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Reticella lace
Reticella (or reticello, Italian spelling) is the connecting thread between embroidery (on fabric) and lace (no foundation fabric). It's origins can be found in cutwork, the removal of certain threads of the ground fabric, leaving holes in the fabric which were neatened on the edges with buttonhole stitch. This drawn work was called Punto tagliato and looked like netting. When the holes left from withdrawing the threads were large enough, fillings were executed. This required the addition of needle threads to provide strength and stability in the form of cross bars. With the foundation fabric only being used as an outline for the design, the designs were soon using a grid of threads done entirely free of the fabric. This was the first true Punto in Aria. The finished lace was then applied to fabric. The foundation thread, or Fil de Trace, is couched on stiff backing which has the design printed on it. The threads are couched down over the design smoothly and carefully, and the fillings are worked with a finer thread in buttonhole stitch and Genoa, a form of weaving. The word reticella was first recorded in 1565. It was done in geometric designs, beginning with a square and later, circles. It's rather coarse in appearance, and larger threads make it easy for the beginner to learn. Named for an Italian city, many different forms of lace received their names from the city in which certain designs were worked. Many patterns are available today, and designing is relatively easy. The background to this page is one design, found in the book The Needle-Made Lace of Reticella, by Jules and Kaethe Kliot. This book is available from Lacis. Other recommended reading: Needle Laces Battenberg Point & Reticella also from Lacis. A wonderful 3 part article by Diane Clements, member of EGA, found in The Needle Worker magazine. June/July 1999, p 35-41; August/September, 1999, p 55-60; October/November 1999, p 36-43. These three projects are lovely and the instructions are wonderful! Back issues are available, so I suggest snarfing them up if you're interested in this lovely lace work. |
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