Lace Fabric | Parts of Lace | Types of Lace | Uses of Laces
Rofiquzzaman Raju
Fabric Technologist,
B.J.Group, Mawna, Gazipur
Email: rtextile.finance@gmail.com
Main Features of Lace Fabrics:
Lace is an open work fabric consisting of a network of yarns formed into intricate designs. Lace may be hand or machine made, and intricate patterns can be produced by either technique. Both narrow and wide lace fabrics are available. The edges of the fabric may be straight or curved.
It is an important trimming, for it is used for table cloths, curtains, handkerchiefs, dresses, and underwear.
Lace consists of two elements:
- The pattern, flower, or group, which forms the closer-worked and more solid portion, and
- The ground or filling, which serves to hold the pattern together.
Parts of Lace Construction:
In identifying various kinds of lace, references have been made to their designs. These patterns are constructed of different parts, each having a particular designation.
1. Bride, or Reseau: It is the fine yarn that forms the mesh which provides the sheer ground (background) between the prominent parts of the pattern.
2. Cordonnet: It is the heavy yarn that outlines the pattern.
3. Picot: It is a decorative loop used both in the pattern and on the edge of the lace.
4. Toile: It represents the predominant parts of the pattern made by braiding, knotting, looping, or twisting the yarn.
Types of lace:
The two main types of laces are ”real” or handmade, and machine made. Linen thread is usually used for real lace and also expensive laces, but cotton, rayon, nylon, silk or other yarns are now used for various qualities and types and also for machine lace.
a) Hand made Lace or Real Lace:
- Bobbin Lace
- Darned Lace
- Needle point Lace
- Crocheted Lace
- Tatting Lace or Knotted Lace
b) Machine Made Lace:
- Leavers Lace
- Nottingham Lace
- Bobbin Lace
- Raschel Lace
- Ratiné Lace
- Schiffli Lace
Uses of Laces:
Lace is a decorative fabric used in apparel and home furnishings. Narrow laces are used for trims and insertions; wide lace fabrics are used for curtains, table cloths, and garments. Laces are made in different widths for different uses. For example, a narrow lace with a scalloped edge is used for trimming a baby’s dress; a lace with slits or eye lets is so made that ribbon may be run through it.
There are seven major uses of laces:
- All-over laces
- Flouncing
- Galloon
- Insertion
- Beading
- Edging
- Medallion
Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.
