Seven Centuries of Lace

The book surveys the history, techniques, and design evolution of lace, tracing earlier white-thread ornament and netting into needle-point and bobbin-made forms. It explains key stitches and methods, offers a glossary of technical terms, and classifies designs into three groups—abstract/geometric, stylized plant-and-animal motifs, and realistic renderings—while correlating these with changes in texture from stiff to gauzy. Photographic plates illustrate specimens and pattern sources, and commentary addresses origins, production practices, and how patterns and manufactories shaped styles. Practical and scholarly notes on dating, survivals of older types, and peasant versus workshop traditions complete the study.