Saturday, February 23, 2008

Beautiful heirloom net doily

Yesterday I open a package and found a simply gorgeous net doily. Nancy Day had sent it to me to see if I could reproduce it. It has about a 9" diameter and so won't fit completely on my scanner, but I had to try to let you see it.



The 8-sided figure in the center is only 1.25 inches in diameter.



Each of the 38 small circles that go around the edge are only 3/4" in diameter.



I am still trying to figure out how the person who netted the doily did some of the things that were done.



Like these small details which occur in the middle of the doily. These two diamonds only join at the bottom, but show no sign of a knot at the end of the diamond shape.






Too bad all the knowledge and skills did not get handed down. I know my great-grandmother had some netting techniques that her daughters could not remember how to do and so my grandmother could only say that her mother had joined circles together (maybe like the edge of this doily) but she did not know how to do it, so I do not know how either.


Looks like I am going to have to invest in a good magnifying glass so I can see what was done and maybe figure out how to do it again. Actually, I am kind of excited to try this. It will certainly not be completed quickly.

6 comments:

Arkansas Bartholomews said...

Whoa, that is beautiful! I'm excited for you. Do you need funding for the magnifying glass / electron microscopy / magnifying scanner you'll need to get the knots on those joins?

Avitalp said...

Rita, you're going to need a needle, not a netting shuttle! This is Armenian/Mediterranean knotted needle lace. Here's a photo of a small doily I made: http://www.angelfire.com/home/avital/fiber/armlace2.jpg If you need instructions, look for Elena Dickson's books. She's the current Mediterranean lace expert.

Avital

Avitalp said...

P.S. Another site with more info about Armenian lace: http://lace.lacefairy.com/ID/ArmenianID.html

Anonymous said...

If anyone can figure it out, it's you! Sorry I'm not a "carrier" for the craft...

Anonymous said...

Hello, I'm a French woman and I wish to promote the art of netting here in France for practical reasons foremost, in order to substitute for plastic bags. I would like to know if you would agree to at least one of the two proposals:

- either offer a page in French on your website where you show how to make the knots(and I provide the translation);

- or give me permission to use your drawings of the same tutorial so I can make a tutorial in French on another website or blog.

Please reply to kamo(at)runbox.com

Thanks and congratulation. Brigitte

Unknown said...

Hello, it's been over a year and I think of you often. I wonder if you've figured out my mother's lace yet?

I have a larger piece that matches it. It is about 18" across (the whole piece) with the little 3/4" circles around the edge. I love it and see it daily as it's on my dresser.
Nancy