Linking with our lace and lacemakers exhibition, this is a small lace pillow complete with 29 pairs of bobbins.  It belonged to Mrs. Keens of Haynes.

The lace being worked is the older style Point Ground lace with raised leaves or tallies on the cloth work, which is outlined in gimp.  The bobbins are mostly wood, some decorated with pewter.  There are Bedfordshire butterflies, tigers and leopards. 

On the spangles are a hand carved nut, buttons from clothes and shoes, tiny coral beads and a bead with a spiral decoration which was thought to ward off the evil eye.

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