Friday, March 12, 2010

Venetian Lace Crocheted Bag


 Materials: heirloom quality cotton thread, color ecru; premier velvet, polyester, color forest; baroque satin, acetate, color hunter green

This beautiful design immediately caught my attention the moment I saw it in a vintage book, published almost a century ago by Mary E. Fitch. I simply fell in love with this crocheted representation of Venetian lace. The seemingly geometrical motifs are surrounded by irregular bars which give the design a flowing look reminiscent of interwoven branches of a tree. But there’s more to it. I like the feel of this elegant heavy cotton lace, which I lined with green velvet.

The fascination was strong enough to keep me going through the whole process of practically rewriting the written pattern, which didn't seem to fit, and completing the bag after many weeks of work, so it would look exactly like the one on the picture from the vintage book. I only changed the bottom of the bag and added crocheted wheels instead of a simple fringe.

And here it is for you to enjoy in color, revived from the last century.

The bag is made almost entirely by hand, with the exception of a couple of seams for the lining involving a sewing machine.The short handles make it an elegant wrist bag.

The bag can be specially ordered, and the design can be customized. If you are interested please contact me for details.


About Venetian Crochet
“The earliest specimens of exquisite needle-made laces date back to the sixteenth century and originated in Italy – those of square designs with geometrical divisions being called Reticella. Later other motifs were introduced, models of leaves, flowers and scrolls and the lace was called Venetian point. ...Another way of representing the forms and figures is successfully accomplished in ... Venetian crochet ... executed in the heavier threads.”
from “The A.W.B. Crochet Book” by Anna Wuerfel Brown, 1913.

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