FAQ

What are the different types of lace?

The knotted net embroidery

The knotted net embroidery is practiced as follows. First, the net must be knotted. Traditionally, this tedious work is done by hand using a shuttle. Then once ready, the net is stretched onto a wooden embroidery frame. Finally, it is possible to embroider all sorts of motives using a needle, according to a predefined pattern or even following one’s imagination. The colors used can also vary.

Tatting

Tatting is a technique for handcrafting a particularly durable lace from a series of knots and loops. It is traditionally practiced with a small shuttle on which the thread is wound. The lace is formed by a pattern of rings and chains made from a series of knots over a core thread. Gaps can be left between the stitches to form picots, which are used for practical construction as well as decorative effect. Tatting lace is often used as a decoration to fix on fabrics, as is the case here. In German, tatting is usually known by the Italian-derived word Occhi, which means “eyes”; in Italian, tatting is called chiacchierino, which means “chatty”.

Crochet

Crochet is practiced with a single instrument, a hook. Usually in crochet, there is only one live stitch on the hook, while knitting keeps an entire row of stitches active simultaneously. There are some types of basic crochet stitches. Crochet is traditionally worked on the basis of a written pattern, describing the stitches using abbreviations.

Lace knitting

Lace knitting is a delicate artistic technique. By combining the increments of small holes with matching decreases, it is possible to create a very light fabric like lace: it is lace knitting. The large and numerous holes in the lace make it extremely elastic: for example, some shawls in Shetland are called “wedding ring shawls” because they are so fine that they can pass through a wedding ring.

Bobbin lace

Bobbin lace is a lace textile made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread, which are wound on bobbins to manage them. As the work progresses, the weaving is held in place with pins set in a lace pillow, the placement of the pins usually determined by a pattern or pricking pinned on the pillow.