Re: [lace] History of lassen
Not listing all the Gmail members and others who are blocked from seeing mail from AOL, but have included Nancy and Bev because of their considerable contributions on this subject. If any of you think other Gmail users need it, you may share. Malvary, This technique must have seemed logical, even to a child. Everyone is assuming that someone who knew a lot about lace and made it by hand dealt with joining lace, but I agree it would have been the seamstresses who perfected ways to use lace. In about 1950, age 12, I began making clothes for myself. Earlier, during WWII and beyond, my basic grainbag-fabric dresses were made by someone who could sew. (During the war, many products ceased to be available for purchase, and everyone made-do-without.) Slowly, manufacturers got back to producing yardgoods and the fashion industry was re-established. Many children were taught to sew, first by Scout leaders, and later in public schools - grades 7th-9th, probably because wages were low and many could not afford ready-made clothing. In those years I found machine-made lace by the yard in Woolworth's, and sometimes a length to use on something special was bought. Almost everything I made then, sometimes completely by hand sewing, is in storage trunks. I improvised or was taught to use what looks like the lassen method when the end of a piece of lace could not be hidden by a seam. Lace was a luxury, and it is unlikely anyone else would have taught me that technique. No lace was wasted - uses were found for every last inch. The one needlework book I owned then, published in 1949, does not include instructions for lassen, or whatever it might be called in English. It barely mentions how to sew lace on a collar edge. Old home economics textbooks, and books published by thread companies that give instructions for sewing clothing and fancy accessories may have instructions. Jeri Ames in Maine USALace and Embroidery Resource Center In a message dated 6/25/2019 9:17:06 AM Eastern Standard Time, malva...@sympatico.ca writes: Although Lassen by that name is probably Belgian, surely it doesn't mean they are the only people who ever thought of the overlap and sew idea. They might have copied and adapted from the way that finished and bought lace had been cut and joined to use in garments by skilled dressmakers for decades or even centuries. Malvary in Ottawa, who has never done a Lassen join - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] History of lassen
The number of wraps in Lassen stitches would logically depend on the size of the original thread, the type of stitches used, and the size of the wrapping thread. The idea is to fill each little section of the stitches with wrapping. Each section needs filled, but not overfilled. If it takes 3, that's fine. If that's too many, use fewer. If it's long section, use more. The wrapping thread needs to disappear in the pattern and not show to the casual eye. Yes, lacemakers will see it, but not the general population. As with most of lacemaking, the "rules" give you a basic starting point which are then adapted to fit special circumstances. Alice in Oregon On Tuesday, June 25, 2019, 6:23:12 AM PDT, Malvary Cole wrote: Although Lassen by that name is probably Belgian, surely it doesn't mean they are the only people who ever thought of the overlap and sew idea. They might have copied and adapted from the way that finished and bought lace had been cut and joined to use in garments by skilled dressmakers for decades or even centuries On a slightly different subject are the three whip stitches on each space really needed always/ever? In both Ulrike's 'The Beginning of the End' and Bridget's 'Practical Skills', they only whip twice in each space and they probably both did a lot of research on this. If the sewing thread is a lot finer than the main thread, there may be room for three in some places. There will be some smaller gaps (such as just inside the footside edge passive on the diagram where there is a tiny triangular gap) where there may only be room for one or two stitches. Forcing three stitches into every space will guarantee some distortion and will help it to look thicker than it needs to. Malvary in a warm but wet Ottawa, who has never done a Lassen join - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/ - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] History of lassen
Although Lassen by that name is probably Belgian, surely it doesn't mean they are the only people who ever thought of the overlap and sew idea. They might have copied and adapted from the way that finished and bought lace had been cut and joined to use in garments by skilled dressmakers for decades or even centuries On a slightly different subject are the three whip stitches on each space really needed always/ever? In both Ulrike's 'The Beginning of the End' and Bridget's 'Practical Skills', they only whip twice in each space and they probably both did a lot of research on this. If the sewing thread is a lot finer than the main thread, there may be room for three in some places. There will be some smaller gaps (such as just inside the footside edge passive on the diagram where there is a tiny triangular gap) where there may only be room for one or two stitches. Forcing three stitches into every space will guarantee some distortion and will help it to look thicker than it needs to. Malvary in a warm but wet Ottawa, who has never done a Lassen join - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
[lace] History of lassen
"For 'lassen' of lace the following are required: -- ... -- Cotton thread in the same colour used to make the lace, but much thinner. In the more substantial laces made of flax, a thin flax thread can be used. -- Thin smooth basting/tacking thread. -- ..." That's all that is said about the thread. There's no mention of the joining thread in the section 4.1 History. Nancy Connecticut, USA On Mon, Jun 24, 2019, 18:54 Bev Walker wrote: > Hello Nancy > Does the translation offer any insight as to the source and size of thread > needed for the stitching? ... > - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
[lace] History of lassen
I have come across some excerpts from a 1993 handout for the Lace Teacher Training Program at Kantcentrum, on joining and attaching lace. There is a section on lassen. The author (Louise Allis-Viddeleer) says what I've been arguing for, that lassen developed when handkerchiefs developed flat-worked corners and there were no longer ruffles or pleats in which to hide a seam. She thinks this would have been during the 2nd half of the 19th C, which seems reasonable to me. She cites examples of Mechlin from 2nd half 19th C with lassen joins. She also argues that lassen is a Belgian technique because in Belgium a piece of lace starts with the threads plaited in bundles rather than hung on in pairs, so there are not loops at the beginning into which to sew the ends. She says that the following laces would make use of lassen: Flanders, Valenciennes, Lille, Paris, Binche, and Mechlin. If lassen is indeed of Belgium origin, which seems plausible, I would think that someone at the Kantcentrum who is knowledgeable about joining and attaching lace would be our most definitive source. Nancy - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
