December, 1918 
35 
point division. This is subdivided 
into the different countries and kinds 
of lace, but all are needle point. 
The origin of our other classifica¬ 
tion is obscure; you can read in the 
lace books most romantic stories of 
how bobbin or pillow lace was started, 
and believe the legend you like best. 
A parchment pattern was pinned onto 
a pillow, bobbins were wound with 
thread, and attached to the pillow by 
means of pins, and the lace woven, 
the pattern being indicated by the 
holes in the pricking, each hole de- A 
manding a pin. Bobbin lace admits 
of many divisions: sometimes the 
flowers or figures which form the lace are held 
together by little brides or ties; sometimes a 
tape is woven which curves around and joins 
on itself, but oftener there is a net ground or 
mesh. It is important to examine with a glass 
this mesh or reseau, for the way the reseau is 
woven, almost always definitely classifies the 
lace. Look also and see if an outline thread 
or cordonnet follows the edge of the pattern. 
It is very instructive and desirable to cata¬ 
logue your collection following a scheme such 
as this,—which, by the way, is the card for 
the lappet in the upper center of this page: 
Flemish, Brussels. 17th C. 
Bobbin 
French Point de Bruxelles, 
au fuseau 
Eng. Pillow made Brussels 
with mesh 
Lappet in good condition 
The ground is wonderfully 
fine, the design good and 
the a jours simple, but 
effective. 
42" x 5" 
Paris, 1906. 50 francs. 
Venetian Italian raised 
point lace. From 
South Kens in e ton 
Flemish bobbin lace lappet of the 17th Century, 
collection 
Author’s 
Examples of Abruzzi Italian bobbin peasant 
lace. Author’s collection 
Do not think for a moment your 
few pieces lack merit for the honor of 
forming a real collection. The mere 
fact that you have studied, arranged 
and catalogued a dozen specimens 
will prove you more a curator than 
the man with a very valuable collec¬ 
tion of which he has no definite 
knowledge. With a little nucleus, and 
a great love, your collection is sure to 
grow like the proverbial oak, and be 
a source of never-ending joy and edu¬ 
cation to you and your friends. 
Often you will find pieces of lace 
in need of repair, good pieces that 
can be bought at a reasonable price 
because of their condition. Do not hesitate 
to buy them, for often these will turn out to be 
the best loved in your collection. 
Having washed them carefully, as directed 
above, study the mesh or stitch in detail. Then 
proceed to darn the holes. Take time at this. 
Eventually you will be able to simulate the 
original. The Dutch bobbin lace cap—the 
long strip at the bottom left hand of this 
page—had two button holes originally. These 
were mended and the design carried on so that 
only the closest examination will reveal where 
the new work begins. 
Skill in mending lace can come only through 
practice. You can’t learn it from books. But 
learning it from the laces 
themselves, you will thor¬ 
oughly acquaint yourself 
with every idiosyncrasy 
of stitch and mesh, and, 
when the mending is 
finally completed, the 
piece will have more val¬ 
ue to you personally. 
Italian Reticella Eng¬ 
lish cut-work. From 
Metropolitan Museum 
Milanese Italian bobbin lace. This 
is made on a pillow, the braid 
woven first, then the mesh 
This and the piece opposite, both 
Milanese Italian bobbin lace, from 
the South Kensington Museum 
{Left) Dutch 
bobbin lace. The 
lower specimen 
was a Dutch cap 
Honeton bobbin 
lace. The frame 
shows method of 
mounting 
