Making a hand embroidered lace pendant
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“...lace is formed from the absence of substance; it is imagined in the spaces between the threads. Lace is a thing like hope. It lived, it survived, and it was desired for what it was not. If faith, as the nuns said, was the substance of things hoped for, then lace was the outline - the suggestion - of things not seen.”
― Iris Anthony, The Ruins of Lace
Well hello, it’s been a while. This year has not got off to the best start for all sorts of distracting reasons including a bout of flu, probably covid. My ‘sewjo’ seemed to vanish into thin air, but this week I found it again - perhaps it was just floating around in the ether for a breath of fresh air - and got myself back in the sewing room.
This little project has been just the thing to lift my spirits and was one of those ideas that wasn’t really on the list… it just happened to evolve.
When I was laid up in bed feeling really lousy, I found comfort in my collection of Japanese embroidery books by the amazing Yumiko Higuchi. Of course I can’t understand a word of them, but the pictures inspire me every time I turn the page. One design caught my imagination and I decided that I was interested to try this embroidered lace border with a view to perhaps using it on a dressmaking endeavour. It was really just an experiment.
It was a lovely and relaxing little piece of embroidery. I used an old piece of linen in a champagne sort of colour and some ecru perle cotton thread. Simple and effective and it soon started to look really very pretty. Following roughly the photograph in the book, I used chain stitch, satin stitch, bullion knots and colonial knots to stitch it up.
When it was finished I was convinced that this kind of border would look truly beautiful on a plain linen top or jacket, but this tiny scrap needed to be used for something. It took a day or two but then I woke up one morning and I just knew what to do with it. I decided to make a lace pendant. I had seen a few example of these kind of embroidered necklaces on the internet and just thought how pretty it could be as a layering piece. First of all I used some iron on interfacing to stabilise the fabric and then I added some tiny seed pearls to embellish the embroidery.
When figuring out exactly how to make it, I decided that it could be a tiny pocket bag and so I lined it with some of the left over linen by cutting a piece the same size and stitching them right sides together with a small opening to turn through. Once this was done and pressed, I hand stitched the opening so that I had a flat piece with no raw edges.
I folded it so that the raw edges would meet at the centre back and hand stitched the seam and the bottom edge with tiny but firm stitches. It was now a little pocket and I knew that I wanted to make a crochet chain for it, but how…I can’t crochet. I did a little a long time ago, but really it’s not my thing. Youtube to the rescue….
It took me a little while and I practiced with some left over wool from a knitting project. Once I got the chain idea sorted, my thoughts turned to the sort of thread I needed. I looked through every kind of yarn and thread I had, but it was either too chunky or too fine. I wanted a metallic look to it as well, so I went in search of something that might work. I found this beautiful Anchor Metallic 25g ball in ‘pale gold’ (link at the bottom) and waited impatiently for it to arrive. I also ordered some beautiful 4mm glass pearly beads (link also below) to add to the chain and then was able set to work.
If you should want to try this, be sure to add the beads to the thread before you start and then simply hook one in when needed. I placed my beads randomly along the chain for an informal and handcrafted look.
Having sewed the chain all around the edge of the bag with tiny stitches, this gives it not just strength but a sort of finish that has just a hint of sparkle.
This has been the most delightful little project and I know that I will be experimenting with this idea some more. I am planning some more research into early lace designs so who knows where it will lead. It makes the most gorgeous layering piece to wear and slips with perfect harmony into my vintage style ideas for a wardrobe. It will be a joy to wear and is just time for a weekend jaunt to Copenhagen next week with my girl to celebrate our rather big birthdays with a ‘0".
Just as I finished the last stitches of this, a package arrived and inside was this most beautiful book. I had preordered it weeks ago and suddenly there it was and it looks just fabulous. So my weekend is sorted…. but a final word: There was a time when things were much prettier than they are today and I have the feeling that this adds a little 19th century twist to a modern lifestyle…I like that.
