Fig. 820. Reticella lace.
Materials—For the open-work: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 10 to 100, or Fil à dentelle D.M.C Nos. 25 to 150, white or écru. For the bars: Lacets superfins D.M.C Nos. 3 to 8.[A]
Fig. 821. Working detail of fig. [820].
You begin by laying and fastening down the braid by means of very small stitches upon the lines of the pattern, which should be traced upon black paper; you next proceed to make the centre bars, covered with plain button-hole stitches, on which you mount a row of stitches, like those of fig. [755]; these are followed by another bar, to make which, you pick up the loop of the stitches of the preceding row and by another row like the second, finished off with picots, like those illustrated in fig. [700]. The bases of the pyramids likewise consist of bars, button-holed on both sides and edged on the inside with picots.
The stitches of the first row should not be too close together, that there may be room for those of the second row between, as we have already explained in fig. [702], in the chapter on [Irish lace].
The inside of the pyramids is worked in the stitch represented in fig. [755], the picots round them are like the ones in fig. [599].
The lace, represented in fig. [820] in its original size, was worked in Fil à dentelle D.M.C No. 80, whilst the second engraving, representing the same subject, shows us how perfectly well it can also be made in heavier and coarser materials, these being in this instance, Lacets superfins D.M.C No. 4 and Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 20.
Venetian laces (figs. [822], [823], [824], [825], [826], [827], [828]).—Under the name of «Venetian point» are comprised, not only certain kinds of pillow lace, but even more generally, the beautiful needle-made lace, the outlines of which are bordered with handsome scallops in high relief.
We shall confine our attention in the present instance to the needle-made Venetian lace as the other can be learnt without any great difficulty by following the instructions already given for the making of pillow lace.