Venetian Needle Lace

Appunti di Merletto ad Ago - Burano e Venezia.

There are not a lot of books out there on the actual execution of Venetian needle lace, I mean the actual technical part, not just what the stitches look like. The booklet above is just that. The author, Ombretta Panese Brettagna made notes while participating in a course and her friends encouraged her to publish them as a bit of assistance for those who already have dabbled a bit on their own or who have taken a class here or there but are having trouble remembering little, but important, details. The text is in Italian and there are 30 pages.

I asked Ombretta if I could post about her little book and she gave me permission and then told me she has her own blog. It is definitely something to check out if you are a fan of needle lace from Burano or Venice.

After having completed two courses each consisting of 300 hours offered by the Region of Venice at the Professional School of the Province of Venice, Ombretta was awarded a certificate certifying her as a Needle Lace Expert.

Together with some of her classmates she started a group called The Cultural Association of Venetian Lace [Associazione Culturale il Merletto Veneziano] to merge into one association, the specialties of the Venetian Lagoon: the Needle Lace of Burano and Venice and the Bobbin Lace of Pellestrina. At the bottom of this post, there is a link to a great video on YouTube about the lace of Pellestrina.

You can purchase this little book at Tombolo Disegni.

New Needle Lace Association in Bologna

Il merletto di Bologna is a new non-profit cultural association started in April of 2011 with the aim of passing on and spreading the knowledge of the Bolognese needle lace technique of Aemilia Ars.

They offer courses from beginner to advanced levels for learning this breathtaking needle lace.

In early June of this year they will be participating in an exhibition in Bologna which will display their  works. Watch their website for more details.

Photo copyright: Il merletto di Bologna.

Check out their picture gallery for some lovely pieces of this lace.

New Savignano Braid Embroidery Book

Since the book pictured above will be presented at the upcoming needlework show Trecce, Intrecci, Merletti that I told you about here, I thought I'd give you a sneak peak at the cover.

Savignano Braid Embroidery has recently enjoyed a revival, and Cristina Notore and Paola Paglierani of the TALÈA Textile Workshop have been so innovative and creative with ideas for bringing it back to life.

This new publication is subtitled: Ancient Inspirations for Modern Items. You can just tell from the cover photo how much fun their new projects are going to be.

Over at Nuova S1, the publisher's website, the book's synopsis is as follows:

In this manual, the intention of the authors is to propose a varied course which combines innovation in the revival of tradition through a selection of some 15 projects. Almost all the designs are inspired by the motifs of oxen blankets from the first part of the 20th century or are embellished decorations from ancient pottery of the same era or design stamps from the Romagna.

Each project is presented with a technical pattern and a series of detailed images.

The final part of the book is dedicated to the instructions for the stitches.

Apart from a few tricky parts, the execution of Braid Embroidery is simple and fun and is a suitable technique for passionate beginners or those more experienced.

If you're going to the show on March 11th, there will be a class in this technique with a project for a bag which will be combined with the ancient Japanese art of furoshiki: the embroidered fabric is knotted around two round bamboo handles to create a seamless bag. I want to go!!!!!!

Photo copyright TALÈA Officina Tessile.

If you go, will you leave a comment and let us know how it was?

Casalguidi Embroideries

I want to show you some exquisite Casalguidi Embroideries.

Years ago Ivana Palomba (we talked about her and her thesis on Carolina Amari in a previous post) gave courses on the embroideries of the Prato Textile Museum. Ivana taught the didactic part and a friend of hers, Gabriella Mantellassi, taught the technical part.

Ivana tells me that Gabriella is a true master of this technique and has a great passion for embroidery and lace. I had the good fortune to meet Gabriella at the 2011 Italia Invita Forum in Parma, Italy and can easily agree that Gabriella is a very talented lady.

Ivana has shared (with permission) some photos of Gabriella's Casalguidi Embroideries.

An intricate Casalguidi Embroidery table centre with traditional motifs.

A Casalguidi Embroidery cushion with the addition of some lovely drawn thread work top and bottom.

A cushion "sampler" with lots of different motifs, characteristic of Casalguidi Embroidery - notice the tassels!

Creative application of Casalguidi Embroidery on a lampshade.

The Prato Museo del Tessuto offers many textile-related activities and has long been on my list of places I must visit. Check out their website which has both English and Italian text.

Thank you Ivana for sharing the pics and to Gabriella for the permission to publish them!

Upcoming Needlework shows

I have been asked by several readers if I know of upcoming events in Italy relating to needlework. Some are busy planning their holidays and wish to incorporate a needlework event or two into their stay in Italy. It's a lovely idea and makes for a memorable time.

Abilmente presents their Creativity Fair in Vicenza, March 1 - 4, 2012. This is a big craft fair not just dedicated to needlework.
http://www.abilmente.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1764&lang=en

Trecce, Intrecci, Merletti - an exhibition of Braid Embroidery, Cantù Lace and Aemilia Ars Needle Lace at the Villa Smeraldi, 15km outside of Bologna. March 11 - 25, 2012. 

HobbyShow is big craft fair in Milan, March 16 - 18, 2012. Needlework is included but not the dominant theme of this fair.
http://www.hobbyshow.it/milano/

Festa Del Ricamo - sponsored by Casa Cenina, this year's theme is the Sampler. June 2 - 3, 2012. Contest details and other related information can be read here:
http://www.casacenina.com/blog/the-details-about-our-contest-the-sampler-of-my-life.html

The Hand Embroidery and Artisan Weaving Exhibition will be held in Valtopina, on August 31 - September 2, 2012. The theme for this show is: Green Monuments of Umbria - the trees. If you would like to participate in their competition for this show, you must make a tablecloth for six settings, executed in a technique of hand-embroidery or lace of your own design. For more details, see their website:
http://www.mostravaltopina.it/concorso/

The International Biennial Lace Exhibition of Sansepolcro will be held September 8 - October 28, 2012. This year's show is dedicated to the Emancipation of Women. Download the program in English and Italian here (click on the words: "Regolamento e bando di concorso").

The Ago Magico show and market will be November 9 - 11, 2012 at the Parco Esposizioni Novegro about 10kms outside of Milan. This show is dedicated to artistic embroidery and sewing.
http://www.parcoesposizioninovegro.it/lagomagico/

Italia Invita has just announced the dates for the 6th edition of their Textile Creativity Forum which will be located in Parma, May 10, 11, 12, 2013. They haven't announced the theme or events and attractions yet as we're still a little more than a year away from this one, but stay tuned, these things will be forthcoming soon.
http://www.italiainvita.it/

That's all that I've got for now. I will post again with any additions that I discover. Please post a comment if you know of an event that I've missed or if you visit any of these events, we'd love to hear about them!

Italian Drawn Thread Work Sampler

Silvana Fontanelli over at her blog Il Piacere del Ricamo has started a Drawn Thread Work Sampler that you might want to get in on.

The author of two books - one of which I've told you about here, Silvana explains with great step-by-step photos how to do some great Italian Drawn Thread Work.

Her second book, Il Retino: Orli, Sfilature e Greche is a treasure trove of Drawn Thread Work including techniques on netting. Many of the stitches that she's going over on her blog can be found in this terrific little volume.

February 7th's post on Silvana's blog is an exquisite little heart with the Gigliuccio hemstitch which my regular readers will know that I absolutely adore.

Photo copyright Silvana Fontanelli.

For the rest of the posts about Silvana's Drawn Thread Work Sampler, click on the word: Sfilature to see all the posts, going back to the beginning.

You can purchase either of Silvana's books from Tombolo Disegni, send an email to place your order.

Aemilia Ars Freebies - Part Two

They've done it again!

The ladies of the association "I Merletti di Antonilla Cantelli" have released some more patterns from the boxes that they have from the needlework workshop of Sacro Cuore (early 20th century) in Bologna.

This set of presents for us is in celebration of the New Year and features a photo of some of the teachers of the needlework workshop of Sacro Cuore, one of the most talented groups doing Aemilia Ars needle lace at the time. There are 14 pages of patterns to download. The ladies answer your requests for more simple patterns.

There are also some anecdotes about some of the historical pieces and people of this beautiful lace including the sad story of Nella Grassini Errera and her husband Paolo, prominent Venetian citizens taken and deported to Auschwitz where they were executed in 1944.

If you're like me and can't get enough pictures of Aemilia Ars needle lace, make yourself a cuppa and check out the photos that the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio of Bologna has published on the Genus Bononiae website.

Many patterns from a 17th century book of designs by Bartolomeo Danieli were the inspiration for breathtaking pieces of needle lace made in the early days of the Aemilia Ars Society. The CalcoGRAFICA National Graphics Istitute has recently made some of Danieli's designs available on their website.

To download the Christmas presents that the ladies from "I Merletti di Antonilla Cantelli" gave us in December of 2011, click here.