Lace Mystery

Is this bobbin lace or tape lace? Looking for clues

Handmade Belgian Bloomwerk bobbin lace

Last week’s article on the wide world of tape laces brought me an enquiry that you might find of use. The question was, “How can I tell if I have tape lace or if it is handmade bobbin lace when they often look so similar?” It is a big question and I have only a small answer for now. There is much more to be known, and it is not always easy, but this will give you a start.

This is tape lace. First look at the little round flowers in the picture.  Notice how they are gathered and ruffled. Machine-woven tapes are not bendable, they are straight, so to go around corners, make loops or circles, the tape has to be gathered up. That is the first hint that this is tape lace, not bobbin lace. Bobbin lace is mostly flat — no wrinkles or gathers.  Remember, however, lace using purchased, machine-woven tapes still requires a lot of handwork to hold all the tapes in their place. Notice all of the fancy handmade brides (connecting threads) and fills that surround the woven tapes in this example.  

Gathered and folded tapes with detailed handwork holding them together

Now, look at the pointed ends of the leaves at the edge of this piece.  Notice how the points are folded in or overlapped?  That is the only way woven tapes can change direction around a sharp corner - by folding or tucking under. 

Tape forming sharp points by tucking under, folding or overlapping.

When handmade bobbin lace is made, all the loops, turns, corners and circles are built into the lace as the lacemaker is throwing her bobbins.  No gathering or folding is necessary. For example look at this handmade Italian Cantú bobbin lace. Notice that the handmade loops and flowers are flat. Notice, too, that the handmade “tapes” can change their form - running straight and plain, like a ribbon, and then suddenly bursting into more loose and open patterns.  

Handmade Italian Cantú Bobbin Lace

So then, those are three ways of determining if you have machine woven tape lace or bobbin lace. Here is a little test for you. Using the above clues, which laces are handmade bobbin lace and which are laces made from purchased woven tapes?

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

How did you do? Can you see the difference? Here is your answer key.

---

1. Bobbin - Sovene Idrija 2. Bobbin - Milanese 3. Tape - Branscombe

4. Bobbin - Honiton 5. Tape - Renaissance 6. Tape - Battenberg

7. Tape - Battenberg 8. Bobbin - Czech 9. Bobbin - Flanders

10. Tape - Battenberg 11. Bobbin - Slovene Idrija 12. Bobbin - Cantú

I make it sound easy, and it isn’t always. There is much more to know about how to determine which laces are made with tapes and which are handmade bobbin lace. There is even more to know about how to distinguish machine-made lace from handmade - but I will save that for later!