I like lace!
And, recently our lace has been getting a lot of attention!
Most of the lace we have is 100% cotton, which is pretty unique in the lace world.
These are not curtain panels, but actual yardage. We have Nottingham lace, which is a knit lace, and Madras lace, which is woven.
The Nottingham lace is woven on the original looms, which have been modernized. The looms are over 100 years old, and have the ability to produce very wide material. The weaving is extremely slow, giving a high degree of quality control. The mill we get our lace from is one of the last of its kind in the world.
The daffodil iris lace has a double border.
The outer border can be easily removed, and used to edge the top and bottom of the project. So, if you wanted a table cloth, or a curtain panel, one could have a finished border on all sides.
Lace can be charming, delicate, or heavy in the look and feel, depending on the type of lace and the pattern. It can be elegant, or homey, cottagey, or even modern. But, it always adds interest! Our lace fabrics are all tone on tone, and while they add to a look, they do not compete with other colors in a decorating scheme.
Lace has a lot of variables- how open is the background weave or knit, how dense is the actual pattern that, and how closely arranged are the pattern elements.
The net background of the rose and scroll lace has a smaller openings than that of the spring floral lace. It has a cottagy feel to it. But what a beautiful wedding veil it would make!
And the floral medallion lace, shown below, has a more open net background, but the design elements are very close together. It would be a good choice for a spot that needed some privacy. Also, as it is non-directional, it would make nice tablecloths.
All the laces above are Nottingham lace, which is knit. But, we do have a few patterns of Madras lace. Madras lace has a woven mesh, like gauze. The pattern is then filled into the mesh. It has a very different look to it.
Weaving Madras lace is an extremely slow process- it takes a full day to weave twelve yards of it. Madras lace was named for the town Madras in India which was a lace weaving center.
Not all lace is serious! The polar bear igloo lace is an example of lace that is a bit fun!
So, when considering using lace, don’t just think about the pattern. Think about the use of it. If you just want a look, then you have just to find a lace pattern that you like that fits your decor. But, if you need it to do other things, like add privacy to windows, then you need to think about the actual pattern and construction!
One alternative for those who want privy and can not find exactly what will work, is to use the lace against a colored fabric as an overlay. The background fabric could be the privacy factor while the lace itself could be the design element you are looking for to add to a room.
I had to go down to the stockroom, to find a bolt of lace the other day, and I was digging through them, when I got a big surprise! I found a bolt of one of my favorite lace fabrics! I thought it was long gone, and oh joy! There it was. It is back on the website.
It is the lily of the valley lace fabric.
This is the most delicate Nottingham lace, with lily of the valley. I love it!
For all of our lace fabrics see
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