Lace and fashion have had a love affair since the 16th Century. Lace has been dominant in both fashion and home decor since it was first created.
White lace represents innocence and romance. Black lace represents drama and excitement. Historically it was worn by royalty and continues to express the characteristic of quality for those who wear it today.
On my trip to Valencia, Spain, I discovered a great little lace shop at Plaza Redonda. There are many small bolts of lace in white, neutrals and black. Prices are reasonable.
- Needle lace is regarded as the ultimate lace. I was thrilled to meet a few local women sharing some of their stitches, using a needle and thread technique. They told me they have been coming to the Redonda Plaza and making lace for years.
- There are several techniques used for making lace. In addition to Needle lace, there is Cutwork (whitework) created by removing threads from the woven backing.
- Bobbin lace uses a group of wood or plastic bobbins of threads that are woven together on top of a pillow where the pattern is held in place.
- Knotted lace is what we call macrame’.
- Crocheted lace and Knitted lace have variations. Machine-made lace is what we see in the fabric stores today. Most any style can be replicated by machine.
- Chemical lace is embroidered on a surface that is water-soluble and dissolves leaving the remaining stitched motif.
