LACE, MACHINE, EDGING

Bobbin lace was an important part of fashion from the 16th century until the early 20th century and in high demand

Through the eighteenth century lace became increasingly delicate, worked in extremely fine linen thread.

Flemish bobbin laces — Mechlin, Binche and Valenciennes, — began to dominate the market, with items such as cravat ends and lappets used to display the wealth and demonstrate the good taste of the wearer.

By the late 19th century machines were able to make laces resembling the finest bobbin laces.

This delicate machine made wide lace edging, closely resembles the highly fashionable handmade Mechlin bobbin lace of the 18th & 19th centuries. [Toomer Page 189] Identifying machine characteristics are the fuzzy tallies and the twisted threads of the net, where cannot follow the paths of threads as in bobbin laces.

Often these machine laces were finished with a silk gimp stitched in by hand as in this edging.