CD2000
ABC of Laces (6)
Tape Lace
Tape-based laces originate from the 17th century
when they were known as mezzo punto — half stitches and half
tape. The mid-19th century saw a revival of the technique,
when the lace was known as Point Lace. Branscombe
Point is a tape lace which gets its name from the village in
East Devon. The Tucker family were selling this lace in 1860 and
are reputed to have introduced it to the UK. During the
second half of the 19th century it gained recognition and did
very well. It was made with machine-made tape brought over from
France, although there are samples of the lace being made with a
cord. The design was drawn on brown paper and the tape stitched
to it, the inside edge of the design is then whipped flat. There
are about 14 traditional filling stitches which were used to
fill the spaces and the edge was finished off with a purl over
sewn with buttonhole stitches.
Battenberg is a simllar
type of lace, also made with a tape, but with simpler
fillings.
Tatting
Tatting is a knotted lace that
appeared in the early 1800s. A unique shuttle having closed tips
is often used in execution. A half hitch is first knotted around
a foundation thread, then, by tightening the knotting thread the
half hitch transfers or 'flips' to the foundation thread and
creates the tatting knot. A left- and right-handed tatting knot
combine to form the well known double stitch. These knots are
made into rings and bridging chains and are held together at
picots left between tatting knots.
There are several
simulated tatting forms. Crocheted tatting is crochet worked to
look like tatted rings and chains. Crochet tatting casts
half hitches onto a crochet hook, which draws a thread through
them (Takashima 'Needle' Tatting). Morin 'Jiffy' Needle Tatting
casts half hitches on a needle which draws a thread through
them. These variations don't use the tatting knot, but are
easily learnt and popular.
Torchon Lace
In French 'torchon'
means 'duster' or 'rag'. However it is believed that the
name Torchon derives from the way the lace is made — half
stitch, pin, half stitch, ie with one twist at each
stitch. The French word for twist is 'torsion', which was
distorted by the 'Auvergnat' accent as 'torchon' and
remained that way. Auvergne is the central area of
France where the lacemaking cities of Clermont-Ferrand, Le
Puy-en-Velay, Brioude, Craponne are to be found.
Torchon lace was originally made on the Continent and
Scandinavia, and being cheap and easy to make, was used for
trimming linen and underwear.
It is a simple geometric
lace and was not introduced into England until the end of the
19th century. It is made on a pillow using East Midland bobbins
which are spangled to give the thread tension.
In
recent years more colour has been introduced — modern lace
makers use many different threads and make contemporary and
exciting items.
Torchon lace is perhaps the most
commonly made lace in the UK, and the majority of the entries to
the CD2000 project are examples of Torchon lace.
ABC(5) — Rosaline Perlée,
Russian Lace, Tambour
Lace —
what is lace?
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