About Lacemaking

Lacemaking was originally a “cottage industry” before the Industrial Revolution. It was made mainly by women and girls from the age of 6, either at home or in “lace schools” as a way to make some money while still being confined to the home.

Traditional bobbin lace was made by weaving and twisting together threads wound on wooden bobbins, and then pinning the threads in place onto a “lace pillow”.

Lacemakers often gathered together in order to share warmth and socialise. “Lace Tells” were songs the lacemakers would sing together while at their lace pillows. These songs were often macabre in nature, telling stories that often involved bloody murder, sexual threat and premature death. They sometimes incorporated the lace-making process into the songs - for example, counting the pins as they are pushed into the pillow.

After the industrial revolution and the development of machinery, lace making by hand was no longer a feasible way to make money. Lacemaking as an industry has since been done using machines. Nottingham then became the centre of the world’s lace industry, though today only one true lace-making factory remains in Nottingham.

Lacemaking by hand lives on through hobby lacemakers.

Some blog posts specifically about lacemaking as a craft are below. See all other blog posts here

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  • History of Lacemaking

The Lace Merchant (character and history)

Above music: Maiden Maiden by Gemma Khawaja. Lyrics by Ulysses Black. The little puppet prototype pictured is the character of the lace merchant....

Industrial Lace Machinery – Nottingham

  Audio above: Recording of a lace machine by Gemma Khawaja with added accompaniment I spoke to Richard Brawn, who trained as an...

The Lace Schools

Above image supplied by The Higgins Bedford. Postcard by Braggins and Co. Copyright belongs to The Higgins Bedford. The following information was given to me...

Lace Smuggling

Back in the heyday of handmade lace, it was an extremely valuable commodity. There were also sumptuary laws which stopped people of certain classes wearing...

Lacemaking Tells (rhymes/songs sung while lacemaking)

Above: Gemma Khawaja's version of Needlepin, a lace tell. The Lacemaking Tells are unaccompanied counting songs and rhymes sung/chanted by young lacemakers, particularly...

Patron Saints of Lacemaking

Saint Catherine According to the legend, St Catherine of Alexandria was a virgin martyr who converted to Christianity and was imprisoned tortured, sent to be...

“Jack, be Nimble…” Candlesticks and Cattern Cakes

Jack, be nimble! Jack, be quick! Jack, jump over The candlestick! Jack jumped high, Jack jumped low, Jack jumped over And burned his toe! In...

Lace Makers’ Bobbins

Bobbin Lace is a type of lace made by twisting and plaiting threads using bobbins - small sticks usually made from wood - which are...