This lace
started in 14th Century and was first used to connect narrow pieces
of home woven textiles used for clothing.
Romanian
Lace, also referred to as Romanian Point is part of a family of tape laces, the
earliest dating date back to 17th c. Italian Mezzo Punto.
Today, Battenberg Lace is the name assigned to
most laces of this type where a machine made tape defines the design and needle
lace infillings define the texture.
Now Romanian
Point Lace is widely spread in Europe and can be find in Belgium , Czech
Republic , Germany , Hungary , Israel and some of former Yugoslavian countries.
The
uniqueness of Romanian Point is that it is entirely hand made , the tape have been replaced by a very specific hand made braid.
The braid
which is the base of the lace is done with a crochet hook and the filling
stitches are the needlepoint stitches. While the braid can take many forms, the
unusual characteristic is that the forming thread can be pulled from either
end.
For any
project you need a pattern which in this case is a design imprinted with a
permanent marker in a piece of fabric. Preferable should be a strong piece of
fabric which can’t be scrunch very easy on your hands and of a light color.
You need
thread for crocheting the cords. DMC Cebelia and Cordonnet work well. I have also used Pearl
Cotton as long as it has a tight twist such as DMC size
5, 8 , 10 & 12 .Loosely
twisted threads will not work.
To start the
project you would need to have done few good meters of the braid in the pattern
according to your chosen design.
This braid
have to be basted to the fabric piece over the design .The basting is done with
a thread in a contrasting color so at the end of the project when you need to
take it out you are able to see the basting thread easy.
After this
entire boring job is coming another very important task of sawing together all
the ends of the cut braid. The sawing have to be done like a weaving so looks
neat and is strong and the braid can’t unravel on the further washes.
Now for the
lace to start taking shape and hold together you be starting doing all the
filling in needlepoint.
For the filling usually you would not need any pattern just
lots of imagination .In time all the artist get the feeling of what is need to
be done. Each piece become a unique piece of art and is very well know even the
very experienced women can’t do two the same pieces.
Next step is to lift the lace up from the
pattern fabric. For this you need to turn the work in the back and with sharp
scissors you need to cut the basting thread (which was in contrasted color).
Then the lace has to be washed, the best way
is to be hand washed and have it starch a little. Is better to flat dry and
reshaped by hand so will be easy to ironing.
When you
start to iron is very good to use a little piece of fabric laid over the lace
and on the top of the lace and press gentle with the iron being careful not to
stick the iron thru the lace which often can happen.
This
is a doily with a tapestry insertion on the middle.
