Lace Notes	R e s i z i n g   T h r e a d s
	Introduction	Thread Numbering	Other Points

Resizing Patterns or Threads

Vibeke Ervø

Occasionally you may wish to work a lace pattern with a different thread from the one specified. But to use a thicker thread you have to enlarge the pattern, and to use a finer thread you have to reduce the size of the pattern. On other occasions you may wish to change the size of the pattern, in which case the size of the thread must be altered. The question is “How much should you alter the pattern or the thread?”

For linen threads I have constructed the table below to help you make the size conversions. This is for linen threads numbered according to the English (Nel) system. For threads numbered according to the metric (Nm) system divide by 0.6 or multiply by 1.67 to convert to the Nel equivalent. (For example, the Nm number of Madeira Tanne 30 is 50/2, which is equivalent to a Nel number of approximately 80/2.) Further information on threads and how the table was constructed is on the Thread Numbering page.

	16/2	20/2	35/3	40/3	28/2	30/2	50/3	35/2	40/2	50/2	78/3	60/2	70/2	80/2	90/2	100/2
16/2	—	89	83	77	76	73	69	68	63	56	55	52	48	45	42	40
20/2	112	—	93	87	85	82	77	76	71	63	62	58	53	50	47	45
35/3	121	108	—	94	91	88	84	82	76	68	67	62	58	54	51	48
40/3	129	115	107	—	98	94	89	87	82	73	72	67	62	58	54	52
28/2	132	118	110	102	—	97	92	89	84	75	73	68	63	59	56	53
30/2	137	122	113	106	104	—	95	93	87	77	76	71	65	61	58	55
50/3	144	129	120	112	109	105	—	98	91	82	80	75	69	65	61	58
35/2	148	132	122	115	112	108	102	—	94	84	82	76	71	66	62	59
40/2	158	141	131	122	120	115	110	107	—	89	88	82	76	71	67	63
50/2	177	158	146	137	134	129	122	120	112	—	98	91	85	79	75	71
78/3	180	161	149	140	136	132	125	122	114	102	—	93	86	81	76	72
60/2	194	173	160	150	146	141	134	131	122	110	107	—	93	87	82	77
70/2	209	187	173	162	158	153	145	141	132	118	116	108	—	94	88	84
80/2	224	200	185	173	169	163	155	151	141	126	124	115	107	—	94	89
90/2	237	212	196	184	179	173	164	160	150	134	132	122	113	106	—	95
100/2	250	224	207	194	189	183	173	169	158	141	139	129	120	112	105	—
	16/2	20/2	35/3	40/3	28/2	30/2	50/3	35/2	40/2	50/2	78/3	60/2	70/2	80/2	90/2	100/2
copyright Vibeke Ervø 1988

The table is used in the same way as tables for finding distances between towns. Two examples are given below and highlighted in light blue on the table.

Changing the Thread Size

First find the original thread in the left-hand column, then follow the row to the column with the thread you want to use. The intersection between the row and the column gives you the percentage by which you need to change the pattern. For example:

The pattern specifies 50/3 linen thread, but you want to use 40/2 linen thread.
Find 50/3 in the left-hand column, follow the 50/3 row to the 40/2 column.
The value at the intersection is 91%, so you decrease the pattern size to 91% of the original

Changing the Pattern Size

First find the original thread in the left-hand column, then follow the row to the column with the percentage by which you want to change the original pattern. The thread at the top of this column is the one you need to use. For example:

You have reduced the pattern which specifies 35/3 linen thread to 85% of the original.
Find 35/3 in the left-hand column, follow the 35/3 row to the nearest value to 85%, which in fact is 84%.
Now follow the column containing 84% to the top cell, which is 50/3, the thread size to use.

The table and these pages are the copyright of Vibeke Ervø. They are based on an article published in the OIDFA Bulletin, 2/2000. They may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes and we hope that teachers and pupils alike will find them of help.