The bobbin lace process is best described as a form of weaving, in which the warp and weft threads are constantly changing places. There are only two basic movements, the cross and the twist, which always involve two pairs of threads. Bobbin lace is worked over a card pattern that is fastened to a pillow stuffed hard with material such as straw, sawdust, or horsehair. As each stitch, or row of stitches, is formed it is held in place with a pin pushed through the appropriate point on the pattern and into the pillow. The shape and size of both bobbins and pillows varies considerably from region to region.

Rosemary Shepherd, 'Glossary of general lace and lace making terms', Powerhouse Museum, 2003

Brabant or Brussel lace borders, two, sectional bobbin lace, linen, Flanders, Belgium, 1720-1750

Two Bradbant or Brussels lace borders, sectional bobbin lace, made of linen. Border has a shallow scalloped headside originally picoted. There are two different floral 'boquets', arranged alternately hanging and upright in relation to the footside and each within a scroll-like frame. Background is a mesh and brides are used within the design elements. The repeat pattern is approximately 550mm in width. Cloth or half stitch is used for the solid areas of the design with raised work for emphasis. Half stitch is also used as a filling in some areas and there are four other filling stitches: 1. Five-hole ground or rose ground (REF: Cook and Stott, page 65). 2. Toile star (REF: Cook and Stott, page 240) 3. Bud star (Cook and Stott page 232_ 4. Toile Star which is similar to 2. but set within diagonal half stitch trails. The ground is plaited within the design elements. The engrelure is bobbin lace of a later manufacture and the headside picots have been replaced at a later date. Plaiting had been used in the raised work of one motif, in conjunction with the more usual stem stitch. There is a strong evidence of different workmanship in the separate parts of the design, especially in the supplementary floral bouquets at either end of the piece.

REF: Bridget Cook and Geraldine Stott, 'Introduction to Bobbin Lace Stitches', Dover Publications, 1994

Made: 1720 - 1750

H3747

1720 - 1750