“ In making it a perfect instructor and a reliable exponent of the favorite varieties of lace, we have spared neither time nor expense, and are most happy to offer to our patrons what a celebrated maker of Modern Lace has pronounced as "the finest book upon lace-making to be found on either continent." ”

“ This engraving represents a flounce of darned-net in its actual size or width. It will be seen that the design is simple, but at the same time very effective. The flounce is for a child's dress made of net darned all over in the pattern seen in the picture, and worn over a tinted silk slip. The all-over work is very pretty indeed, and the design may be put to any of the many uses for which darned net is suitable. It is pretty for yokes, pillow-shams, counterpanes, infants' dresses and carriage-robes, parasol-covers, sofa-pillow covers, and in fact for any article that may be made of lace. ”

“ DESIGN FOR A LACE BORDER AND CORNER.
A great deal must be left to the ingenuity of the worker in filling in this design, which is not of the orthodox modern variety but may be readily transformed into that class by an adaptation of modern stitches. With the methods of the latter well mastered, the worker will have no trouble in bringing out the design just as it is illustrated; but she may also by the exercise of a little judgment and taste substitute many other pretty filling-in stitches for those here pictured. ”

“ Lace-making establishments will furnish designs of any width or shape desired, and will also originate designs for special articles for which there are only occasional calls. Regular edging designs are ordinarily made in four widths—from quite narrow to very wide; and not infrequently a handkerchief design is enlarged sufficiently to form a square for a table or a fancy stand.
In filling in the spaces of any design or pattern, the worker may choose the stitches that please her best, if she does not like those accompanying the design that she has selected or that has been sent her. ”

“ The edging here illustrated is represented about one-third less than its actual width, but the design is so distinctly brought out that its beauty in any width may be readily conceived. It is formed of fancy Battenburg braid, but may be made from a plain variety if preferred. The design is known as the fern leaf and is easy to follow. Sorrento bars are used to connect the work, and "spiders" are made here and there to add variety to the work. Point de Bruxelles stitches are used to fill in the spaces at the sides of the leaves, and, with the fancy braid, produce a very dainty, delicate effect. ”

“ The art of making lace in one form or another has existed from the earliest ages. There are Scriptural references to various web-like fabrics, which were of rude construction, no doubt, but whose general characteristics were identical with those productions of modern skill which have for centuries been known as lace. Homer and other ancient writers constantly mention net-works of fancifully embroidered materials; gold thread-work was known to the Romans ”

“ This center is attached to the braid at the inner edge of the border by a series of bars arranged in d'Alençon style and then wrought with the thread after the method used in d'Anvers bars. This tidy, enlarged, forms an elegant design for a pillow-sham. When laid over a tinted silk spread or pillow, a sham of this design shows its full beauty. When the braid is basted on in the outlines desired, the remainder of the work will be a pleasing pastime, as none of it is so fine as to require very close attention. ”

“ Ingenious students will no doubt be able to adapt for themselves the designs offered, but it is not advisable for those who have no talent in the matter of drawing or designing to undertake an elaborate adaptation, though they may easily accomplish a simple one. Besides, a professional designer will furnish the design for a moderate sum, perfectly outlined upon tracing cloth, with ink, and with the proper filling-in stitches perfectly delineated; and if the student wishes it, will select the thread and braid appropriate for the design ”

“ Strictly modern lace-making is a result of American ingenuity, and it has so simple a basis and is so easy to learn that any woman of average skill may, with little difficulty, pro [Pg 7] duce by its different processes, laces that are really magnificent and quite as substantial and useful as they are exquisitely beautiful. ”

“ The darner must decide for herself which method for holding the work she will use. Some of the most expert darners simply hold the net loosely in their hands and copy the design by eye alone. Wash-silk floss, India floss which is of linen but looks like silk, and ordinary darning flosses are all used for this work. ”

“ Not all people know the difference between point lace which is made with the needle, and pillow lace which is made with the bobbins—but much of the beautiful point lace of the present day is made with the needle, and its beauty stands a favorable comparison with the more costly pillow lace. ”

“ Museums contain specimens of lace dating back to periods that to us of the present day seem mere dreams of reigns and eras, and history includes a scattered literature of lace which proves that the art must have been practised almost from the beginning. ”

“ A very handsome point lace set is here illustrated, and may be easily followed by an expert lace-maker; but it will be wiser for the novice to obtain a pattern or design of the shape and size desired, from a professional lace-maker. Point de Grecque, point de Bruxelles, point de Venise, Sorrento bars, and rosettes and rings are all employed in carrying out this design. As elsewhere mentioned, any fine stitch preferred may be used for filling-in purposes when those suggested or marked out upon a design are not admired. ”

“ As in all fancy work which has a set of foundation stitches peculiar to it that may be varied according to the proficiency and ingenuity of the maker, so has Modern Lace a series of primary stitches from which may be evolved many others. ”

“ It is made of the finest table linen and Royal Battenburg lace. The cloth is, of course, very large, and the lace, in the form of wide insertion, is let in above the border and is also arranged to divide the center into three squares. An outside border of edging to match completes this exquisite production, which has been two years in course of construction, and is valued at four hundred and seventy-five dollars. The same style of lace may be made by any one who studies the art and in any width or form, and it may be produced in many textures, although really intended for heavy effects. ”

“ Eugenie spent $5,000 for a single dress flounce, and had $1,000,000 in fine laces."
Victoria's favorite, Honiton, is not considered a particularly beautiful lace, although its weaving is so tedious and difficult. "Real Honiton laces," so says an authority, "are made up of bits and bits fashioned by many different women in their own little cottages—here a leaf, there a flower, slowly woven through the long, weary days, only to be united afterward in the precious web by other workers who never saw its beginning. ”

“ In looking at the sham illustrated on page 109, the design illustrated at No. 11 will be seen at either side of the middle-stripe design. As here represented it will be easy to copy either for a pillow-sham or for any article of decoration or personal use desired. The ingenious worker will find many methods of combining it with other designs or applying it as an insertion, a border or an edging; and she may also use her own taste as to darning with white or colored floss, or using white, écru, fancy-colored or black net. ”

“ The word "Bar" is applied to the many stitches used to connect the various parts of point lace, and the beauty of the work depends greatly upon the class of bar selected and its suitability to the lace stitches used.
Nos. 31 and 32.—Raleigh Bars.—These bars are much used in making Battenburg lace and are very effective. They are worked over a foundation or net-work of coarse thread, and are twisted in places so that they will more easily fall into the desired form. ”

“ They say it was a woman, Barbara Uttmann, who invented pillow lace in the 16th century. Women have ever been patrons of lace-making. Victoria has kept the Honiton laces in fashion, and it was the Duchess of Argyle who introduced lace-making in Scotland. The Countess of Erne and Lady Denny and Lady Bingham began it in Ireland, and Lady De Vere gave her own Brussels point for patterns when the first Irish point was made at Curragh. It was Elizabeth of Denmark who introduced lace-making in that country, and the Archduchess Sophia who started lace schools in Bohemia. ”

“ The outer edge presents no difficulty, but the inner edge will not lie evenly without being drawn in by a needle and thread, as follows: Fasten whipping thread securely, and insert the needle in and out of the edge of the braid, as if for fine gathering; this thread when drawn up will keep the braid in its place. Two or three fastening-off stitches should be worked when each circle, half circle, or rounded curve of a pattern is finished, as the drawing or gathering thread remains in the work, and forms an important, though unseen, part of its structure. ”

“ At the center of the cross is a large drawn-work wheel, while small Maltese crosses and half-crosses are made elsewhere in the work by the drawn-work method, Sorrento bars taking the place of the usual strands. The central section of the border at the right of the cross is done in point de Bruxelles which is afterward button-holed as in bar-work, and a button-hole picot edge follows the lower outlines of the pattern. Raleigh bars with picots form the connecting ground-work throughout the work. ”

“ Work a number of diagonal bars in button-hole stitch on a single thread in one direction, then begin at the opposite side in the same way, and work 5 or 6 stitches past the spot where the two lines cross; pass the thread round the cross twice, under and over the thread to form a circle. Work in button-hole stitch half of one-quarter, make a dot by putting a fine pin in the loop instead of drawing the thread tight, and work 3 button-hole stitches in the loop held open by the pin, then take the pin out and continue as before. ”

“ This engraving represents a specimen of genuine Russian lace made of fine braid, and wrought with bars similar to Raleigh bars, except that they have no picots. The Russians have always been noted for their exquisite needle-work, but as a nation they have never had any established lace manufactory. The workers of the small amount of lace produced are scattered about at their own houses, and many of them are poor ladies of gentle birth. ”

“ Besides, some of the threads in the very filmy laces are so fine that they cannot be successfully manipulated except in a [Pg 6] moist atmosphere, such as that of Great Britain; and even there some of the more exquisite specimens must perforce be made in underground rooms, since it is only there that the proper degree of moisture can be obtained. In dry climates these gossamer-like threads would roughen and break at almost the slightest touch. ”

“ No. 48.—Third Method of Making Picots Or Dots.—This method has been fully described in connection with the making of Raleigh Bars at Nos. 31 and 32 (page 15) , and requires no further description at this point. All dots and picots render work much more effective, and may be introduced at will by the worker.
In making modern lace, the various kinds require appropriate braids. There are three classes of these braids—those for Battenburg lace, those for plain Honiton and point, and those for the newest kind of lace, which is called the "Ideal Honiton." ”

“ This is a very popular decoration for curtains and vestibule doors and is made of heavy écru or white net and braid. The design selected is generally a border with a corner piece, and sometimes a center piece. The specimen here given is simply a square of the net decorated as illustrated to convey an idea of this at present fashionable curtain lace. The design is first traced on tracing cloth that is then underlaid with brown paper to hold it stiffly in place. The net is then laid over this and smoothly basted down so that the tracing shows through plainly. ”

“ The doily just described is illustrated about three-quarters of its actual size; but by using a fine braid a doily of fairy-like texture, and just the size of the engraving may be produced. Any one accustomed to drawing may enlarge this or any of the designs given, but only clever fingers should try this experiment. [Pg 27]
No. 4.—Point Lace Doily for a Toilet Cushion. ”

“ Other stitches used are d'Alençon bars, Raleigh bars, church stitch, point de Bruxelles, "spiders," Sorrento bars, and picots. The greater the variety in the filling-in stitches, the more beautiful the lace. A picot edge finishes the lace in a very dainty manner along its lower outline, while a cord forms the upper edge. [Pg 77]
No. 43.—Modern Venetian Point.
No. 44. [Pg 78]
DESIGN FOR MODERN LACE.
This design may be made up in Battenburg braid, or of point or Honiton braid according to the texture of the lace desired. ”

“ The design here presented is of full size, and very easy to work. A dainty edge in button-hole stitch is worked for the border, and the net is afterward cut out to form the tiny scallops. This is a pretty pattern for neck and wrist frills, jabots or ruffles, or for the adornment of kerchiefs for the neck or pockets, or for any purpose for which lace edging is selected. [Pg 119]
No. ”