The best Laying Tool?

[Elmsley Rose]

I love needlepainting (Long and Short stitch). I want to invest in a good laying tool.

I was thinking of Shar Pendray's "Best Laying Tool" but then a friend recommended getting a Japanese one (I'm sorry, I forget the Japanese word for it). But it's at least twice the price. I'm happy to pay - if it's worth it.

What do you recommend?

[Carol-Anne]

Hi Megan, I'm not sure that I have anything new to add to the mix.  I use a tekobari.  I agree with Romily that although the tekobari is smooth, it somehow grips the silk. 

 

Before owning a tekobari, I seldom used a laying tool.  Now that I have learnt to use one, I seldom stitch without it.  It is useful for so many things: laying threads, holding thread in place while you form a stitch, pushing a stitch aside if you need to bring your needly up beneath it, reverse stitching a stitch, undoing knots or tangles.  I'm sure I've used it in other ways :-)  I use it for goldwork and for beadwork (I even have a second tekobari that I keep with my beadwork :-)  )

 

If my tekobari is not to hand, I have used a spare needle (the larger the better and I find ball point rather than sharp needles better), a small knitting needle, even a cocktail stitch (pick a nice smooth one).  I have a wooden laying tool, it is lovely wood and beautifully turned.  Unfortunately I broke the tip when it was on the sofa beside me and I accidently pushed down on it when I went to stand up :-(

 

 

[Elmsley Rose]

 

Thanks for that Carol-Anne.

 

So gripping the silk is a good thing?

 

[Carol-Anne]

It is difficult to describe, Megan.  The tekobari is smooth - it has to be as the slightness roughness would snag the silk - but it is not a glassy smoothness that the silk slides off. 

 

[Carol-Anne]

This made me laugh Christine.  When I was demonstrating Japanese embroidery at a show one time, a lady watched me intently for a few minutes then pointed to my tekobari and asked "Is that what makes the needle come back up, is it magnetic?"

Christine said:

I have wondered if it has to do with properties of the smooth stainless steel and silk - e.g. like a 'magnetic' property (I am making that up).  - Christine

[Maureen A. Wolfe]

 I do Japanese embroidery and use a tekobari.  It's very similar, just slightly more slender. 

[Elmsley Rose]

Susan Elliot mentioned in a mail that you'd said this (I hope you don't mind her passing on your comment).

 

It's definitely made up my mind! JEC Tekobari it is! I definitely don't want a sudden taper - I have a hand quaver I have to deal with, and I can just see myself accidentally attacking the ground or integrity of the thread when laying threads with a tool like that.

 

Thankyou so much for all of your help. :-) :-)

[Elmsley Rose]

I'll mail carol-anne and see if she knows, and can add to the discussion (just in case she doesn't see this) - being our Japanese embroiderer representative here :-)

 

Megan/Elmsley Rose

[Carol-Anne]

LOL, I hardly think I am that Megan.  There are far more experienced Japanese embroiderers than me on this sight but I am flattered.

 

Shay Pendray, who designed the BLT, is an extremely experience stitcher and an expert in many techniques, including Japanese embroidery. She would have been using a tekobari for many years before developing this tool.  I can only imagine that the sudden taper suits her better for some reason.  I understand that the BLT is also slightly shorter than a tekobari  Maybe that Shay has small hands and finds the shorter length more comfortable.  Pure speculation on my behalf.  I've never seen or used the BLT so cannot really comment on how well it works, I'm afraid.

 

[Elmsley Rose]

Well, I have medium heading towards large hands, so all the more reason for the tekobari!

 

Thanks for replying :-)

[Elmsley Rose]

Um, the link doesn't seem to work.

 

But *thankyou* SO MUCH for going to the trouble !

 

You are a Queen.

[Elmsley Rose]

Got 'em. There is quite a difference, isn't there!

 

It was lovely to see all of your pieces laid out. I've been following your blog for ages, and it was nice to see some 'old friends' up there, and some news works that I haven't seen before :-)

 

Trish Nguyen of Thistle Threads wrote up a long PDF on how to take macro-photos (ie close up). She tried to cover different variations over different models of camera. It's free. If you give me an e-mail, I'll happily send it to you :-)

[Elmsley Rose]

I sent it via "YouSentIt" - a free large file sharing programme. Just click on the link to download the PDF.

It'll expire after 7 days.

I hope it helps you like you've helped me :-)