Antique Lace - Italian Point de Venise NeedleLace

Point de Venise is a beautiful buttonhole hand stitched needle lace. Point de Venise was buttonhole stitched to paper backing which is then removed. Most is Italian hand made lace, with a Belgian version, the Zele lace. Needle point lace was very slow to make, both types have beautiful intricate lace designs that transfer well onto gifts and household items.  Point de Venice lace is mostly found on antique bed linens, (sheets, coverlets, and pillowcases) and tablecloth sets with serviettes.

The best quality Point de Venise lace made in Italy is made with linen thread which is hard wearing and shiny looking.  The reproduction pieces from Asia, have a more fluffy appearance.  The lace looks fluffy especially after washing as it is often made of cotton which has shorter fibres that fluff out on laundering.   The designs are often simpler and the stitching looser on the reproduction pieces.  Filler cloth between lace is often cotton not linen and embroidery is coarser on the reproduction pieces. 

The fine Italian lace always had linen ground between lace panels and wonderful sleek embroidery.  The overall designs were secret and fiercely guarded and the whole tablecloth or antique bed linens only put together when all the pieces were made by a number of lace makers.  The beautiful final product was assembled and sold shortly after.  

Check out our beautiful gifts and wedding favors with antique Point de Venise lace designs.

 

Point de Venise Antique Lace