A single piece of fine bobbin lace could use more thread than the distance from London to Edinburgh — each strand wound on its own tiny spool.
A cylinder or spool on which thread, yarn, or wire is wound. Used in sewing machines, looms, and lace-making.
From French bobine (spool, reel), of uncertain ultimate origin, possibly imitative of the bobbing motion of the spool during winding, or from a Gaulish/Celtic source Key roots: bobine (French: "spool, reel").
Bobbin lace, one of the most intricate textile arts ever developed, involves braiding and twisting dozens or even hundreds of threads, each wound on its own bobbin, according to a pattern pinned to a pillow. The technique emerged in the late 15th century and became a major European luxury industry. Cities like Bruges, Mechelen, and Honiton gave their names to distinctive lace