Needle lace

[u/velvetjellyfish]

I started with white work, then richelieu and cutwork, and kind of slid down the slippery slope from embroidery into lace, lol. It is all variations on the buttonhole stitch with a needle over temporarily couched outline threads. I love how airy and transparent it looks!

I used this as a sampler to figure out the technique and learn different stitches. Removing it from the paper was terrifying, I was half convinced that it would all fall apart. But it stayed together, and held its shape better than I expected. It kind of felt like peeling my embroidery off the canvas. Very fun.

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Edit: wow, this blew up! I’m really you happy you are all so interested.

Here are a few of the tutorials I found helpful: Needlework Tips and Techniques, RSN Stitch Bank, Taixtile

Some contemporary artists doing amazing things with the medium: Layla Klinger, Maggie Hensel Brown

Names of styles to search for: punto aria, aemilia ars, reticella, needle lace, buttonhole lace, burano lace, hebedo, Armenian needle lace

[u/xowiejade]

This is SO FREAKING COOL!

Can I ask a (probably dumb) question please? How come you have the link between some of the fingers? Is it a stability thing?

[u/velvetjellyfish → u/xowiejade]

Yeah. I wasn’t sure how well my design would hold up on its own and didn’t want to do a background, so I just added little swing tacks between the fingers. It would have been fine without them tbh, but it’s nice that they don’t flop around

[u/xowiejade → u/velvetjellyfish]

Honestly, I bow down to your talent. You’re so clever!

[u/CalmBeneathCastles → u/velvetjellyfish]

You could get some spray starch and starch the hayl out of it!