Lace has a reputation for being delicate, fancy, and a little mysterious—like it floated into the world fully formed on the collar of a royal portrait. But lace is, at its heart, a triumph of patient hands. Threads crossed, looped, pinned, and stitched into patterns so airy they almost disappear… until the light hits them just right.
For collectors, handmade lace is especially rewarding because it’s both art and evidence. It shows what people wore, how they decorated their homes, what skills were valued, and how fashion traveled across borders. Two major handmade traditions sit at the center of that story: bobbin lace and needle lace. They can look similar at a glance, but they’re built in very different ways—and once you know what to look for, antique lace becomes much easier (and more fun) to collect.
Continue reading “Handmade Lace Traditions-Bobbin and Needle Lace”