The other day, I mentioned an interest in Italian cutwork, needle lace, and reticella, and thought that others interested in the same topic might like this book.

This particular needle lace book is hosted, in PDF format, by the Online Digital Archive of Weaving and Related Topics. The book is in Italian, but if you don't read Italian, it doesn't matter, because there's only a brief introduction and the rest of the book is made up of patterns:



This is the thing, though - even if you aren't interested specifically in needle lace, the patterns are striking, and in looking at them, you might glean some inspiration for whatever type of embroidery or craft you do. I could see these patterns somehow adapted to other types of needlework: blackwork, couching designs, assisi embroidery, whitework even.



When I start looking at patterns like this, I can't help thinking of "all the ways" the same pattern could be adapted to other things!



Unfortunately, I share the common woe of many stitchers: so many ideas, so little time!



And I'm not sure why calligraphy and illumination come to mind when I see this one, but... they do!

Anyway, if you want to browse through a neat book, you'll find Giardinetto novo di punti tagliati et gropposi per exercito e ornamento delle donne, by Matthio Pagano (1550) at University of Arizona's Digital Archives.

Labels: needlelace, online needlework books

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Needle lace is a general term for - yes - lace made with a needle. There are many different types of needle lace. It seems that each region of Europe, for example, that has a needlework tradition, seems to have their own style of needle lace.

I love needle lace! I especially like the types that adorn linens. Italian cutwork is perhaps my favorite! I thought I'd just share a couple photos of a practice piece of needle lace that I pulled out of my sample binder today when I was cleaning up.

Italian cutwork is a technique that embodies whitework, cutwork, and needle lace techniques. It's worked on linen, and the design that is to become the inset needle lace is created by laying a foundation of threads in the pattern of the design, then cutting carefully away the linen and folding it back, stitching over the folded edge. Then, over the foundation threads that mark out the lace pattern, stitches are worked - usually buttonhole stitch, worked close together. Triangles, arches, and so forth can all be worked in geometric designs within cut out squares or other shapes.

The linen is further embellished with white embroidery. Some pieces of Italian cutwork are extrememly intricate, and really, really beautiful! Reticella, another Italian needle lace, had its origins in cutwork, but the technique for reticella lace eventually migrated to working the lace over threads, completely free of the ground fabric. Italian cutwork makes use of the ground fabric (linen) to anchor the foundation threads of the design (although, technically, you can make the same type of needle lace designs on paper, so that you have a separate piece of lace...)

Ok, enough! If you want to read further about Italian cutwork, I suggest the Priscialla Italian Cutwork book - you can buy it "new" and revamped from Iva Rose Reproductions. If you follow that link, you'll see a preview of the book, with some good photos of Italian cutwork.

Here's a little piece of needle lace I worked up as a sample a couple years ago. I was fiddling with Italian cutwork, and this was one of the little needle lace designs in the book.



The piece is a little short of two inches square. You can see that my picots are not so well done! It took a little practice to get those right! Also, the edge is not complete.



You can see the back here, with the linen cut and folded back. After the edges are stitched over (either with buttonhole or with an overcast stitch), you cut away the excess of the triangles.

So that's a little needle lace sample!

If you want to look further into needle lace online, here are a couple links:

Needle Lace - this has a nice introduction to needle lace, some patterns, pictures and descriptions of stitches.
Needle lace identification - here, you'll find some photos of different types of needle lace. Follow the links to see different types.
Beeton's Book of Needlework - hosted by Project Gutenburg, an excellent book of all kinds of needlework, with pages dedicated to needle lace.
The UK Lace Guild - good general information on needle lace - check the side menu for links to a few different types.
Antique Needlelace - some beautiful samples from the collection of Marla Mallett. You can click on the links for close up images, and the descriptions are good. This is not necessarily "cut work" lace - most samples are needle lace worked on net grounds.
Victoria & Albert - Here, you can type "needle lace" into the search feature, and view their online photos of different types of needle lace. There are some beautiful examples of cutwork & needle lace available - one handkerchief in particular is just stunning!

If you have any other resources on needle lace, feel free to share by leaving a comment! Thanks!

Labels: needlelace, needlework pictures, pictures, whitework

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