Lace Lesson #10 - Handmade Brussels vs. Machine Made "Brussels like"

Brussels lace is made using bobbin lace techniques. Handmade Brussels lace is called "part" or "pieced" lace as it is made in small elements. When a design element is complete (like a flower or leaf) the threads/bobbins are tightly bundled together, a tiny knot is made and the unneeded threads/bobbins are then cut off very close to the finished lace. These little "cut off" places are somewhat visible in the close up back side of the handmade example. These cut off bobbins (with remaining thread); are then reconnected to each other into pairs, rewound to remove the knot from where the lace maker is working and the pairs are then added in to begin the next design element.

This is where it becomes very difficult to put a "name" on a piece of machine made lace. I'm going to call this one "Brussels like", as it does have some similar elements and at a distance may appear to be the same construction. Front side.
Front side.


Handmade Brussels Lace. Front side.

Handmade Brussels. Front side close up.

1. This straight edge openwork tape edging, which is also handmade, is attached with a whip stitch along the arrow.
2. If you compare the bars/brides in the machine and handmade examples, the handmade bars are 4 braided threads which were added after the leaves and petals were made and go back and forth from element to element...they have continuity. The machine version has some thick and some thin bars and they lack "continuity", they rather just "end" at a flower or leaf.
3. If you compare the open work areas in the leaves and petals; the openwork areas in the machine made piece appear to wander around; whereas, the openwork areas in the handmade are truly horizontal lines intersected by diagonal lines (known as "half stitch").
4. Both pieces feature these tiny flowers; but they certainly look different. In the handmade example; these tiny flowers begin in the center and the petals fan off the center, rather like a snail shape.
5. The raised work. In the machine example; it appears to just be a larger thread that is attached to outline and emphasize the design elements. In the handmade example, closer examination shows that it is actually a bundle of the same threads which are grouped together and "sewn" (a looped technique done with a crochet hook or "needle pin") to move a number of threads to a different work location.
6. The little "buds" are a design element in both examples; but again, construction of the buds are very different. In the machine example, the heavy outline is just attached; whereas in the handmade example it is constructed by the bundling technique.

Handmade Brussels. Back side.
In both the machine example and the handmade example, the raised work will only be obvious from the front. But closer examination of the handmade example more clearly shows how the threads move from the bundle to the leaf or petal... or visa versa.

Handmade Brussels. Back side close up.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson. Questions welcomed. Have a good evening.
Stay safe. Stay well.
Leslie

 

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