The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-18
BIRTH OF lace.
The Rose Point Legend-Lace That
Enchants.

Although decorations of wrought
linen, twisted cords and tassels are
known to history from the earliest rec
ords. and from Biblical times. 1t was
not until after the eleventh century
that something like what we know as
lace was in use for decoration. The
Renaissance period, which saw an inn
mense development of taste and love
of ornament, brought the almost uni
versal use of elaborate linen embroid-
cry. Holes were cut out in linen and
wonderful stitchery was designed for
filing them in. Sometimes pearls and
other jewels and thread of silver or
gold were wrought into the work. Two
hundred and fifty years after the use
of those designs had reached a height,
Carrick-na-cross lace was started in
ireland.
What is known as italian point, or
point in the air." was worked by the
Italians in the sixteenth century, says the
making has never altered. To this day
the workers prick put their patterns for
sewing OF for weaving on pillows with
pins. The greatest artists interested
themselves In the lace patterns, and II is
known that Titan at one time helped a
young student to design a lace book for
q great lady. sometimes even dashing in
his ideas with his own brush. Lace was
made by all the ladies' OF any Importance
in Italy. They gathered the young girls
round them In the evenings, and not only
did they vie with each other to do Won
derful work, but one house emulated an
other. Isabella Of Spain was a lace
worker, Catherine de Medicis and Cath
crime OF Aragon. 1t was at the French
court that Mary Stuart learned to make
lace, and when she was shut up in lonell-
ness in Locn Leyen Castle she spent her
time In working the veil, shown TO this
day, which she wore when she was exc
cuted.
IN invention of Italian rose-point has a
pretty tale connected with 1t. No more
beautiful lace was made am where than in
Venice. Where the women folk worked
With needles while the men were at sea.
II was the pride of every girl to stitch for
herself the most wonderful of wedding
wells. A sailor came home from a rong
strange plant which he had gathered in
q far off sea. When he was about to sail
again she did. nothing but weep. He told
ing, but to use them for making lace, and
TO have a finer Veil for their wedding than
any Venetian girl had ever worn. She set
to work to copy the branches and twists
and Shells OF the strange sea plant, and
she worked In tendrils of seaweed to twine
the whole design together, and when her
lover returned she was wed in a veil of
rose-point such as no one before had ever
even dreamed of for beauty.
The French NlnA, Louis Quatorze. had
lacenakers brought from Venice, and they
made the Alencon and Argentan at Chan
tiliy, developing the Italian patterns and
introducing new ideas. It was about this
time, too, that the FleEnings came to Eng
land and taught the people of Devonshire
some of their stitches. and for 4 time lace
was made there. The French began to give
fancy names to the lace IN order to attract
customers. Cluny was an old castle in the
centre Of Paris; used as a museum. There
was some lovely old Genoes point on eN-
hibition. and a lace manufacturer devised
q new design and gave It the fame Cluny
a lace with which all Who know even 4
little shout lace are familiar. Something
Ike 1000 different stitches are known to
lace connoisseure. and when va realize
woman ara We MnlL unaerntana how lnelI