Overview:
This 1891 pamphlet, “The Art of Modern Lace Making,” is a comprehensive guide to creating various styles of lace, including Battenburg, Honiton, Point, and Princess lace. The author emphasizes the growing popularity of lace-making and its potential to be a beautiful and fulfilling pastime for women.
The text dives deep into the history of lace-making, tracing its roots back to ancient times and highlighting the key role of women in developing and popularizing the craft throughout history. The authors also detail the unique characteristics of modern lace-making, emphasizing its simplicity and accessibility, which allows individuals of average skill to create intricate and beautiful pieces.
Key Findings:
- Modern lace-making is a result of American ingenuity, particularly the work of Mrs. Grace B. McCormick.
- This craft is accessible to individuals of average skill, offering a fulfilling and creative pastime.
- Modern laces are made with various braids and numerous stitches, often combining different techniques for a more beautiful effect.
- While fine and antique lace-making often requires specialized skills and environments, modern lace-making is relatively simple and can be done in various settings.
- The book emphasizes the importance of using linen braids for the best results and durability.
- The text highlights the versatility of modern lace, which can be used for a variety of applications, from delicate garments to luxurious home decor.
Learning:
- Lace-making techniques: The reader will learn about a wide range of stitches, including Brussels point, Venice point, Italian lace stitch, and Point d’Espagne. These instructions include detailed descriptions and illustrations for each stitch, allowing the reader to understand the techniques clearly.
- Braids and Materials: The reader will gain knowledge about different types of braids used in modern lace-making, including those for Battenburg, Honiton, Point, and Princess lace. The pamphlet discusses the importance of linen braids and how to choose the right thread for each type of braid.
- Design and Adaptation: The reader will learn how to adapt designs to different sizes and articles and explore a variety of patterns for handkerchiefs, doilies, collars, cuffs, and more.
- Darned Net Techniques: The reader will learn about the history of darned net and different techniques for creating patterns on net fabric. The text includes a range of designs for scarves, kerchiefs, edgings, and even pillow shams.
Historical Context:
The text is written in 1891, a time when lace-making was still a popular and valued craft, particularly for women. The author mentions the growing popularity of this art and contrasts it with the more traditional and time-consuming techniques of fine and antique lace-making. This historical context gives the reader a better understanding of the social and cultural significance of lace-making at the time.
Facts:
- Ancient origins: Lace-making has existed in various forms since ancient times, with references in Scripture and mentions by Homer and other ancient writers.
- Renaissance period: The first book of embroidery patterns and lace-work appeared during the Renaissance, with the earliest dated volume printed in Cologne in 1527.
- Italian invention: The Italians claim the invention of point or needle-made lace, although Venetian point is now considered a product of the past.
- Honiton Lace: The fabric of Queen Victoria’s wedding gown was made from Honiton lace, which is a “pillow” lace, requiring skilled fingers and bobbins.
- Moist atmosphere: Very fine laces require a moist atmosphere for successful manipulation, which is why some of the most exquisite specimens are made in underground rooms.
- Barbara Uttmann: It is believed that Barbara Uttmann invented pillow lace in the 16th century.
- Duchess of Argyle: The Duchess of Argyle introduced lace-making in Scotland.
- Countess of Erne and Lady Denny: These women were responsible for introducing lace-making in Ireland.
- Elizabeth of Denmark: Elizabeth of Denmark introduced lace-making to that country.
- Archduchess Sophia: Archduchess Sophia started lace schools in Bohemia.
- Anne of Austria: Anne of Austria, queen of France, was known for her love of lace and her court’s reputation for cleanliness.
- Colbert: Colbert, a French statesman, had three women as coadjutors when he started lace-making in France.
- Josephine: Josephine, Napoleon’s wife, was known for her love of point d’Alençon lace.
- Eugenie: Empress Eugenie of France spent $5,000 for a single dress flounce and had $1,000,000 in fine laces.
- Honiton lace: Although tedious and difficult to weave, Honiton lace is not considered particularly beautiful.
- Modern laces: Modern laces are often more beautiful, artistic, and unique in design than older laces, preserving the best features of the past while adding new inspirations.
- Point vs. pillow lace: Point lace is made with a needle, while pillow lace is made with bobbins.
- Royal Battenburg lace: This lace was named in honor of the Battenburg nuptials, which occurred around the time the patent for making the lace was applied for.
- Lace-making establishments: Lace-making establishments will furnish designs of any width or shape and originate designs for special articles.
- Cotton vs. linen braids: Cotton braids do not make pretty lace, and they do not wear or launder well.
- Linen thread buttons: The rings and buttons illustrated in the text are made of linen thread in layers of button-hole stitches.
- “Cardinal’s Point” lace: This lace was originally from Italy and was used for decorating church vestments.
- Russian Lace: While Russia has never had a formal lace manufactory, its lace is renowned for its exquisite needlework.
Statistics:
- Table cloth value: A table-cloth made of the finest table linen and Royal Battenburg lace, taking two years to construct, was valued at $475.
- Thread fineness: In making Honiton and point lace, thread in twelve different degrees of fineness is used.
- Battenburg thread sizes: For Battenburg lace, the thread comes in eight sizes, the finest being used for “whipping curves” or drawing edges into outlines.
Terms:
- Point lace: Lace made with a needle.
- Pillow lace: Lace made with bobbins.
- Battenburg lace: A type of lace made with thick braids and intricate stitches.
- Honiton lace: A type of “pillow” lace, renowned for its intricate designs and delicate weaving.
- Point lace: A type of lace made with a needle, known for its delicate and intricate stitches.
- Princess lace: A lace combining Honiton and point lace braids in one design.
- Royal Battenburg: A heavy and elaborate type of Battenburg lace.
- Ideal Honiton: A new type of lace made with fancy Honiton braid and wash-silk floss in dainty colors.
- Sorrento bars: A type of lace bar with a twisted appearance.
- Raleigh bars: A type of lace bar with picots, often used in Battenburg lace.
- Picot: A small loop or knot often used to decorate lace.
- Rosette: A decorative element in lace, typically circular and formed with several stitches.
- Spider: Another name for a small rosette.
- Button-hole stitch: A common stitch used to create a secure and decorative edge.
- Point de Bruxelles: A stitch used to create a loose button-hole effect.
- Point de Venise: A stitch worked from left to right, featuring tight button-hole stitches within a loose button-hole.
- Point d’Espagne: A stitch that creates a cord-like appearance, often used in making Spanish lace.
- Point d’Alençon: A stitch featuring a twisted thread effect, known for its delicate and intricate appearance.
Examples:
- Tablecloth: A table-cloth made of the finest table linen and Royal Battenburg lace, taking two years to construct, was valued at $475.
- Queen Victoria’s wedding gown: The fabric of Queen Victoria’s wedding gown was made from Honiton lace.
- Butterfly design: The butterfly designs are popular for handkerchief corners, scarf-ends, and cap points.
- “Cardinal’s Point” lace: This lace was originally used for decorating church vestments and draperies.
- Russian Lace: This lace is often made by poor ladies of gentle birth or by the peasantry and is sold in St. Petersburg.
- Tidy: A tidy made of coarse wash-net darned with wash-silk floss in Oriental colorings, using various shades of garnet, old-rose, orange, peacock-blue, crimson, pale-pink, silver-gray, wood-brown, and dull green.
- Drapery-scarf: A drapery-scarf made of white net and darned with white linen floss, with the potential to use colored flosses and silver or gilt thread for a more ornate effect.
- Pillow-sham: A pillow-sham made of Battenburg braid and thread, incorporating rings and a “rose and leaf” design, featuring various stitches like Sorrento bars, point de Venise, and point de Bruxelles.
Conclusion:
This 1891 guide to “The Art of Modern Lace Making” offers a comprehensive introduction to a craft that was popular and accessible to women of the time. The text provides detailed information about various lace styles, stitches, braids, and materials, emphasizing the importance of linen over cotton for the best results. The text also covers techniques for darned net, showcasing a variety of designs that can be applied to a wide array of articles. The reader will learn not only the technical aspects of lace-making but also gain insight into the historical context of this craft and its significance in the lives of women in the 19th century.