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Punto in Aria

Collar worked in punto in aria lace, early 17th century. Collar worked in punto in aria lace, early 17th century.

Punto in aria is regarded as a very early form of lace. It is a needle lace, closely related to reticella, and developed in Italy. While reticella still is very much based on a ground material, whereby more and more threads are being removed, with punto in aria the lace is worked without a ground material. 

The lace makers who developed punto in aria devised a linen and parchment base for their work. The parchment carried the pattern. The layers were roughly sewn together, after which the lace was worked and fastened to the base. When the lace was finished, the linen and parchment base was removed.

Punto in aria is mentioned in Giovanni Antonio Tagliente's pattern book (1527).

Compare Aemilia Ars needlepoint lace, and the schematic survey of needle made lace types.

Wikipedia

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 14 September 2016).

WV

 

Last modified on Tuesday, 03 January 2017 17:06