Chris Parsons

https://www.thebobbinshop.com/
Chris Parsons has made many, many different designs of wooden and bone bobbins in Midland and Honiton and travel bobbin styles.

The Binche, Flanders, Bayeux, Danish & Square bobbins are bought in from Belgium.
On this page:
Chris' latest bobbins feature corian with either an ebony or bone head and tail.  Corian is normally used to make worksurfaces and gives these bobbins a clean look and feel. 

We asked Chris for the story behind them and he said he didn't have much of one at the moment but he could make one up!
Chris' bobbin styles
Picture
Photo © Chris Parson / the bobbin shop
  • Style A East Midland  
  • Style B Honiton
  • Style C Long Square
  • Style D Short Square
  • Style E International Square
  • Style F Bayeux
  • Style G Flanders
  • Style H Binche
  • Style I Continental / Danish ​
Whilst Chris does not paint the bobbins that he sells, he has had quite a few different artists (15) over the years!
He has only ever supplied painted bobbins on Ebony, Lemonwood and Bone all with the high gloss lacquer finish.
​
Chris created a range of Ebony with Pewter inlay from 2006ish to 2018ish and in 2011 he started making computer controlled engraved commemorative bobbins.

Chris also has a range of Ebony with Silver inserts (made by Tim Blade) from 2014ish to current day.
In 2016 Chris started making Tønder / Tonder bobbins.

He is also well known for his mother & babes, twins and triplets and the Grand Mother bobbins as well as jingle bobbins.

Watch Chris turn a Grand Mother bobbin below.
Chris doesn't just make bobbins.  He also makes tools for lacemakers; often at the request of those lacemakers such as this 0.4 crochet hook with an intergrated pin lifter.
Chris' Painters
Artist
Active
Signature
Designs
​Shelia King 
​1985- mid 1990s
  • Never signed
  • ​Beatrix Potter
  • Flowers,
  • Animals/Birds
  • Canal Art
Janet Handy 
late 1980s to mid 1990s
  • signed J Handy​
  • Beatrix Potter
Joyce Gudgin Jones 
early 1990s - early 2000s
  • signed (JGJ) ​
  • Flowers
  • Flowers Garden
  • Wild flowers of the alphabet
  • Tropical flowers set,
  • Flowers of the Month
  • Birds Animals
  • 1000 years of English Costume
  • State Birds and State Flowers (USA only)
  • Iridescents
  • Gods
Gwynedd Brain 
​mid 1990s to late 1990s
  • not signed​
  • Beatrix Potter
John Bowering 
1993/4 until 2019
  • signed J Bowering
  • 12 days of Christmas
  • Canals of the World (USA only)
  • Christmas designs
  • many, many
    Commemoratives​
​Eric Pentecost  
late 1990s to very early 2000s
  • Unknown
  • Some Commemoratives
  • Christmas designs
Sue Edmond  (sister of Claire Edmond)
​1994ish to current day
  • Not signed
  • Flowers
  • Flowers of the Month
  • Birds
  • Animals
  • Nursery Rhymes
  • Beatrix Potter
  • Orchids
  • Butterflies
  • Celtic
  • Herbs
  • Fungi
  • Canal art
  • State Birds and State Flowers (USA only)
  • Christmas Designs
Claire Edmond (sister of Sue Edmond) ​
late 1990s until current day​
  • Not signed
  • Flowers Garden
  • Wild flowers of the alphabet
  • Tropical flowers set
  • Gods
  • 1000 years of English Costume
  • Famous Men & Women of History
  • Henry VIII
  • Jane Austen
  • Brontes
  • Chinoiserie
  • Pet Portraits
  • 12 days of Christmas
  • Famous Buildings
  • Fairy Tales
  • Fairy Birthstones
  • Wild West heroes (USA only)
  • Cacti (USA only)
  • Easter & Valentines
  • Many, many commemoratives
​Andrea Love 
2010ish to 2014ish
  • Not signed
  • Chinoiserie
  • The Lady & the Unicorn series.
​Sam Pitt 
2012ish to 2014is​
  • ​Not signed
  • The Green man set
​Sharon Hulin 
​c. 2014-2017
  • Unknown
  • Lace designs
Ronny Payne
​2008ish to 2019
  • ​Not signed
  • ​Fat free
  • Above and below the sea
  • Beach series
  • cats and dogs
Kate Flood​
​2010ish to current day
  • ​Not signed
  • Moonscapes
  • Autumn leaves
  • Iridescents
Charlie Englefield​
​2019 to current day
  • Not signed
  • Flowers
  • Orchids
  • Butterflies
  • Beatrix Potter
  • Herbs
  • birds
  • animals
  • Christmas designs 2019.
From Chris' site:

thebobbinshop.com is the online shop for Lace Bobbins by Chris Parsons

I am a full time professional bobbin maker, living in Coleford on the Mendip hills, about 10 miles from the beautiful city of Bath, England.

I started making and selling bobbins in the mid 1980's, when I turned wood as a hobby, and attended local craft fairs. It was not long before local Lacemakers from Wessex Lacemakers and Clevedon Lacemakers took me under their wing and gave me some constructive criticism re the bobbins that I was producing at that time I owe special thanks to Mrs Reed from Bristol Lacemakers. I took their advice, developed my own style and have never looked back. Invitations to lace events soon followed, and I was producing more and more bobbins.

In 1986 I won a Gold medal at the "Woodworker" show for a display of my Lace bobbins .

Since 1992 I have been making my full time living from turning bobbins. I specialize in quality hand turned and hand painted Midland (spangled), Honiton, Flanders Binche, Bayeux , Continental, Square and Travel bobbins in wood and bone. I am probably best known for my painted bobbins and tatting shuttles

I am one of only two bobbin makers/suppliers in the UK that have a license from Copyrights to hand paint some of the characters from Beatrix Potter (Copyright Frederick Warne and co 1991).

Commemorative's bobbins are another specialty, many individuals and groups will already know of their excellent quality

If you have any questions or problems when using my shop then please contact me using the contact me form at the bottom of each page.