The Art of Lace and Lacemaking

A significant component of life in the Current Middle Ages is the study and creation of a wide variety of Arts & Sciences, and in particular, Fiber Arts. One of the wonderful things about this aspect of artistic endeavor is that it serves as a solid bridge between historical periods around the world and the modern era. To that end, the mission of Caid's Order of Arachne's Web is to encourage lacemking using techniques from different times and places, both pre- and post-SCA period.

European Lacemaking

SCA-Period Styles

• Bobbin Lace
  • Ilaria's Lace Bobbins
  • "Bobbin Along" from the AEthelmearc Gazette
  • "Bobbin lace with cheap tools" by Mistress Katherina Weyssin von Regenspurk, OL, OP (Lochac)
  • "Bobbin Lace Sampler" by Mistress Katherina Weyssin von Regenspurk, OL, OP (Lochac)

• Branscombe Lace
  • Branscombe Lace - Technique transitioned to Battenburg Lace

• Crocheted Lace
  • Irish crochet
  • Filet crochet

• Cutwork
  • Broderie anglaise
  • Carrickmacross lace
  • Hedebo
  • Mezzo Punto
  • Punto tagliato

• Embroidered Lace

• Knitted Lace
  • Shetland lace

• Knotted Lace
  • Macramé - An ancient technique that flourished in the 13th-century, the Victorian Era and the 1960s and '70s
  • Tatting

• Lefkara Lace
  • Lefkara lace

• Needle Lace
  • Lacis/Filet Lace
  • Point de Venise (also Venetian Gros Point and Venetian Needle Lace)
  • Punto in Aria

• Point Tress
  • Lennox Point Tresse

• Reticella
  • Reticella lace

• Sprang
  • Sprang by Mistress Phiala O'Ceallaigh, OL (AEthelmearc)

• Tape Lace

• White Work

Post-SCA Period Styles

• Applique Net Lace

• Brussels Lace

• Hamilton Lace

• Honiton Braid
• Honiton Lace

• Jali Lace - Manufactured in India, based on an ornamental carving style. The most well-known example of jali/jaali carving is the Taj Mahal.

• Lier Lace

• Limerick Lace, produced in Ireland

• Needlepoint Lace - While it has its origins in earlier styles, it flourished in the 17th century.

• Needlerun - An Irish lace style

• Point d'Irlande - Also called Youghal lace. Also see Kenmare Lace, another Irish lace technique

• Puncetto

Lacemaking Resources

Caidan Lacemakers

• Comptesse Albra Katerine Marie Isabelle Bautiste, OP, OL
• Baroness Astra Christiana Benedict, OP, OL
• Baroness Cynthia de Wickersham, Guildmistress of the 1st Caidan Arachne's Web Lace Guild from 1979-~2012 (deceased)
• Lady Gillian Jewell
• Lord Hawke Quinn
• Condesa Isabel Antonia de Aranjuez, OL
• Baroness Lynnette de Sandoval del Valle de los Unicornios, OP - interim Guildmistress for Caid's current Arachne's Web Lace Guild
• THL Marie Elaine de Womwell (deceased)
• Mistress Medb ingen Echuid, OL
• THL Mora Ottavia Spadera
• Lady Susan of the Golden Heart
• Baron Timotheus Zacharia von Schloss Zwilling, OL

Lacemakers in Other Kingdoms

• Mistress Arrienne Lenorra Ashford, Midrealm
• Mistress Branwen Scholastica, Midrealm
• Mistress Delphina de Champeaux, Ansteorra
• Mistress Helene Gabrielle du Lac, Midrealm
• Contessa Ilaria Veltri degli Ansari, OL (currently lives in An Tir)

Books

• Digital Archive of Documents Related to Lace
• Annotated Database of Lace Books, created by Mistress Sabrina de la Bere, OP, OL, Guildmistress of West Kingdom's Arachne's Web

General Articles

• Glossary of Lace and Lacemaking Terms

Websites/Facebook

• The Lacemaker's Home Page - By Mistress Ilaine de Cameron, OL (East), but not associated with the SCA's Order of Arachne's Web
• Choosing Lace for SCA Garb 1500-1600 - by Mistress Ilaine de Cameron
• SCA Arts and Sciences - Maintained by Master Gregory Blount, OL/Greg Lindhal - last updated March 2010
• The Lace Museum - Located in Sunnyvale, CA
• This 'n' Tat- Last updated in 2015
• Great Lakes Lace Group - Includes Detroit area
• The Structures of Antique Lace - By Marla Mallett, with photos and a bibliography
• Textile Geek - EXTENSIVE resource for fiber arts information
• The Lace Guild - Located at The Hollies, 53 Audnam, Stourbridge, West Midlands UK (This is a long-standing non-SCA Guild in England)
• History of Lace Making - Brief overview, last updated in 2016
• Lace and Lace Making in the Time of Vermeer
• Lace Techniques - Brief listing of techniques in the UK, sponsored by the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford
• Textile Research Centre in Leiden, Netherlands

The following are lace and lacemaking-related articles on Stefan's Florilegium Archives. As with many SCA-period arts, opinions about whether a form is "in period" or not tend to vary.

• Tatted Lace Includes an almost-complete scan of Elisa Ricci's book Old Italian Lace, published in 1913

Tools and Supplies

• Bobbins by Van-Dieren's, Rochester, NY
• Van Sciver Bobbin Lace, NY
• Lacis, Berkeley, CA

Arachne's Guilds in Other Kingdoms

• Atlantia
• East Kingdom's Arachne's Web Lace Guild and FB page
• Meridies
• West Kingdom

Photos

Please remember to credit the site or photographer.