Spangled bobbins - for show and for pleasure. This picture shows why people are interested in the spangled bobbins. Looking closely you can see an arrowhead, a Cub Scout pin (definitely days of yore, if not quite pre-historic), sea shells rescued from the waves by the eager hands of my toddlers, a Christmas tree, a variety of handmade beads, and more. My first 'real' bobbin is on this pillow - an English 1990 Noel bobbin from the friend who got me into lacing in the first place. The lacer trying to make money would not have used spangled bobbins (too cumbersome, slow, and expensive). These were for the 'ladies' whose needlework graced their parlors and their equipment had to be equally elegant.

Photograph: Courtesy John Vain