SPOTLIGHT ON BOBBINS

WHAT IS A BOBBIN?

A bobbin is a practical lacemaking tool and the beads at the end, the “spangle” – often held deep meaning and personal significance. Only bobbins from the East Midlands region of England have beads – typically they do not.

As bobbins were regularly handled they became a lacemakers’ almanac. A single bobbin might hold a bead from mum’s necklace, a button from child’s clothing – or curios from a life long-lived. These weren’t necessarily valuable or fancy but simple fragments of life that were too meaningful to throw away.