Monday, May 6, 2024
The Morris Federation met on Nov. 11, for a program entitled “The Art of Making Lace.” It was presented by Susan Merritt of Aquilla, Texas. She said that she has been making lace for thirty years, mostly just because she enjoys it. She added that she is not a fast lace maker, and if she took into account the cost of materials used on a project as well as the amount of time she spent on the project, the price charged would probably seem “outrageous.”
She became interested in lace making back in the 1990’s, when t-shirts with Battenburg lace on the tops were popular. At that time, she lived in Dallas, where there was a mall nearby that had several specialty shops, and it required that vendors sell only items that were at least 75 percent handmade. Sue became interested in lacemaking, and a lady who worked there started teaching her “tatting.” Then, she taught Sue “Bobbinlace.” She enrolled in several classes during the year and learned new styles of lacemaking. There are different kinds of lace, which are often characterized by the region from which they originate, such as Chantilly lace (a city in northern France) or Val lace (also originating in France). Sue liked Italian lace, but her personal preference became “Buckspoint,” a style from England, which was usually used on the edges of bridal veils. She brought several samples of various laces along with some items, such as pillows, on which the laces have been used.
Basically there are four ways to make lace: (1) Bobbin lace uses bobbins, pins, and fine threads to create some of the most beautiful types of lace; (2) Crochet, while not technically lace, it is possible to crochet in such a way that the fabric created is very much like lace; (3) Needle lace or needlepoint lace is a type of lace created with a needle and used in hand embroidery; and (4 )Tatting creates a lace from a shuttle that is quite durable, made from loops and knots. As well as wedding dresses, the different types of lace have many uses. Just a few include bridal wear, eveningwear, casualwear, curtains, tablecloths, trims for bedding and pillowcases, and clergy items. One can use lace for an entire garment, as an insertion, a border, or an appliqued detail.
Merritt also explained and demonstrated making lace and tatting.
