mary Ramke
Denver, Colorado, USA
Loved this project!
Jill Hawkins
Jill Hawkins
Cheshire, Connecticut, USA
My first attempt at needlelace, and I think I’m addicted!
Joyce Ann Martin
Joyce Ann Martin
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
Sizes of Leaves: Approximately 3" x 1.25" and 4" x 1.75"
Materials: Lizbeth Size 20 (Colors: 603 Ecru and 602 Natural)
I had been wanting to learn needle lace for some time, and Maggie's presentation about this project finally inspired me to give it a go! Little did I know when I started that these leaves would become my companions during isolation when I caught COVID in January. Never was I more thankful for the calming effect of lacemaking. The larger one was my very first piece of needle lace; the smaller one my second.
Miriam Kahn
Miriam Kahn
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Needlelace stitched with beige Cebelia 30 and DMC Cordonnet Special 40. The two smaller leaves are 1.5" (excluding stem); the larger is 3.5" (excluding stem).
I attended the lecture, watched the videos, and attended the online zoom class which was very informative and lots of fun.
Thanks so much to Maggie Hensel-Brown for introducing me to needlelace. I've dabbled in it before but now I am hooked. I'll be making more leaves and other shapes.
Katholene Hofner
Katholene Hofner
Haskins, Ohio, USA
Haskins, Ohio, USA
My leaf is 2.25” x 1”. I used DMC Cecelia 20. This is my first piece of needle lace. Finished 2/29/2024.
Helen Gieske
Helen Gieske
Frederica, Delaware, USA
Frederica, Delaware, USA
My name is Helen Gieske, and I am a member of the Diamond State Lacemakers (Delaware) and the Liberty Lacers (Philadelphia area).
The leaf I made is 1.25 x 3 inches. I used Clarks ONT thread size 30, mostly because I already had it and it was the right shade and size.
I was intrigued with the challenge, as I had been wanting to try needle lace. The step by step photos and directions were outstanding. After a couple of tries, I was able to make something I felt was acceptable to send. I also enjoyed Maggie's podcast.
Maureen Tuttle
Greensburg, Pennsylvania, USA
I completed 5 leaves that have been mailed to Maggie Hensel-Brown.
The small leaves are 2 inches long and the large leaves are 4 inches long. I used DMC Cebeilia size 20 thread.
Shannon McDowell
Shannon McDowell
Maplewood, New Jersey, USA
Maplewood, New Jersey, USA
My leaves are all made of Lizbeth cotton thread sizes 20, 40, 80.
Liliana Wahn
Texas, USA
Material: Lizbeth 20
Colors: white, ecru
Sizes: 2 x 4cm, 2 x 8cm
Coats & Clark's Tatting & Crochet Cotton
Coats & Clark's Tatting & Crochet Cotton
Size 30 ecru video only
Size 30 ecru video only
DMC Cebelia
DMC Cebelia
Size 30 ecru PDF file only
Size 30 ecru PDF file only
DMC Special Dentelles
DMC Special Dentelles
Size 80 white PDF file occasionally
Size 80 white PDF file occasionally
Tammy Paulson
Stillwater, Minnesota, USA
Linda Antal
Ashland, Missouri, USA
Size 30 Knit-Cro-Sheen - Ecru
Lengths of leaves: 2.5", 3.4" and 4.25"
I've always wanted to try needle lacemaking and this challenge prompted me to give it a try. I really enjoyed it. Thank you for the opportunity!
Gráinne Griffin
Furbo, Co. Galway, Ireland
My 3 leaf sizes are
12cm x 6cm
5.5cm x 2.5cm
4.5cm x 2 cm
Materials used were Coats cotton (white and ecru).
I already had these in no 20 and 30.
Stitches: detached button hole, linen stitch, twisted buttonhole, corded triple buttonhole, chain picot, bead stitch and rosettes
I really enjoyed making these little leaves for Maggie’s project and being part of the worldwide lace community.
Dones Del Castell De Bellcaire, Spain
Anna M Mercader
Mercè Brunsó
Maria Batlle
M Dolors Alabau
Margot Sánchez
M Lluïsa Colom
Gloria Hurtado
Maria Colls
M Mercè Rovira
Sofia Tsampara
Sofia Tsampara
Athens, Greece
I liked the challenge so, I spent a lot of time & imagination
to finish this project. I see it as a chair pillow.
4.7” x 1.7”
DMC #10 cordonnet special
Sally Olsen
Iowa, USA
5” x 2.3”
DMC #10 cordonnet special
You are welcome to contribute as many leaves as you want for this challenge and for Maggie Hensel-Brown’s Project. Deadline for mailing leaves to Maggie is mid-March 2024. Deadline for emailing pictures to IOLI is March 31, 2024.
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