SHORT HISTORY OF BOBBINS LACE

There are a lot of legends about the birth of bobbins lace, so it's difficult to know exactly the date of its appearance but one thinks that the bobbins lace was born in the middle of sixteenth century, probably at the same epoch in Italy and Flanders. 

In fact, this technique existed before under another shape : the braid. This last one was practiced, more particularly, by men, with gold, silver or brass threads the most often. The use by women of white linen was a great innovation. 

The refinement of motif and the complexity greater and greater made of lace an art very different of braids.

At first geometrical, the decoration was transformed to follow fashions.

It existed other kinds of lace, more or less close by it, like burato or reticella.

Each country, each region or almost had "its lace" with its characteristics. However, some bobbins laces haven't got a national identity and have been made (it's always the case) in numerous countries like, for instance, Torchon lace or Cluny lace.

It's wonderful to note that some laces (Valenciennes lace, Malines lace...) were very expensive, more than work of famous artists. In effect, the necessary time to realize a piece of lace could be hundreds hours. Unfortunatelly, lacemakers were very poor, but they were passionate by it and wouldn't have wanted another job.

The linen thread, more or less big according the kind of lace, will be replaced in the nineteenth century by cotton thread. At the present time, all kinds of material are used like coloured silk for modern creations.

What is sure that lace always fascinates, men like women, but the industrial making killed it.

However, today, its magic is always here and the great dressmakers are using it again. Some courses are appearing everywhere. So, when will come its revival ? I don't know but what is sure that bobbins lace will still make us dream a long time.