needlework
Object
Accession Number
993.025.005Description
Work in Progress; handmade lace stitched onto a glazed cloth pattern; 174cm of the length is completed lace of which 21.3 cm is stitched to the pattern; the pattern is hand drawn onto one side, 68.2cm of the length of the cloth backing in Indian ink, the vertical free-flowing weave design repeats every 23cm in length.Narrative
This is an example of Renaissance needle lace, which became popular in the nineteenth century and combined antique lacework techniques with modern innovations. In this example, the basic design is framed using machine-made tape, or braid, which is tacked on to the foundation cloth following the hand-drawn pattern. The interstitial spaces are then filled with a mixture of button-hole stitched bars and single Point de Venise stitches1. Once the needle lace is completed, the foundation cloth is easily removed by turning the work over and cutting the initial tacked stitches. This type of lace panel could be used as a border for household linens.1. This, and other stitch types, can be identified using the Royal School of Needlework's Stitch bank: https://rsnstitchbank.org/. Accessed April 26, 2024.
