NANDUTI, TENERIFE, MAT

A fine delicate Nanduti lace mat, hand stitched in silk thread in Paraguay in early 20th C.

This lace evolved from the embroidery in 16th century Europe, especially in Spain, where it was known as 'Sol Lace' (sun lace) or 'rueda' (wheel) designs. In Spain’s Canary Islands, it became known as Tenerife.

Taken to South America by Conquistadores and missionaries, in Paraguay it developed into Nanduti lace.

Here the design is marked in pencil on linen stretched across a wooden frame. Outlines of running stitches were worked round the circles / shapes, webs stitched across them and then woven in different designs. The competed work was set free by removing the running stitches.