lacey lace

I'm not a very lace-y person, although I like it sometimes, but in miniature: I just LOVE it! And what's an antique store without at least some lace, right? However, lace that can be used for miniature is hard to find. And for as far as I know there aren't any miniaturists that sell handmade lacework. Even if there would be, it would be quite expensive, since lacemaking is meticulous and takes a LOT of time! There's also just so much that can be replicated realistically.

I do have some lovely lasered paper lace from 2012 (see 2 photo's on bottom of this post) I'm very happy with, but thanks to Catherine (thanks!) I became aware of some awesome miniature lasered cotton lace by Jean Day. Those got me really excited!

don't you love what modern times bring us miniaturists? Like decals, 3D-printing, lasered anything; I'm a big fan of modern day inventions. I'm sure they would have loved this mini-lace in the 17th and 18th century for their dollhouses! Luckily - for many more reasons than this, haha - I live in the 21st.

also my birthday was coming up not too long ago and so I knew what I was gonna ask! (and was lucky enough to get too! :D ). But some - like the 2 tablecloths, the antique colar & cuffs - I will use in a different way than they're meant for, I'm curious to if and how that will turn out! The gloves I chose will resemble knitted ones. I guess they'll be the shop-owners' or something :D.

the detail is just AMAZING, I'm pretty sure it would be impossible to replicate any other way (and even if it could, it'd most likely cost a fortune) and the fabric is so thin! It's very fragile obviously as the weave of the cotton is cut everwhere the laser has been, as apposed to being held together like normal lace would. However you can shape it if you follow directions given and it's ideal for display. Just looking at these beauties makes me very happy! :D

this brought me in the lace-mood, so I also used some birthdaymoney to order some beautiful French cotton lace from Art of Mini. That they explain on their website is being woven on an original French lace-weaving machine from 1870 (!!). For as long as that machine will be able to work, because they say that when it stops working it can't be repaired... :(. It doesn't make the lace itself antique of course, but it does make it special I think.

besides the one in the right corner (photo above) (that's quite stiff and thicker and most likely didn't come from that 19th century lace-weaving machine) their lace is thin and supple. I think they're beautiful and I was pleasantly surprised by them! Especially the one on the right below is unbelievably thin and soft!

and to complete this lace-post, let's show you what I ordered in 2012 when Art of Mini temporarily sold laser paper lace, as I mentioned in the beginning. Unfortunately not anymore, so I'm extra happy with the ones I got back then! → update: thanks to Kat (thanks!) here's a link for where paper lace doilies and lace is still sold online. I haven't seen all pages (they have a lot of this!), but I've seen several already that I have too, so you can still have these and a bunch of other types! For 1:12, 1:24 and 1:48 scale. Here's the link (it's page 2 of the doilies-section. Because it starts with lace curtains which I find confusing, so you can go back one page and scroll down to see the ones there too), it's almost 8 pages of laser paper bliss I think :D.

 

I think the detail on the right one is amazing!

 

*of course there are miniaturists that make miniature lace and have done some great and amazing stuff! Deborah for example, because she can do just about anything :D ! And yes, that's miniature! And something else she did, a small tablecloth that's just slightly over an inch big - or should I say small? ;) Also Annelies has done some great work. Just 2 examples of lacemaking miniaturists I know is out there, which will be much more!