I had so enjoyed picking up my lace again that I decided to give myself a Christmas Present and ordered three lace patterns from Slovenia.  I stumbled across Irma Pavanja's patterns on the web, and decided to take the plunge.  After making my choice and paying, I was surprised to find that the patterns would be posted, and not as a digital download.  They arrived today having taken two weeks.  I was surprised at the size of one I had chosen - it is quite big.  I will need to check what thread to use, as the patterns seem much bigger than the ones I have done before.  While waiting for the patterns to arrive, I made a start on a piece from the book I bought last Christmas. (Small Motifs in Idrija Technique by Barbara Fay Verlag) I am really enjoying it and it is progressing much quicker than I first imagined - apart from that is - the tallies!! I have decided I hate doing the petals (tallies) I would rather do 10 sewings than just one pair of tallies!  I have used two pairs of bobbins with some metalic thread.  I have no idea what the metalic thread is, its name or manufacturer.  My husband came home with some metalic cones many years ago having been given them by a lady at the night classes he ran at the time.  I had tried many times in the past to use these metalic threads with my sewing machine, but they always kept breaking.  I have recently used them with my Pfaff Creative Icon sewing/embroidery machine (using a bigger eyed needed) and they stitched out really well.  It just goes to show that you should never give up, but just find the right tools to do the job.  Having a little bit of 'bling' in this lace gives it a bit more or a 'Christmassy' look.