To Alice and all other spiders, I have for a long time been contemplating doing a piece of overlap lace but to date have never tried it, are there any pitfalls that I need to look out for, help gratefully accepted. Sue M Harvey ----- Original Message ----- > Alice in Oregon -- where my first overlap lace completion turned out > acceptible but not perfect.
Since this question was directed at me, I'll try to answer. I just did my first piece of overlap joining. I was shown this method some years ago in a Binche class. Last year, I learned about a thesis that had been written on the subject, and got a copy from Theo Brejaart.
It is "Het Lassen en Aannaaien van Kant" by Louise Allis-Viddeleer, and connected some way with Kantcentrum. Various methods of joining lace are listed, with detailed information on the sewn overlap. Louise has done a very good job of diagramming how/where to join by overlapping in the different types of laces. It is written in a language I don't know (Flemish? Dutch?) but does have a separate English translation.
I don't know how available this book is. It is a good reference for a quild to have in their library, if you can find a copy. I haven't asked Theo if he has any more.
Anyway -- joining by overlapping is used on a piece of lace that has to be connected with the beginning, like a hanky or doily edging, or to connect two pieces of lace yardage. The idea is that the lace is made long enough that there is a good overlap. A double row of lace stitches is used across the lace width for sewing the top and bottom matching threads together.
In the old, old days there were specialists who just joined lace. These days we usually have to do it ourselves.
This is the procedure as I understand it.
Make a couple extra repeats of the pattern -- at least 2 inches but 4 is better. The width of the lace and length of a repeat will affect this. A narrow overlap limits the sewing pathway choice.
A zigzag pathway is less noticeable than a straight pathway. Open stitches are easier to sew together than clothstitch. Ground stitches are easier than motif stitches. Plan a pathway with the least disruption to the pattern.
A thread the same color and kind, but of a smaller size is preferred for the sewing. The smaller the thread, the less the extra thickness will show. If you don't have a smaller matching thread, it might be possible to separate the plies of the thread.
Overlap the lace, matching thread to thread in the design. Baste the two layers together, matching the pattern. I used a colored thread on my white lace so I could be sure not to mix it up with my sewing thread. Baste on both sides of the chosen pathway with a couple rows across the lace on each side. You want the two layers of lace to look like one and not be able to slip.
Use a blunt pointed needle. I began inside the lace, about a half inch away from the edge, and attached my thread with one half hitch, just to hold the end.
The sewing is done by overcasting the sewing thread over two matching threads in the lace sandwich. Two rows side by side will be sewn, plus the connecting threads between the rows, and half of the connecting threads outside the two rows. One row is done all across the width, and then the adjacent row is done back to the first side, then back along the first row to the starting point.
The sewing thread is overcast around the two matching threads. There should be at least two wraps on each connecting bar. There may need to be more than two wraps if you have very thin thread doing the wrapping. The idea is to secure the two matching threads tightly together so they look like one. As a row of threads is secured, the side connecting threads are also wrapped, at least twice. The connecting thread between the two chosen rows would be half done on the first pass, and then the other half on the return pass in the next row. The connecting threads on the outside of the two rows would have two wraps only, not the entire bar. Gimp threads caught in the two rows would also have to be wrapped. Every portion of the stitches involved in the sewing would have at least two wraps. At a stitch with a pinhole that is supposed to be visible, the sewing thread would have to wrap each portion of the stitch separately, going through the hole and around the side threads. The hole should still be visible when finished.
When the entire two rows are sewn, there will have to be a half hitch around a thread to anchor it.
The basting threads would be removed, and the stitching checked carefully to see that all the threads within the two rows have been wrapped. If the sewing is complete and secure, then the lace ends need to be **carefully** clipped just past the sewing point. Clip one thread at a time and don't rush.
The overlapped and sewn lace section will be a bit thicker than the rest of the lace. After all, it has two full threads, plus the overcast thread, so does have extra bulk. However, it is less distracting than a series of knots, especially across a section of dainty ground.
As I said at the start, I've only done one project so far. People who have used this method may have additions or corrections to my comments. Please speak up.
Alice in Oregon -- where it's chilly, wet and windy, with hail at times.
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