Lace, like velvet, is one of those fabrics that seems to have small blips of popularity and then slide back into the murky depths of "what your grandmother wore". I think it is because most people have never actaully seen real lace. The lace you see on the racks of those chain stores at the mall are all machine made and god only knows out of what chemical combination of fibers. Even the higher end lace pieces these days are for the most part machine made and most often a mix of synthetic fibers. Better then the lower end stuff but still not the real thing. Real lace — like the hand made Chantilly lace pieces are a whole different ballgame. Their delicate, gossamer designs with beautifully edged bouquets and explosion of blossoms suspended on a fine backdrop of beauty defy our perceptions of what people can create. Made by hand. Hours and hours and hours and hours of delicate, precise, meticulous hand work.
Think about that and then stop and really think about it.
You will never look at real lace in the same way again!From Wikipedia: Chantilly lace is a handmade bobbin lace named after the city of Chantilly, France, in a tradition dating from the 17th century, though the most famous are silk laces introduced in the 18th century. Though called Chantilly lace, most of the lace bearing this name was actually made in Bayeux in France and Geraardsbergen, now in Belgium.Chantilly lace is known for its fine ground, outlined pattern, and abundant detail. The pattern is outlined in cordonnet, a flat untwisted strand. The best Chantilly laces were made of silk, and were generally black, which made them suitable for mourning wear. White Chantilly lace was also made, both in linen and silk, though most Chantilly laces were made of silk. The black silk Chantilly lace became especially popular, and there was a large market for it in Spain and the Americas. Chantilly and the Spanish laces (such as Blonde Lace) were the most popular black laces. Little white Chantilly was eve made. Another notable thing about Chantilly lace is the use of a half-and-whole stitch as a fill to achieve the effect of light and shadow in the pattern, which was generally of flowers. The background, or réseau, was in the form of a six pointed star, and was made of the same thread as the pattern, unlike the otherwise similar Blonde Lace. The lace was produced in strips approximately four inches wide, and then joined with a stitch that left no visible seam.
Have a beautiful, fantastical, vintage lace filled dayxxxcherie