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Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or
thread Thread may refer to: Objects * Thread (yarn), a kind of thin yarn used for sewing ** Thread (unit of measurement), a cotton yarn measure * Screw thread, a helical ridge on a cylindrical fastener Arts and entertainment * ''Thread'' (film), 2016 ...
in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted or crocheted lace. Other laces such as these are considered as a category of their specific craft. Knitted lace, therefore, is an example of knitting. This article considers both needle lace and bobbin lace. While some experts say both needle lace and bobbin lace began in Italy in the late 1500s, there are some questions regarding its origins. Originally
linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong, absorbent, and dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. It also ...
, silk, gold, or silver threads were used. Now lace is often made with cotton thread, although linen and silk threads are still available. Manufactured lace may be made of
synthetic fiber Synthetic fibers or synthetic fibres (in British English; see spelling differences) are fibers made by humans through chemical synthesis, as opposed to natural fibers that are directly derived from living organisms, such as plants (like cotton) ...
. A few modern artists make lace with a fine copper or silver wire instead of thread.


Etymology

The word lace is from Middle English, from Old French ''las'', noose, string, from Vulgar Latin *''laceum'', from Latin ''laqueus'', noose; probably akin to ''lacere'', to entice or ensnare.


Description

The Latin word from which lace is derived means "noose," and a noose describes an open space outlined with rope or thread. This description applies to many types of open fabric resulting from "looping, plaiting, twisting, or knotting...threads...by hand or machine."


Types

There are many types of lace, classified by how they are made. These include: *
Bobbin lace Bobbin lace is a lace textile made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread, which are wound on bobbins to manage them. As the work progresses, the weaving is held in place with pins set in a lace pillow, the placement of the pins usually de ...
, as the name suggests, is made with bobbins and a pillow. The bobbins, turned from wood, bone, or plastic, hold threads which are woven together and held in place with pins stuck in the pattern on the pillow. The pillow contains straw, preferably oat
straw Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number ...
or other materials such as sawdust, insulation styrofoam, or ethafoam. Also known as bone-lace. Chantilly lace is a type of bobbin lace. * Chemical lace: the stitching area is stitched with embroidery threads that form a continuous motif. Afterwards, the stitching areas are removed and only the embroidery remains. The stitching ground is made of a water-soluble or non-heat-resistant material. * Crocheted lace includes Irish crochet, pineapple crochet, and filet crochet. * Cutwork, or whitework, is lace constructed by removing threads from a woven background, and the remaining threads wrapped or filled with embroidery. *
Knitted lace Lace knitting is a style of knitting characterized by stable "holes" in the fabric arranged with consideration of aesthetic value. Lace is sometimes considered the pinnacle of knitting, because of its complexity and because woven fabrics cannot ...
includes Shetland lace, such as the "wedding ring shawl", a lace shawl so fine that it can be pulled through a wedding ring. *Knotted lace includes macramé and tatting. Tatted lace is made with a shuttle or a tatting needle. * Machine-made lace is any style of lace created or replicated using mechanical means. * Needle lace, such as Venetian Gros Point, is made using a needle and
thread Thread may refer to: Objects * Thread (yarn), a kind of thin yarn used for sewing ** Thread (unit of measurement), a cotton yarn measure * Screw thread, a helical ridge on a cylindrical fastener Arts and entertainment * ''Thread'' (film), 2016 ...
. This is the most flexible of the lace-making arts. While some types can be made more quickly than the finest of bobbin laces, others are very time-consuming. Some purists regard needle lace as the height of lace-making. The finest antique needle laces were made from a very fine thread that is not manufactured today. *
Tape lace Tape lace is made with a straight tape which is bent into the shape required and sewn into position. Various needle lace fillings may be used to fill the gaps. The tape is usually machine made. This type of lace is also known as mixed tape lace, o ...
makes the tape in the lace as it is worked, or uses a machine- or hand-made textile strip formed into a design, then joined and embellished with needle or bobbin lace. File:Branscombe4.jpg, Needle lace, showing button hole stitch File:Ursuline_lace_2.jpg,
Bobbin lace Bobbin lace is a lace textile made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread, which are wound on bobbins to manage them. As the work progresses, the weaving is held in place with pins set in a lace pillow, the placement of the pins usually de ...
made on a pillow with bobbins and pins File:Boy's Frock LACMA M.2007.211.89 (3 of 3).jpg,
Broderie anglaise Broderie anglaise (French, "English embroidery", ) is a whitework needlework technique incorporating features of embroidery, cutwork and needle lace that became associated with England, due to its popularity there in the 19th century. History ...
, a type of cutwork File:Lace-filet-hrynkiw.jpg, Filet lace, embroidered on an existing net File:Lace_knitting_2.jpg, Lace knitting File:Nuperelle-skyttel_med_nupereller.JPG, Tatting, with shuttle


History: Bobbin and needle lace


Origins

The origin of lace is disputed by historians. An Italian claim is a will of 1493 by the Milanese Sforza family. A Flemish claim is lace on the alb of a worshiping priest in a painting about 1485 by Hans Memling. But since lace evolved from other techniques, it is impossible to say that it originated in any one place. The fragility of lace also means that few exceedingly old specimens are extant.


Early History

Lace was used by clergy of the early Catholic Church as part of vestments in religious ceremonies. When they first started to use lace and through the 16th century, they primarily used cutwork. Much of their lace was made of gold, silver, and silk. Rich people began to use such expensive lace in clothing trimmings and furnishings such as cushion covers. In the 1300s and 1400s in the Italian states heavy duties were imposed on lace, and strict
sumptuary law Sumptuary laws (from Latin ''sūmptuāriae lēgēs'') are laws that try to regulate consumption. '' Black's Law Dictionary'' defines them as "Laws made for the purpose of restraining luxury or extravagance, particularly against inordinate expendi ...
s were passed. This led to less demand for lace. In the mid 1400s some lacemakers turned to using
flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in ...
, which cost less, while others migrated, bringing the industry to other countries. However, lace did not come into widespread use until the 16th century in the northwestern part of the European continent. The popularity of lace increased rapidly and the cottage industry of lace making spread throughout Europe.The late 16th century marked the rapid development of lace, both needle lace and bobbin lace became dominant in both fashion as well as home décor. For enhancing the beauty of collars and cuffs, needle lace was embroidered with loops and picots. Sumptuary laws in many countries had a major impact on lace wearing and production throughout its early history, though in some countries they were often ignored or worked around.


Italy

Bobbin and needle lace were both being made in Italy early in the 1400s. Documenting lace in Italy in the 15th century is a list of fine laces from the inventory of Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Milan, from 1493.


Venice

In Venice, lace making was originally the province of leisured noblewomen, using it as a pastime. Some of the wives of
doges A doge ( , ; plural dogi or doges) was an elected lord and head of state in several Italian city-states, notably Venice and Genoa, during the medieval and renaissance periods. Such states are referred to as " crowned republics". Etymology The ...
also supported lacemaking in the
Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
. One,
Giovanna Malipiero Dandolo Giovanna Dandolo was a dogaressa of Venice by marriage to doge Pasquale Malipiero (reign 1457–1462). She was born circa 1400 as the daughter of Antonio Dandolo and married to Pasquale Malipiero in 1414. She had four children: Lorenzo, Antonio, ...
, showed support in 1457 for a law protecting lacemakers. In 1476, the lace trade was seriously affected by a law which disallowed "silver and embroidery on any fabric and the Punto in Aria of linen threads made with a needle, or gold and silver threads." In 1595, Morosina Morosini, another doge's wife, founded a lace workshop for 130 women. In the early 1500s, the production of lace became a paid activity, accomplished by young girls working in the houses of noblewomen, creating lace for household use, and in convents. Lace was a popular Venetian export in the 1500s and 1600s, and the demand remained strong in Europe, even when the export of other items exported by Venice during this period slumped. The largest and most intricate pieces of Venetian lace became ruffs and collars for members of the nobility and for aristocrats.


Belgium

Lace was being made in Brussels in the 1400s, and samples of such lace survive. Belgium and Flanders became a major center for the creation of primarily bobbin lace starting in the 1500s, and some handmade lace is still being produced there today. Belgian-grown flax contributed to the lace industry in the country. It produced extremely fine linen threads that were a critical factor in the superior texture and quality of Belgian lace. Schools were founded to teach lacemaking to the young. The height of the production of lace there was in the 1700s. Brussels was known for Point d'Angleterre, Lierre and Bruges also were known for their own styles of lace. Belgian lacemakers either originated or developed laces such as Brussels or Brabant Lace, Lace of Flanders, Mechlin, Valenciennes and Binche.


France

Lace arrived in France when Catherine de Medici, newly married to King Henry II in 1533, brought Venetian lace-makers to her new homeland. The French royal court and the fashions popular there, influenced the lace that started to be made in France. It was delicate and graceful, compared to the heavier needle or point-laces of Venice. Examples of French lace are
Alençon Alençon (, , ; nrf, Alençoun) is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon (with 52,000 people). History The name of Alençon is firs ...
,
Argentan Argentan () is a commune and the seat of two cantons and of an arrondissement in the Orne department in northwestern France. Argentan is located NE of Rennes, ENE of the Mont Saint-Michel, SE of Cherbourg, SSE of Caen, SW of Rouen and N ...
, and
Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France * Chantilly, Oise, a city located in the Oise department ** US Chantilly, a football club * Château de Chantilly, a historic château located in the town of Chantilly United States *Chantilly, Miss ...
. The 17th century court of King Louis the XIV of France was known for its extravagance, and during his reign lace, particularly the delicate
Alençon Alençon (, , ; nrf, Alençoun) is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon (with 52,000 people). History The name of Alençon is firs ...
and
Argentan Argentan () is a commune and the seat of two cantons and of an arrondissement in the Orne department in northwestern France. Argentan is located NE of Rennes, ENE of the Mont Saint-Michel, SE of Cherbourg, SSE of Caen, SW of Rouen and N ...
varieties, was extremely popular as court dress. The frontange, a tall lace headdress, became fashionable in France at this time. Louis XIV's finance minister,
Jean Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the country ...
, strengthened the lace industry by establishing lace schools and workshops in the country.


Spain

Lacemaking in Spain was established early, as by the 1600s its Point d'Espagne lace, made of gold and silver thread, was very popular. Lace was made for use in churches and for the
mantilla A mantilla is a traditional Spanish and Latin American liturgical lace or silk veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb called a '' peineta'', popular with women in Spain, as well as in Latin America. It is also wor ...
. Lacemaking may have come to Spain from Italy in the 1500s, or from Flanders, its province at the time. This lace was much admired, and was made throughout the country.


Germany

Barbara Uttmann learned how to make bobbin lace as a girl from a Protestant refugee. In 1561 she started a lace-making workshop in Annaberg. By the time of her death in 1575, there were over 30,000 lacemakers in that area of Germany. Following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in France in 1685, many Huguenot lacemakers moved to Hamburg and Berlin. The earliest known lace pattern book was printed in Cologne in 1527.


England

The lace that was made in England prior to the introduction of bobbin lace in the mid 1500s was primarily cutwork or
drawn thread work Drawn thread work is one of the earliest forms of open work embroidery, and has been worked throughout Europe. Originally it was often used for ecclesiastical items and to ornament shrouds. It is a form of counted-thread embroidery based on remov ...
. There is a 1554 mention of Sir Thomas Wyatt wearing a ruff trimmed with bone lace (some bobbins at the time were made of bone). The court of
Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...
of England maintained close ties with the French court, and so French lace began to be seen and appreciated in England. Lace was used on her court gowns, and became fashionable. There are two distinct areas of England where lacemaking was a significant industry: Devon and part of the South Midlands. Belgian lacemakers were encouraged to settle in Honiton in Devon at the end of the 16th century. They continued to make pillow and other lace, as they had in their homeland, but Honiton lace never got the acclaim that lace from France, Italy, and Belgium did. While the lace in Devon stayed stable, in the lace-making areas of the South Midlands there were changes brought by different groups of émigrés: Flemings, French Huguenots, and later, French escaping the Revolution.
Catherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 11 June 1509 until their annulment on 23 May 1533. She was previously ...
, while exiled in Ampthill, England, was said to have supported the lace makers there by burning all her lace, and commissioning new pieces. This may be the origin of the lacemaker's holiday, Cattern's Day. On this day (25 or 26 November) lacemakers were given a day off from work, and Cattern cakes - small dough cakes made with
caraway seeds Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin (''Carum carvi''), is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Etymology The etymology of "caraway" is unclear. Caraway has been ...
, were used to celebrate. The English diarist
Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...
often wrote about the lace used for his, his wife's, and his acquaintances' clothing, and on 10 May 1669, noted that he intended to remove the gold lace from the sleeves of his coat "as it is fit eshould", possibly in order to avoid charges of ostentatious living. In 1840, Britain's Queen Victoria was married in lace, influencing the wedding dress style until now. The decline of the lace industry in England began about 1780, as was happening elsewhere. Some of the reasons include the increased popularity of clothing in the Classical style, the economic issues connected to war, and the increased production and use of machine-made laces.


America

American colonists of both British and Dutch origins strove to acquire lace accessories such as caps, ruffs and other neckware, and handkerchiefs. Women who could afford it had these items as well as aprons and dresses trimmed or made entirely of lace. America also had sumptuary laws, such as one in Massachusetts in 1634 that did not allow citizens to own or make lace. This indicates that lace was being made in that colony at the time. Lacemaking was being taught in boarding schools by the mid 1700s, and newspaper advertisements starting in the early 1700s offered to teach the technique. Also in the 18th century, Ipswich, Massachusetts had become the only place in America known for producing handmade lace. By 1790, women in Ipswich, who were primarily from the British Midlands, were making 42,000 yards of silk bobbin lace intended for trimmings.
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
reportedly purchased
Ipswich Lace Ipswich lace is a historical fashion accessory, the only known American hand-made bobbin lace to be commercially produced. Centered in the coastal town of Ipswich, Massachusetts north of Boston, a community of lacemaking arose in the 18th century. ...
on a trip to the region in 1789. Machines to make lace began to be smuggled into the country in the early 1800s, as England did not permit these machines to be exported. The first lacemaking factory opened in
Medway, Massachusetts Medway is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The town had a population of 13,115 at the 2020 census. History Medway (originally Midway) was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated i ...
in 1818. Ipswich had its own in 1824. The women there moved from making bobbin lace to decorating the machine-made net lace with darning and tambour stitches, creating what is known as Limerick lace. Lace was still much in demand in the 19th century. Lace trimmings on dresses, at seams, pockets, and collars were very popular. The lace being made in the United States was based on European patterns. By the turn of the 20th century, needlework and other magazines included lace patterns of a range of types. In North America in the 19th century,
missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
spread the knowledge of lace making to the Native American tribes.
Sibyl Carter The sibyls (, singular ) were prophetesses or oracles in Ancient Greece. The sibyls prophesied at holy sites. A sibyl at Delphi has been dated to as early as the eleventh century BC by PausaniasPausanias 10.12.1 when he described local traditi ...
, an Episcopalian missionary, began to teach lacemaking to
Ojibwa The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
women in Minnesota in 1890. Classes were being held for members of many tribes throughout the US by the first decade of the 1900s St.
John Francis Regis Jean-François Régis, commonly known as Saint John Francis Regis and Saint Regis, (31 January 1597 – 31 December 1640), was a French priest of the Society of Jesus, recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1737. A tireless p ...
guided many women out of prostitution by establishing them in the lace making and embroidery trade, which is why he became the Patron Saint of lace making.


Ireland

Lace was made in Ireland from the 1730s onwards with several different lace-making schools founded across the country. Many regions acquired a name for high-quality work and others developed a distinctive style. Lace proved to be an important means of income for many poorer women. Several important schools of lace included:
Carrickmacross Carrickmacross () is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town and environs had a population of 5,032 according to the 2016 census, making it the second-largest town in the county. Carrickmacross is a market town which developed around a ca ...
lace, Kenmare lace, Limerick lace and Youghal lace.


Patrons, designers, and lace makers


Historic

* Giovanna Dandolo (1457–1462) *
Barbara Uthmann Barbara Uthmann (born around 1514 in Annaberg in the Ore Mountains in Germany; died 14 January 1575, also in Annaberg) was considered to be one of the greatest supporters of bobbin lace making (probably incorrectly, as explained by Reinhart Unger ...
(1514–1575) * Morosina Morosini (1545–1614) *
Federico de Vinciolo Federico de Vinciolo or Federico Vinciolo was a sixteenth-century lace-maker and pattern designer attached to the court of Henry II of France. He was granted a monopoly on manufacturing lace ruffs in France. His book of needlework patterns, '' ...
(16th century) * Caterina Angiola Pieroncini (18th century)


Contemporary

*
Rosa Elena Egipciaco Rosa Elena Egipciaco, often referred to as the 'Queen of Mundillo', is a master Mundillo lacemaker and teacher of the Puerto Rican folk art. In addition to being part of the long Mundillo tradition of her hometown of Moca, Puerto Rico, she belong ...


Lace in art

The earliest portraits showing lace are those of the early
Florentine School Florentine painting or the Florentine School refers to artists in, from, or influenced by the naturalistic style developed in Florence in the 14th century, largely through the efforts of Giotto di Bondone, and in the 15th century the leading scho ...
. Later, in the 17th century, lace was very popular and painting styles were at the time realistic. This allows viewers to see the finery of lace. Painted portraits, primarily those of the wealthy or the nobility, depicted costly laces. This presented a challenge to the painters, who needed to represent not only their sitters accurately, but their intricate lace as well. The portrait of Nicolaes Hasselaer seen here was painted by Frans Hals in about 1627. It depicts a man dressed in a black garment with a lace collar. The collar is detailed enough that those who are expert in lace identification can tell what pattern it is. Hals created the lace effect with dabs of grey and white, using black paint to indicate the spaces between the threads. An image of an anonymous female artisan appears in
The Lacemaker ''The Lacemaker'' (french: La Dentellière) is a 1977 French drama film directed by Claude Goretta and starring Isabelle Huppert and Yves Beneyton. It is based on the 1974 Prix Goncourt winning novel '' La Dentellière'' by Pascal Lainé. P ...
, a painting by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675), completed around 1669–1670.


See also

*
Anglo Scotian Mills The Anglo Scotian Mills is former lace factory in Beeston, Nottinghamshire. It is a Grade II listed building. History The firm was established by Francis Wilkinson (1846-1897) in the 1870s in Beeston. The original mill buildings were destroyed b ...
* Doily * Fishnet * Lagetta lagetto (Lacebark) *
Lippitt Mill The Lippitt Mill is an historic mill at 825 Main Street in West Warwick, Rhode Island. History The cotton textile mill was built in 1809, making it the third oldest in Rhode Island after John Slater's Mills in Slatersville, RI and Samuel Slater ...
*
Liturgical lace Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...
* Ribbons *
Scranton Lace Company The Scranton Lace Company, also known as the Scranton Lace Curtain Company and Scranton Lace Curtain Manufacturing Company, was an American lace manufacturer in Scranton, Pennsylvania. History The company was established by the Scranton Board of T ...
* See-through clothing


Lace museums


Fashion and Lace Museum
Brussels, Belgium
Kantcentrum
Bruges, Belgium
Kenmare Lace and Design Centre
Kenmare, Co. Kerry, Ireland
The Lace Guild Museum and Gallery
Stourbridge, U.K.
The Lace Museum
Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles
Berkeley, CA, USA
Lace Museum/Museo del Merletto
near Venice, Italy
Marès Lace Museum/Museu Marès de la Punta
Arenys de Mar, Spain
Musée des Beaux-Arts et de la Dentelle
Alençon, France Textilmuseum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland, and their exhibit traveled to Bard Graduate College in 2022 for a major New York installation.


References


External links


A lace collection including images and descriptionsLace bands and fabrics
{{Authority control Net fabrics