@gailbaxterlace.bsky.social
Researcher, Artist, Lace Specialist & Net Maker
Research Fellow Nottingham Trent University Lace Archive
Currently looking at the introduction of colour to machine made lace
Research Fellow Nottingham Trent University Lace Archive
Currently looking at the introduction of colour to machine made lace
A lot of machine made lace has incredibly fine threads that support the main threads giving the impression that the main threads float in space. You very good eyesight at close range, or a magnifier to see them. No doubt this would also work in weaving
November 8, 2025 at 6:53 AM
A lot of machine made lace has incredibly fine threads that support the main threads giving the impression that the main threads float in space. You very good eyesight at close range, or a magnifier to see them. No doubt this would also work in weaving
That’s gorgeous, made on a lace curtain machine 😍
September 16, 2025 at 8:02 PM
That’s gorgeous, made on a lace curtain machine 😍
August 14, 2025 at 6:26 PM
This is gorgeous, would love to get a closer view of that net - looks as if it might be patent/point net, n wonderful condition if it is 😍
May 26, 2025 at 8:09 PM
This is gorgeous, would love to get a closer view of that net - looks as if it might be patent/point net, n wonderful condition if it is 😍
May 24, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Bobbin lace, Blonde style as well as colour #blonde #bobbinlace
May 11, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Bobbin lace, Blonde style as well as colour #blonde #bobbinlace
Chantilly lace, probably made on a Pusher machine #chantillylace
May 9, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Chantilly lace, probably made on a Pusher machine #chantillylace
Lovely museum, not sure of its winter opening hours
February 13, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Lovely museum, not sure of its winter opening hours
These ladies are using ‘bolster’ style pillows on pillow horses. Rather than solid table tops they’re more of a hoop into which the pillow sits without tipping as they’re working. Good example at Pitt Rivers laceincontext.com/global-histo...
Global Histories of Lace: From the collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum – By the Poor For the Rich: Lace in Context
laceincontext.com
February 13, 2025 at 8:36 PM
These ladies are using ‘bolster’ style pillows on pillow horses. Rather than solid table tops they’re more of a hoop into which the pillow sits without tipping as they’re working. Good example at Pitt Rivers laceincontext.com/global-histo...
Looks like it was made for a much larger pillow (possibly even a bolster?). This pillow almost certainly not the one the stand was intended for. Might be worth asking Aylesbury, Bedford and Luton museums if they have anything similar as they all have good collections of lacemaking equipment
February 13, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Looks like it was made for a much larger pillow (possibly even a bolster?). This pillow almost certainly not the one the stand was intended for. Might be worth asking Aylesbury, Bedford and Luton museums if they have anything similar as they all have good collections of lacemaking equipment
Particularly love the elongated shape of these
January 2, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Particularly love the elongated shape of these
Love the description of the tatting as ‘Dust proof’ - if only 😂. ‘Tatting’ in this case was a generic term for fancy machine made edgings - causes no end of confusion
December 4, 2024 at 5:25 PM
Love the description of the tatting as ‘Dust proof’ - if only 😂. ‘Tatting’ in this case was a generic term for fancy machine made edgings - causes no end of confusion
Adore that bug 😍
December 4, 2024 at 5:21 PM
Adore that bug 😍
The lace on the pink fabric backing is Tatting, hand made, probably with a shuttle (not sure when needle-tatting started)
December 4, 2024 at 5:20 PM
The lace on the pink fabric backing is Tatting, hand made, probably with a shuttle (not sure when needle-tatting started)
Thank you 😃
November 15, 2024 at 7:24 PM
Thank you 😃
Worth checking for tiny bits of thread caught in the bobbin mechanism - I often take mine apart and clean it out but that takes courage if you’re not used to doing it. Wishing you luck in sorting it
January 9, 2024 at 1:58 PM
Worth checking for tiny bits of thread caught in the bobbin mechanism - I often take mine apart and clean it out but that takes courage if you’re not used to doing it. Wishing you luck in sorting it
I usually wear grey in the lace archive - all of the sample books etc that have come from machine-made lace factories have a fine layer of graphite powder which was in the air from lubricating the machines. Constantly popping out to wash my hands before working with the 'clean' materials
October 17, 2023 at 7:59 AM
I usually wear grey in the lace archive - all of the sample books etc that have come from machine-made lace factories have a fine layer of graphite powder which was in the air from lubricating the machines. Constantly popping out to wash my hands before working with the 'clean' materials
Sorry, should have added that Urlings were machine lace manufacturers and this would have been cotton thread, I'm not sure that silk was being used on twist-net machines that early (would love to know for sure)
October 11, 2023 at 2:31 PM
Sorry, should have added that Urlings were machine lace manufacturers and this would have been cotton thread, I'm not sure that silk was being used on twist-net machines that early (would love to know for sure)
The 'free of fibre' would have been passed over a gas flame to remove the very fine 'fibers/hairs' and give a smoother thread. This not only gives a better quality, less fuzzy, lace but also prevents the fine working parts of the machines from clogging up with shed fibres
October 11, 2023 at 2:26 PM
The 'free of fibre' would have been passed over a gas flame to remove the very fine 'fibers/hairs' and give a smoother thread. This not only gives a better quality, less fuzzy, lace but also prevents the fine working parts of the machines from clogging up with shed fibres
Fabulous find, thanks for sharing. Especially good to see the different qualities of lace threads available for manufacturing lace (net) on machines
October 11, 2023 at 2:22 PM
Fabulous find, thanks for sharing. Especially good to see the different qualities of lace threads available for manufacturing lace (net) on machines