Bobbin Lace - Modern Designs - Worksop Library - Adult Learning

About this course

This engaging and practical course introduces you to bobbin lace making with a focus on modern artistic expression. Using accessible techniques such as Tape/Braid lace and Torchon bobbin lace, you will reinterpret this heritage craft into bold, contemporary designs.

Designed for beginners and improvers, the course supports step-by-step technical development alongside experimentation, encouraging learners to move beyond traditional patterns into abstract, expressive lacemaking.

Over the duration of the course, you will:

Foundations of Bobbin Lace

Learn the history and evolution of bobbin lace, including its transition into contemporary textile art

Develop core techniques including the cross and twist movements

Build confidence in:

Handling bobbins and threads

Reading and adapting lace patterns (prickings)

Maintaining consistent tension and spacing

Accurate pin placement

Modern Art Exploration

Explore how lace can be used as a medium for artistic expression

Experiment with:

Colour combinations and non-traditional materials

Scale and spacing to create abstract effects

Texture and layering within lace structures

Take inspiration from modern art movements such as abstract, minimalism, and textile art

Creative Development

Design and develop your own lace pieces

Adapt or create simple patterns to reflect individual artistic ideas

Produce a small collection of sample pieces or a finished contemporary lace artwork

Additional Information

No prior experience required

Learners with experience can work on more complex or independent designs

Emphasis on creativity, experimentation, and personal style

By the end of the course, you will have not only developed technical lace-making skills but also created distinctive modern lace artwork and built valuable creative and employability skills that can support further study, hobbies, or creative enterprise.

All equipment is provided by Tutor for use in Session, but if you have lacemaking equipment please bring it with you.

Booking your place and fee information

Funding and Fees

If you receive certain benefits, you may be able to take the course for free.
If money is stopping you from enrolling, please visit our funding page to see what help is available.

Living in England

To book and join one of our courses, you must live in England permanently and either:

• Live inside the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) area (Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire)

or

• Live outside the devolved areas listed below

You cannot enrol if you live in these devolved areas:

•    Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
•    Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

• Greater London Authority
•    North East Combined Authority
•    South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
•    Tees Valley Combined Authority
•    West Midlands Combined Authority
•    West of England Combined Authority
•    West Yorkshire Combined Authority
•    Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority
•    York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
•    Hull and East Yorkshire
•    Greater Lincolnshire
•    Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority
•    Cornwall Council
•    Lancashire Combined County Authority
•    Buckinghamshire

• Warwickshire

• Surrey

Residency Requirements (Additional Information)

If you live in the UK on a visa, we’ll need evidence of your visa to confirm funding. You can upload this when applying, and you’ll need to complete a short questionnaire.

Some exceptions include:

• Your visa must last until after your course ends.

• Asylum seekers must have lived in the UK for at least 6 months while their claim is being processed.

• You are supported by your local authority under Section 23C or 23CA of the Children Act 1989, or under the Care Act 2014.

Anyone who does not meet the funding criteria would need to pay full course fees.