And Italian guipure, and light French lace, and tatting - all these needleworks belong to the shuttle type of lace, which since ancient times has been very common in various countries around the world.
Art historians believe that this technique of lace knitting was created in Ancient Egypt. And only in the 17th century it found its spread in Italy and France, and then throughout Europe. This type of needlework came to Russia like French lace - tatting.
For weaving, any cotton threads No. 10, 20, 30 are used. It is woven with shuttles - you can see them in the photo. These are two plates curved into crescents, between which there is a jumper on which the thread is wound. The ends of the plates should be bent so that the thread, when wound around the jumper, does not slip past, being held in place until the lacemaker pulls it out. A diagram of what the shuttle should be like is shown in the photo.

The entire weaving technique is based on the tatting knot. The double tatting knot consists of straight and reverse loops. This is the most difficult element in this technique. So, having mastered it, you will easily master all the techniques and you will be able to weave wonderful products.
I suggest you make a decorative brooch - a rose from simple motifs woven using this technique.

For work we will need: 2 shuttles, scissors, crochet hook No. 1, darning needle for untangling knots, Iris threads, pin.

In order to make such a rose brooch, you need to weave five motifs from the threads you have chosen. I have this thread poppy.

In order to understand the pattern (rapport) of weaving the tatting technique, you need to know the following designations: K - ring, PC - half ring, P - picot, D - arc. So, let's proceed directly to weaving our petals.
Rapport of motive
1.1 – k (4p5p5p5p5p5p1).
2.1 – k (5p5).
2.2 – d.
3.1, 3.3 – k (5p5).
3.2 – d((2p)7 2).
3.4 – (2p2).

After this, it will be enough to weave the last, sixth motif without finishing the third row. It will be the middle of our rose.

I soaked all the finished elements in gelatin for this purpose. So that they are rigid enough and keep their shape.

Now let's start collecting our flower by petals. To do this, we twist the last sixth, smallest element into a tube, thereby grabbing it with a thread.

To this element we add the other five one by one, also fastening them with a needle and thread.

We should get a rose like this.

I decorated the middle of the flower with a bead so that it would sparkle romantically.

I bought a pin at a sewing store to make our brooch.

All we have to do is attach our finished flower to this pin. I did this again using thread and a needle - I sewed the rose to the base.

Our brooch is ready! You can safely pin it.

Over time, if the rose becomes limp and becomes less tough, it will be enough to starch it with an aerosol. They are now on sale in stores household chemicals. And then iron the petals. This rose will not leave you without attention!

The beauty and grace of lace fabric is often compared to fancy frosty patterns on window glass. Lace is one of the most popular types of fabrics that can decorate any product - a wedding dress, underwear, curtains or bedding.

Lace is a thin fabric in which a complex original interweaving of threads forms patterns of extraordinary beauty. In its production, both natural - linen, cotton, silk - and synthetic threads can be used.

Lace first appeared in Italy in the middle of the 16th century. Then it was called Punto Aria, which means “ air loops" Masters created stunningly beautiful weaving using an ordinary sewing needle. Lace quickly spread throughout Europe and gained popularity not only among the Italian, but also among the French, English, Spanish and Belgian nobility. Already at the end of the 17th century, lace weaving reached Russia. Russian seamstresses not only repeated the complex openwork weaving of the products of foreign lacemakers, but also added their own special flavor to it.

Since then, for several centuries, the beauty, airiness and grace of Vologda, Vyatka, Yelets and Mikhailovsky laces have been famous all over the world. According to the type of production, all types of lace are divided into handmade and machine-made.

Handmade lace

Handmade lace is usually classified by technique or place of production.

Even Tsar Peter I, who tried to introduce foreign orders in patriarchal Russia, introduced the fashion for lace collars and cuffs. It was then that bobbin weaving, which Russian lacemakers have long been proud of, became widespread.

Bobbins – special wooden sticks with threads wound on them. By throwing them from one side of the fabric to the other, the knitter creates bizarre airy patterns that have their own distinctive characteristics in each area.

Bobbin lace is made in two ways - paired and chained. When paired, a long measuring strip is obtained, which is then cut into pieces of the required length.

With the chain method, individual parts of the pattern are woven, which are then connected to each other using a hook.

Weaving lace with bobbins is a very complex type of needlework. Sometimes the craftswoman uses up to 1,500 sticks at a time to create a particularly intricate pattern.

One of the most labor-intensive methods of making lace, which includes several stages.

First, a pattern is invented and drawn on thin paper. It is attached to the fabric, an outline is made with a thick thread, and then gradually, stitch by stitch, the entire internal space is filled.

The classic pattern for needle lace is roses, chrysanthemums and other flowers. Separately knitted lace motif pieces are sewn into a fabric of the required size. At the same time, the craftsmen work with such a thin needle that it is almost impossible to detect the joints with the naked eye.

This hand-weaving technology comes from cold Norway. White linen is used as a base.

First, the contours of the design are embroidered using satin stitch, and then individual fragments are cut out with special miniature scissors.

Patterns are formed on the resulting mesh using various stitches. Most often, white linen threads are used for hardanger. Recently, some craftswomen have been adding a little beige or brown.

Hardanger lace decorates not only clothes, but also home textiles, in particular tablecloths and bedding.

Tatting

The art of tatting lace knitting originated in France and translated means “free”, “frivolous”. This is lace made from threads twisted in a special way.

Tatting is woven using a knotted method using special shuttles. Using this technique, napkins are knitted and used to decorate tablecloths, towels, and bed linen.

Recently, tatting has been widely used to create costume jewelry: necklaces, brooches, earrings, pendants, etc.

Interesting fact! A very common technique of weaving macrame also refers to knotted lace. For the first time, sailors began to weave talismans and amulets in this way in ancient Turkey. Nowadays, macrame is used in the manufacture of scarves, shawls, stoles, and various decorative items.

Richelieu

This type of handmade lace is made on the finest fabric. Batiste, muslin, organza and even mesh are used as a base.

Various patterns are embroidered onto the fabric using stitches of varying depths, and then the spaces between them are carefully cut out.

This creates the effect of dark and light threads, which gives volume to the lace. One of the most famous cutwork lace is Italian reticella.

Advantages and disadvantages of handmade lace

Whatever techniques lacemakers use different countries, the result of their work is distinguished by beauty, nobility and sophistication.

In addition, lace self made, despite the considerable cost, are very popular due to the following qualities:

• environmental friendliness - only natural materials are used for their production;
• hygiene, breathability;
• safety for health: they do not cause skin irritation and allergic reactions;
• no static electricity.

In addition to the high price, handmade lace has another drawback - it is very difficult to care for. These products should only be washed by hand and dried flat, laid out on a horizontal plane. The lace should be ironed through thin fabric or gauze. Products with convex patterns are not ironed.

Machine-made lace fabrics

The high cost of handmade lace made it inaccessible to most connoisseurs of beautiful clothes. With the advent of the era of mechanization, lace production began on an industrial scale.

The first machines for making lace fabric appeared in France at the end of the 19th century. Since then they have been repeatedly improved and modernized. Currently, these are multifunctional programmable units capable of reproducing lace fabric with any patterns, including multi-colored ones, with the addition of metallized thread, and glued decorative elements. The most prominent representatives of machine-made lace fabrics are openwork and guipure.

Fabric with openwork beauty

In French, the word "openwork" means "visible through." Indeed, openwork lace is so transparent that in many cases it requires a lining. Openwork fabric is made from various natural fibers - linen, cotton, silk and even wool. To give it strength and elasticity, artificial or synthetic threads are added - elastane, lycra, polyester, viscose.

Modern openwork lace fabric can be either single or multi-colored. There is also “pseudo-lace” - a fabric for upholstery that imitates a lace pattern.

Interesting to know! Recently there has been a fashion for lace made from artificial or genuine leather. It is obtained by perforating a solid fabric with special notches and needles.

Main characteristics of openwork lace

Openwork fabric will never lose popularity because it has a number of undoubted advantages:

1. A noble appearance that attracts attention with its sophistication and beauty.
2. Subtlety and grace, allowing you to create unique outfits.
3. Openwork goes well with both light and dense fabrics.
4. The lace fabric is breathable and causes a pleasant sensation when in contact with the body.
5. Despite the lightness and airiness, the fabric holds its shape well and drapes perfectly.

Unlike handmade lace, openwork fabric is less demanding to care for and retains its original appearance longer.

But, unfortunately, against the background of continuous positive qualities, openwork also has negative sides:

1. The see-through effect involves combining openwork lace with other fabrics, which is not always popular with buyers.
2. The partitions between the main “motifs” of the fabric are sometimes so thin that if handled carelessly they can tear, causing damage to the product.

It is important to know! Products made from openwork fabric should not be hung on hangers, as the material may stretch and lose its shape. It is best to neatly fold your clothes on a closet shelf.

What is lace fabric used for?

Openwork fabric is traditionally used to create women's and children's clothing:

• wedding dresses and dresses for special occasions;
• ballroom dresses, carnival and theatrical costumes;
• underwear, stockings, tights, gloves;
• scarves and stoles;
• blouses for elegant suits;
• collars, cuffs and other elements of everyday outfits.

Openwork fabric is widely used to decorate home interiors. Curtains, tablecloths, napkins are sewn from it, towels and bedding are decorated.

Caring for products made from openwork fabric

In order for lace openwork products to retain their original appearance for as long as possible, you need to provide them with proper care.

• Wash lace better with your hands, and when using the machine, set the most gentle mode.
• Openwork fabrics are incompatible with washing powders, only liquid products are suitable for them.
• It is best to have expensive items specially cleaned or washed in a linen cover.
• The fabric is not twisted, but lightly wrung out in a terry towel.
• Dry the product flat.
• Iron the openwork lace from the inside out through damp gauze, setting the iron to the “silk” setting.

Guipure - originally from Venice

Although “guipure” is a French word, literally meaning “to weave”, “to braid”, Venice is the birthplace of this beautiful fabric. In ancient times, guipure was produced only by hand by high-class craftswomen.

Nowadays, special machines are used to make guipure fabrics, which, acting according to a given program, weave fabric from natural or synthetic threads.

In the first case, the guipure fabric turns out dense, with a pronounced convex pattern. In the second, thin linen fabric comes out.

Interesting fact! Classic way The production of guipure is the so-called “vyderg”. A grid is applied to the fabric, with the help of which the threads to be removed are marked. After they are pulled out to give rigidity to the lace, the remaining threads are twisted, making them twisted.

Types of guipure and its use

Divided into several types:

1. Classic guipure. This is a universal material, suitable for both elegant clothing and curtains. Most often, natural fibers are used with a small addition of synthetics.
2. Guipure with polyester fibers. Thanks to the addition of lurex thread, the fabric shines, which allows you to sew clothes for special occasions.
3. Guipure on mesh. Light and airy lace is ideal for blouses, light dresses, and negligees.
4. Stretch guipure. The weaving of lycra threads makes the lace fabric elastic. Clothes made from this fabric perfectly fit the figure, following all the curves.
5. Guipure leather. This fabric got its name for its increased density and strength.
6. Knitted guipure. Wool or artificial fibers are used for production. Sweaters, blouses, sweatshirts, etc. are made from it.

Guipure - positive aspects and disadvantages

The advantages of guipure, like all other lace fabrics, are undeniable:

1. Even a small guipure insert will turn everyday clothes into elegant ones.
2. Given the variety of types, patterns and shades, guipure can be chosen for any type of figure.
3. The fabric allows air to pass through well and does not float.
4. Guipure is universal - it is also suitable for sophisticated wedding dresses, and for sewing curtains and drapes.

Well, as usual, there are some downsides:

1. Guipure is too transparent, so it requires a lining of a denser material.
2. The fabric is not very easy to sew. In order for the product to look aesthetically pleasing, you need to carefully select the design when cutting.
3. If the material is too thin, careless handling may cause snags or tears.

If there is no other description on the label, then care for guipure products should be the same as for openwork lace.

French lace

France is not the birthplace of lace fabric, but the French monarchs were among the first to appreciate the beauty and elegance of the new fabric. Catherine de Medici, being a native of Florence, was the first to wear lace dress for her wedding, thereby marking the beginning of a new fashion.

Wealthy French decorated not only clothes with lace, but also home interiors, bedding, and even carriages. It was the masters of France who developed a new technique of lace weaving, known throughout the world as French lace.

In Alençon, in Lower Normandy, unique lace is produced, included in the UNESCO heritage list. A pattern of flowers and buds is applied with a fine needle onto a thin mesh with hexagonal cells. The contours of the pattern are strengthened with hair from white-maned horses.

Weaving Alençon lace is a very labor-intensive task. To make one square centimeter of lace, a craftswoman needs at least 5 hours. Nowadays, Alençon lace can also be made by machines. But still, handmade lace is literally worth its weight in gold.

The fashion for Chantilly - lace made of black threads - appeared in the 19th century during the time of Napoleon III. The fabric got its name from the town of the same name, where lacemakers worked. Using the Chantilly technique, shawls, capes, capes are woven, and dresses are decorated. At the end of the 19th century, the greatest chic among French fashionistas was to have a black Chantilly dress set on a white sheath.

French lace is always at the top of the fashion Olympus. Even representatives of the English royal dynasty wear dresses made from French lace fabrics to their weddings. Hand- and machine-made lace fabrics are an excellent material for sewing and decorating clothes, underwear, and home textiles. Stylish, airy and beautiful lace can turn everyday life into a bright celebration.

France was not the birthplace of the invention of lace. But she gave the world several techniques that had a significant impact on the development of fashion in the world. French Chantilly lace, Argentan and Alençon products are highly valued and are considered one of the most expensive in the world.

The fashion for lace in France was introduced by Catherine de Medici. Florentine by birth, wife of King Henry II and mother of three kings, caused a sensation with her lace wedding dress. Catherine became the trendsetter of a new fashion; under her, the reticella ornament became popular. Not only were dresses and bed linen decorated with lace, but carriages were upholstered with it and used in the interior.

French lace

Under Catherine, the first catalog of lace appeared, which was drawn by the Italian artist Frederico de Vinciolo, commissioned by her.

Under Louis XIV, a fashion for Italian guipure arose. Venetian lace was incredibly expensive, and it happened that nobles went bankrupt purchasing outfits. Finance Minister Colbert ordered 30 lacemakers from Venice, who were supposed to teach local craftswomen the secrets of weaving.

French lacemakers perfected the technique. Guipure was distinguished by the subtlety of its finishing: not only fancy ornaments were reproduced, but also genre scenes, profiles of angels and people were woven.

Louis, to whom Colbert showed samples of the work, was very pleased: the Sun King, confident in the skill of French women, banned the export of lace to France. Manufactories were founded in Alençon, Quesnoy, Sedan, Argentan, Reims and many other cities. Since the end of the 17th century, lace from France has been an example of perfection and high style. For two whole centuries - an obligatory attribute of female and men's suit, which was worn by the upper classes. Only in the 19th century did men stop decorating their outfits with lace.

Alençon lace

Alençon (lower Normandy) was the first to use tulle with small hexagonal cells as a background. The hair of white-maned horses was sewn onto the contours of the ornament. The pattern of bouquets and floral ornaments is applied with a small needle.

Garlands and patterns in the Rocaille style have a characteristic ornament, which was decorated with a thicker thread. Lace using the alençon technique is an extremely painstaking, labor-intensive weaving. To weave one square. cm lace requires four hours of handwork!

By the end of the 18th – beginning of the 19th centuries, the ornament of Alençon lace became lighter. It is placed along the contours, and the background is filled with small patterns, polka dots, and butterflies.

Alençon lace is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Nowadays, most lace is made by machine knitting. Hand embroidery is practically never found on sale. But in the lace-making museum there are craftswomen who introduce you to the technique.

Argentan lace became famous. Their difference was that the larger cells on the background were overstitched with a buttonhole stitch. Alençon lace is more airy than that made in Argentan.

One of the most popular laces in the world used to decorate wedding dresses is Alençon lace.

Chantilly lace

This technique - lace made from black threads - became widespread in the 19th century. Chantilly came into fashion under Napoleon III. The pattern is decorated with a lattice, which in some details is woven more tightly to achieve depth and volume. The contours of the design, as well as the openwork background, are outlined by a dense silk thread.

Using the Chantilly technique, they wove capes, shawls, covers for umbrellas, capes, and decorated dresses.

The equipment comes from the town of the same name. At first, the then fashionable blond lace was woven in Chantilly, then they began to produce lace from black threads. Chantilly got its name when they were no longer produced in the city. But Cannes and Bayeux were considered the best manufactories.

French lace dress

Chantilly lace was an indispensable part of the costume of a European fashionista of the 19th century. Many portraits have survived depicting beauties whose dresses or capes are decorated with Chantilly. According to the memoirs of a French woman who lived during the era of the Third Republic, ladies felt undressed if they were not wearing lace or a Chantilly cape.

In the 40s of the last century, only ladies from high society could afford to decorate their outfits with Chantilly lace. In the 60s, shawls, capes, and collars made of black lace became more accessible: they began to be produced by machine.

At the end of the 19th century, Chantilly dresses, which were worn with a white cover, came into fashion in Europe. It was an elegant and expensive outfit for a representative of high society.

Nowadays, lace from France is an indispensable attribute of pret-a-porte and haute couture. Leading lace manufacturers are at home high fashion Sophie Hallette and Riechers Marescot.

French lace is always in fashion. Particular interest in them arose after the wedding of Kate Middleton, who got married in a dress made of lace made in France.

Vintage lace, which is collected for collections and making outfits for antique dolls, is also valued.

A little bit of history. Irish lace got its name thanks to a legend. It is believed that Irish sailors, missing home while sailing, wove ropes various flowers and patterns. Later, someone came up with the idea to combine these patterns into one weave, which is lace. And since the sailors who invented this knitting technique were Irish, the lace is called Irish. But this is a legend.

Irish lace began to be produced in the 19th century in Ireland. Their ornament was taken from guipure of the 17th century. Lace was extremely popular at the beginning of the 20th century. They were also called “Renaissance”. Although such lace was found in France in the 17th century. From there they came to Ireland and England. It is very painstaking work to create a thing from Irish lace motifs. But they are very beautiful and impressive from an aesthetic point of view.

It is by the effect that things create, related way Irish lace, they give odds to tatting and Viennese guipure. By the way, sometimes Irish lace is called Viennese guipure, but these are completely different things. The similarity with guipure is only in knitting individual elements and then laying them out according to the pattern. Guipure is connected by brids or groups of brids.

It seems that the sailors had enough free time, since lace, in its complexity and beauty, suggests the presence of virtuosity. This is already real art. But, if you are just deciding to start, don’t let these words scare you. After all, the main thing is to fill your hand. This applies to needlewomen of the widest range and style of knitting. We will simply look at the knitting technique in the style of Irish lace, or rather one of the techniques - cast-on lace.

The point of the technique is to link individual compositions, mainly floral motifs, and combine them into one fabric, be it a napkin or a blouse.

Some authors describing this technique claim that Irish lace can only be mastered by an experienced knitter, with which we do not agree. After all, the individual components - stars, flowers and leaves - can be knitted by everyone. Then all that remains is to combine them into one canvas, and this is a matter of time and patience. If you have patience and have time to knit, try knitting Irish lace fabric. In any case, it will become a source of pride.

You can combine individual elements into an overall composition different ways. And it is not necessary to connect one canvas in only one way. They can be combined, because one element can be conveniently connected in one way, while for another element another method may be more convenient. First, let's look at how you can combine individual motifs into a composition.

1. The simplest way to connect elements is to tie them to each other during work. For example, you knitted the first element, or motif, when you finish knitting the second, then the last row knitted with the edge of the first elements. Or this option. If large motifs will be located around one small one, then it is better to knit these large elements separately, and when you knit a small one, tie the large ones to its edges. Of course, this method is good when you knit a small fabric and the elements are approximately the same. But when the composition consists of elements that are very different in size and shape, it becomes very difficult to assemble the entire canvas using this method. Small motifs are very long and difficult to knit and connect. Therefore, knitters who are unsure of their patience and free time should better try to knit large motifs.

2. A more well-known and used method is to connect individual motifs with a mesh. The principle of creating a composition is to lay out motifs on a flat surface and fill the voids with a knitted mesh. When the mesh is knitted, the motifs are combined into one overall composition. The voids do not have a specific shape, so honeycomb knitting or fillet mesh won't work here. Rather, on the contrary, the grid should have randomly shaped cells that have an arbitrary shape and direction, whatever you think is most beautiful. It’s best when it seems to flow around individual parts of the canvas.

3. If this method is too labor-intensive for you, make it even simpler. First, knit a mesh or openwork fabric. Tie individual motifs on top of it. The main thing is to create a beautiful base.

5. The fabric, which consists of motifs that fit tightly, is simply sewn together by many needlewomen with threads. In this case, of course, it is desirable to have fewer gaps. It is advisable to leave the tip of the thread long enough from the motif so that it can be threaded and stitched through the joint area.

6. Brides are stitches of threads that can be used to join lace. After this, they are trimmed with a cutwork stitch, or the mesh itself is made like needle lace.

You don’t have to immediately start making a whole wardrobe item using the Irish lace technique. After all, individual motifs can be used as decorative elements when finishing clothes, applied decorations or appliqués on fabric or knitwear. Trimming a skirt, dress or blouse with elements of Irish lace can make any item elegant and original.

Look at the drawing. This is what real Irish lace looks like. This is nothing short of impressive.

The pattern of such lace should be approached according to all the rules of sewing with all darts. This important element good start.

If you are not a professional tailor and have made the pattern yourself, or use magazine patterns, then it is better to do the following. Make a pattern on inexpensive fabric, adjust it to suit you, and use the fitted elements to make the final pattern, rebuilding the details taking into account the adjustments. These manipulations may seem unnecessary, but they actually save a lot of time and nerves, because adjusting the product when it is knitted fabric- it’s already very difficult. Having thus created a pattern adjusted to ideal quality (you will have time to make mistakes in the process), we assemble the parts. The pattern should preferably be made of thick cardboard. To assemble the parts, you need to “come up with” some kind of platform into which you can stick pins to secure the base and individual elements. This can be a flat board covered with foam rubber and fabric. We lay out the motifs on the pattern. Some motifs may already be collected in the composition. You shouldn’t knit all the motifs at once, except when you’re doing ready-made example. Usually they knit several motifs and put them together in compositions, trying to create good combination. This point is perhaps the most important in Irish knitting, because it is not technical or mechanically worked out. There is art and creativity here. And it's so interesting. If you manage to create a beautiful combination, the remaining motifs fit within the framework of the intended theme.

Sometimes pinning motifs onto a paper pattern is not entirely convenient. In this case, you should sew the motifs onto the fabric, after first drawing the contours of the pattern onto it. There is also the practice of gluing lace with tape. Knitters sometimes attach the elements with the right side down to make it easier to knit the elements with a mesh. Another way is to collect small completed compositions, which can then be easily combined into a common canvas. For example, the back and shelf.

The main rule for stitching elements is that the joints should be stitched invisibly. Having filled the entire space of the pattern, you will notice that there are unfilled areas that are braided with mesh. Having completed one part, move on to the next. The seam should be invisible, especially at the side and shoulder joints, so it is important to think about these areas in advance. If a leaf or flower extends beyond the edge of the joint, that's great! After all, it will just close the connection, or the back can be made taking into account that half of the part starts, for example, on the back, and the other goes onto the shelf.

The grid usually raises the most questions for beginners. We have already said that the grid can have regular and irregularly shaped cells. The correct mesh is usually used to tie identical, or graphically “correct” parts. An irregular or irregular grid is used if the motifs are very intricate, have different sizes and shapes, that is, complex elements. An irregular mesh has no front and back sides, as it is knitted in any direction.

There are no specific techniques for knitting mesh. Some knitters knit it immediately when joining the elements, others knit it separately under the motifs, then sewing it on. It is likely that you will develop your own style of attaching motifs, your own grid. Here we are learning only the basics.

To knit a mesh, a thinner thread is usually used than the one from which the motifs are knitted. Knit the mesh as tightly as possible, otherwise it will become loose. Elements should not be lost on the grid; for this they are obliged to “crawly step”. It is not at all necessary to break the thread every time you finish tying another motif. You can move on to the next one on the wrong side.

The main thing in Irish lace is a harmonious combination. In this case, it can be used on the same product different variants weaving mesh and motifs. Remember that in this type of knitting there are no boundaries. Instead of a mesh, you can use braid and knitted cords, tie them to the desired length, then use your imagination.

Needlewomen who regularly make Irish lace advise slightly moistening and steaming the motifs before assembling the product. Steam, but do not iron! The motifs should not shrink, otherwise you will have to tie them together, and this can ruin the whole idea, violating individual drawings.

It is advisable to give the elements a relief, unless a light, thin ligature is specifically designed. To add volume, “bourdon knitting” is used. Bourdon is several threads gathered into one, or one thicker thread. It becomes the base, which is tied with a single crochet, passing through the knitting. If you need to make an area thicker, the burdon is laid inside; if a thinner relief is needed, it is pulled out.

I hope that such a detailed description is not too boring. However, the material can hardly be considered complete if you do not show examples of how individual motifs can be connected.

How to knit Irish lace motifs

So, we knit a leaf. The first leaf will have a flat texture. The others shown here are ribbed.

This pattern produces a leaf that is wide at the base of the cutting and tapering towards the end. If you make an increase on the arch, the leaf shape becomes sharper at the stem. If you type more VP (10-12) and the usual indentation is 2СБН, the sheet will be wider. The teeth will be concentrated at the front and oriented towards the point. From leaves of this shape it is easy to create one complex leaf (photo 7). If we reduce the number of VPs in the original chain (4-6), then our leaf will turn out to be much narrower and longer under the condition of multi-row knitting. The teeth will be located throughout the entire sheet.

Well, here a reasonable question arises - what to do if you need such a motif as a wide leaf with teeth along its entire length. To do this, you just need to increase the RLS of the indentation. To create a clear and intricate composition, several types of leaves are used in one composition. Some people like free plot lines, others strict and even geometrically correct, the main thing is that overall it looks harmonious and beautiful. For a free plot, draw a sketch with leaves different shapes and sizes. To make the sheet curved, knit different numbers of sc on one side and the other. If the difference is small, for example, 1-2 or 2-3, the turn will be smooth, but 1-3 is a sharp turn. In photo 9 we see a sheet that is rotated and knitted according to pattern 4. In photo 10 a sheet is knitted and turned in different directions according to pattern 5. For a free composition, such varied variations are simply necessary. This is the only way it can look quite expressive and aesthetically complete. You can experiment with it yourself different ways knitting sheets so that they are curved. You can also make rounded and random leaves, which are even more popular today. Often in compositions you can find small leaves that are connected by one row of columns various sizes. To make the composition more expressive and tougher, it is tied with a “crawfish step”, or a row of sc (diagrams 6 and 7).

Just as small-sized leaves are knitted, it would seem that knitting medium-sized leaves should be similar. However, such a sheet will turn out somewhat loose even after you tie it. Such leaves should be knitted, RLS, PS, C1H on both sides of the VP chain (photo 12, diagram 8). Such a sheet must be tied twice into the same column heads. On rounded places, do not forget to add sc on the desired side. The cutting is knitted on 6-7 VP, in the opposite direction the RLS is knitted.

In another type of sheet, columns of different sizes are knitted on RLS, which are tied with a VP chain on both sides (photo 13, diagram 9). Weave a bourdon into such a sheet, that is, a thicker thread, or a thread twisted into several threads, which is used to knit the sheet.

Lace making... this art originated in deep, deep antiquity. The Holy Scriptures also spoke about weightless, transparent, lush coverings with which the clergy decorated altars and clothes.

The ancient Egyptians wore clothes with lace borders and embroidered designs. It is not known whether such clothing was worn during rituals or whether it was considered simply beautiful. But the fact remains a fact. The first lace was invented one wonderful day by someone and already existed during the time of the pharaohs. This has been proven thanks not only to drawings, but also to elements of clothing preserved in the pyramids.

Fillet work (weaving nets) has been known since time immemorial. They began decorating nets with embroidery not much later. But only towards the end of the 15th century. The most amazing openwork canvases began to appear, which immediately became a dream, a coveted item of possession for those who had the opportunity to afford such luxury.

The concept of “lace” includes 3 separate techniques: needle sewing, bobbin weaving, and crocheting or crocheting. Lace is considered to be sewn and woven. The third view represents another technical view- knitting, only in some moments roughly imitating weaving. Needle embroidered lace was not performed in Russia, but woven lace, on the contrary, achieved widespread development, turning into the new kind arts and crafts.

Unfortunately, there is no consensus about the country that originated lace.
But let's try to plunge into history for a few moments...

Some historians deny the origin of lace making in the East, because (in their opinion) such an exquisite, elegant art could only develop in the romantic, cheerful, bright period of the Renaissance. Where then did the first lace fabric appear?

French lace is the dream of all aristocrats of the world

The wife of the French king Henry II, Catherine de' Medici, commissioned a certain Italian, Fideric Vinciolo, who in 1587 published the most complete list of lace patterns.
Lace was used not only to decorate women's and men's dresses. Furniture, especially beds, was also decorated with lace. The boots of fashionistas and even the interiors of carriages were trimmed with lace.

Lace cuffs, collars, camisoles and dresses embroidered with lace became an integral part of the wardrobe of noble people.

The French nobility were extremely willing to spend huge sums of money on lace fabrics. But since lace was not yet woven in France in those days, they had to be bought in Flanders. Of course, there was a large outflow of money from the country, which was absolutely not part of the government’s plans. But Venetian lace was the only professionally, skillfully made lace in the world at that time!

At the end of the 17th century, French royal manufactories were founded in the cities of Sedan, Alençon, Quesnoy, Argenton, and Reims. 30 lacemakers from Flanders were hired for the work. They taught strictly selected students.
The Florentine craftswomen who left were persecuted and tried to be returned to Florence as criminals who betrayed the secrets of lace production. It is said that those who refused to return died suddenly and without cause.

Trained French lacemakers, with their inherent aristocracy and charm, brought a unique French chic to the technique of lace weaving.

Alençon embroidery has gained fame all over the world, and to this day it remains unsurpassed in beauty and execution.

In Valenciennes, lacemakers invented the finest patterned mesh. The pattern had no relief, so clothes made from such a mesh were comfortable and practical.

Black silk Chantilly is another type of lace invented by Catherine de Rohan in the 18th century.

Schemes and patterns for lace were made by ornamental artists. This is real art!!! Their names are known to this day: Francois Bonemé ​​de Falaise, Jean Beren, Louis Boulogne, Francois Boucher.

King Edward III of England in 1363, protecting the interests of the country's domestic market, banned the import of foreign lace veils into the country.

From the end of the 15th century. Huge cutter collars are coming into fashion, as if they were a wave surrounding the necks of fashionistas and fashionistas. Their edges were decorated with teeth.

“To create the denticles, the famous “punto in aere” (stitches in the air) arose, and intricate lacemakers began to make these denticles wider and wider, inventing masterly patterns, connecting them with the finest threads, weaving horse or even human hair into them to give relief to the floral and plant ornaments."

Venetian ornaments and lace patterns were combined into the finest thread bundles. This type of lace is called guipure.
For the coronation of Richard III in 1493, luxurious pieces of lace and guipure were ordered to England.

"Italian lace was distinguished by its unique grace and high artistic skill. Exorbitant amounts of money were paid for them, and soon laws began to appear in many countries that limited the consumption of such expensive jewelry. To please wealthy customers, artists became sophisticated in inventing new designs. Laces were given names and names, the most famous being the “point de rose” guipure.

First half of the 18th century. was marked by a transition to tulle lace, in which the ornament is intertwined with the finest network of tulle, forming small cells of the same shape.

"This is due to changes that occurred in the artistic style of the 18th century. Weightless and graceful ornaments of the Rococo style replaced the lush but heavy ornaments of the Baroque style. Brussels became the main lace center of Flanders. But the most popular woven Flemish lace became known in Europe as angletter (English) This was explained by the ongoing ban on the import of imported lace into England, but since Flemish lace was better than English, the demand for it was very high, and merchants resorted to smuggling and sold Flemish lace as English."

Brussels bobbin lace was famous for the fact that the background and the ornament were woven at the same time. Until the technique was fully mastered, such lace took a very long time to weave.
But in the middle of the 18th century. the technology has been greatly simplified.

Florentine raspberry lace was also famous. The rocaille type ornament that characterizes it was formed due to the dense interweaving of threads and dense patterned meshes of the general background. The main distinguishing feature of this fabric was its brilliant relief contour. When the city in which this lace was made went to France, the malin was modified in the French way, but did not lose its uniqueness.

Russian lace

In Russia, the earliest laces were metal. They were made from gold and silver threads. For this work, girls from serfs were carefully selected and craftswomen were worth their weight in gold. Many girls dreamed of becoming lacemakers, but not many knew how difficult this craft is.

A dream come true sometimes became a tragedy: many craftswomen in early age lost their vision due to constant eye strain while working. All the girls, without exception, had pain in their backs and arms. But what they created with their own hands was amazing!

In addition to national weaving, Russian lacemakers mastered the skills of Venetians and Frenchwomen.

The name of the craft supposedly comes from the word “to surround”: from time immemorial in Russia they trimmed the border on the hem and the edges of the sleeves with embroidered ornaments.
It was almost impossible to distinguish lace made by Russian girls from real Florentine or French ones.
At the beginning of the 19th century, lace crafts began to appear in different cities of Russia. Lace makers from Ryazan, Vyatka, Vologda, and Tula were famous for their skills.

An interesting fact is that each area had its own techniques, techniques, secrets, by which one could find out their origin.
The abolition of serfdom in Rus' led to a sharp reduction in lace weaving. When skill began to revive again - distinctive features the lace of different areas became so intertwined that they became almost indistinguishable.

In 1883, the Mariinsky Practical School of Lace Making was opened in St. Petersburg. The most capable girls from various provinces studied there. Russian lace enjoyed enormous success not only in Russia, but throughout the world.

In the thirties of the 19th century, an important event took place in the world of fashion. Machine-made tulle was woven for the first time.

This greatly simplified and reduced the cost of making lace.

Machine-made lace was made from cotton threads, and for this reason it lacked the elasticity, elegance, fluffiness, elasticity, weightlessness and softness for which handmade lace was valued.

Therefore, a machine is a machine, and handmade lace still remained in demand. Fashion is a unique phenomenon, forcing many stingy people to become generous, transforming inconspicuous “gray mice” into bright elegant beauties... fashion gives birth and kills, gives and deprives... therefore, no matter how much lace made by the hands of craftswomen costs, it never lingers on the shelves fashion salons and shops.

When weaving bobbin lace, many threads are taken, each of them must be wound on a separate bobbin or bobbin. The pattern of the future ornament is first drawn on a sheet of paper, after which it is pierced in those places where pins should be inserted, on which the threads will be held and fastened. Such drawings are called chips.

“In addition, the craftswoman also needs a pillow on which the chips are pinned; pillows can be flat, round, small and large, depending on the type of lace being woven. For example, in Belgium they sometimes use very small and flat ones, rather hoops than pillows for individual flowers, then sewn onto the tulle, in Barcelona the pillows are very long, but in Bayeux they are very wide and are used to produce thin lace, sometimes requiring up to 600 bobbins. The threads are fixed at the beginning of the pattern, although threads can be added or removed during weaving. creating any loop requires at least two pairs of bobbins, i.e. four threads.

Once the loops are made, they are held in place by pins that pierce the pin and attach it to the cushion.

Pattern motifs that can be emphasized using thick thread are usually made with plain or half-braid weaving, but sometimes more complex techniques are used. After weaving is completed, the lace is removed from the pillow and the pins are removed."

Lace... Fashion trends are capricious and fleeting. But there are things that exist outside of time and fashion. The grace, elegance and beauty of lace are undeniable and timeless. The art of handmade lace weaving is alive to this day; it is one of the most beautiful and painstaking activities that exist in the world of hobbies.