The Washington times., 1901-10-06
BeIgian Lacemakers.

The present remarkable vogue OF lace
trimming on hats, neckwear, and gowns
of every description is arousing wide
spread curiosity in those quaint women
across the sea whose nimble fingers keep
the market supplied with the delicate
fabric. The great mass of the expensive
handmade lace seen on fashionable wo-
men today is produced in the humblest OF
homes, or sometimes in tiny workshops,
where young girls, busy matrons, and
women bowed with years bend over their
needles or bobbins with never ending
patience.
Belgium is truly the cradle OF the lace
industry. All northern Europe, it is said,
took lessons in the art from the Low
Countries in medieval times, and no other
country has even today surpassed Bel
gium in skillful workmanship, nor has any
outside rivalry been sufficient to cause
decline of the art in its original home.
Naturally, the greatest lace producing
centre is Brussels, and one who has vis-
tied the city can hardly speak its name
without a vision Of this loveliest of all
Belgian products. Most appropriately, too,
not only are the lacemakers women, but
the large majority of the lace retailing
establishments appear either to be
owned or managed by women II Is al
WAYS a woman who decks the window
with exquisite taste, and who stands in
the door of her tiny but fascinating shop
in the Rue de Ia Montague to entice in
the passerby. Instinctively she knows
the American tourist at sight, and presses
her in pretty broken English only TO come
in and look at the new patterns she mas
TO show As an added inducement she
suggests that Madame VIII IKE 10 see
them make the lace" an appeal which
81 NJ seldom
Many of these little shops nave one OF
two womel at work in conspicuous pIaces,
since the process Is always atiacuNe 70
the foreigner. In the more stately eStab-
lIshments. also of the Rue RoNaie. one
is invariably met by women VINO know
how to show off TO perfection the peautleS
The finest pieces Of Brussels lace are
made i'm the city itself, and a number OF
workers may be employed on the same
piece. This system OF diyls'oh o. liIa,is, iIPGr
in laCcmaking is peculiarly fleuiSh
idea. and did much In early days 10
further the industry in Flanders, or moo
ern Belgium. Some women cut the louh-
dalton uieceS. others put them together
while still others have in hand the work
ing Of the figure. or sg-Jalled hover
Nearly all varieties of Belgian lace are
made on a pillow. the Brussels needle
DOint' being the most delicate
Iacemaking is one of the most conserN-
ative of Industries. For five centuries the
characteristic patterns of each centre OF
Z
alton to generation, and ''Mechliu point
is as distinct from the point of Bruges
as that of CouTtrai is from the pot lace
of Antwerp.
Some of these peculiarities and local
isms are interesting in the extreme. Ant
Uerp has clung persistently to quaint
flower pot design that has adorned the
lappets of women's caps since the time
when that city stood at the head Of the
world of commerce. The well known Va
Icncicnnes lace has been transplanted
from its native soil, where the art seem
cd 10 langufsh after the town came into
tho possession Of the French. ana now
fourishes most at Ypres and Alost At
the former town is produced the widest
VaIcrcien.es lace known But much still
is necessary in the making of this broad
lace. for it is said that nearly 200 bob
bins are required for each pillow. The
use of the hobbin varies in the different
towns where ValencienEes lace is made.
and causes Slight variations in the finish
ed effect Mechin lace. which Is OF the
delicate. flmy order. has furnished the
type for English laces. The favorite lace
of Bruges is that known as belslan
Honiton." Schools of lacemaklng nave
existed in the country since the time OF