420 THE MODERN IRISH LACE INDUSTRY. 



THE MODERN IRISH LACE INDUSTRY, 



Lace, from the antiquarian point of view, has furnished a subject for some 

 learned treatises ; but I rather desire to speak of the various laces w^hich are 

 at present made in Ireland, and shall only refer to antique examples where 

 it IS necessary to illustrate varieties of lace, or show differences which exist 

 between the Irish lace and that from which it may be said to have been 

 derived. 



True lace may be divided into two classes, one made by means of the 

 needle, and called " needle-point lace." 



Fig-. I is from a piece of Italian (Venetian) needle-point lace of the 

 seventeenth century. The pattern is floral, and very 

 • f T simple in its character. The lace has that peculiar 



Needle-point Lace, fl^^ness which is observable m the Venetian needle- 

 point laces. Note the fine ground which has been 

 made altogether by means of the needle. The open work contrasts with 

 this ground, and, in addition to forming the edge, is carried at intervals 

 across the lace. There is a very effective hexagonal filling occurring chiefly 

 at the edge ; it is used sparingly, however, and affords a good example of 

 the restraint exercised by the old lace-makers. 



The other class of lace is made by the twisting or plaiting of threads ; 



it is known as " pillow lace," or sometimes " bobbin 



Pillow Lace. lace," from the fact that the threads are twined round 



small bobbins of bone, wood, or ivory. In both 



these laces the whole of the fabric is made by hand. This is not the case 



in the so-called Limerick and Carrickmacross laces. 



Fig. 2 is from a piece of Italian-Genoese pillow lace of the seventeenth 

 century. The pattern consists of a flowing scroll with conventional flowers 

 and leaves. It is very even in its workmanship, and has peculiar raised 

 portions in some of the flowers. It is not cut up by the insertion of many 

 fillings, and the pattern is relieved clearly and effectively against the ground. 



The needle-point lace is at present commonly subdivided into two classes, 

 flat and raised needle-point ; and although there is a considerable difference 

 in the appearance of the two, yet both are made in the same way, that is. 

 by means of the needle, the raised appearance in the latter being obtained 

 by working over cords of varying thickness. 



The growth of lace-making can be distinctly traced from its origin in 

 embroidered linen. At first portions of the linen were cut away, leaving 

 the embroidery. Threads were also drawn from the linen, and in the 

 spaces so formed needlework was inserted. In order to avoid the trouble 

 of withdrawing the threads, an open reticulated ground was made called 

 " lacis," and upon this ground little devices were worked. All these varie- 

 ties were found in use at the opening of the sixteenth century. The linen, 

 as a basis, v/as gradually dispensed with, and the tooth-shaped borders 

 (dentelles) came on the scene as the first appearance of true lace. 



