Spanish Lace - part 1
In the year 1951 the archdiocese of Barcelona commissioned an special ecclesiastical linen to dress the Cathedral's altar, to be inaugurated during the 1952' Eucharistic Congress. The pattern was so large that lacemaking tasks were divided and carried out by different lacemakers at the same time. The drawing was inspired in different architectural items taken from the proper Cathedral such as cross, arches, crests, the iron forged snail pulpit which reminds the plague suffered during the 16th century while the temple was building up, the bell tower or the Sta. Eulalia's Porch archways. 39 lacemakers worked, piecing together sections during a 9-month period. The result was a magnificent lace that did not looked like anything else and Antonia and Montserrat Raventos called it "Punta de Barcelona". They were commissioned later to make other important laces including a runner for the Palacete de Albeniz's table, and some linens to dress the Capilla del Bon Consell's altar (Barcelona's Townhall) which took more than 2000 hours to finish. The Raventos sisters embraced the lace world, teaching and compiling information. The result was a book published in 1963 including all the works made by their pupils during a 20 year period. 35 years ago "The Lacemakers School of Barcelona" emerged and nowadays it is located in the Textile and Dressing Museum of Barcelona.
Catalonian Blonde and the"Ret-fi Catala", which was developed in Arenys de Mar (40Km. from Barcelona) By Caroline Gallego
Many experts think that the origin of the "Blonde" is Spanish, not French. Catalonian Blonde is a very fine bobbin lace worked on a long and narrow bolster pillow. The pricking is laid along it's length, and the lace is worked. When the lacemaker reaches the bottom, she removes the pins and moves the lace up and pins it at the top of the pillow and continues as many times as needed to get the wanted length. The lace is rolled at the top of the pillow where it is kept. Blonde Lace uses a soft silk to better carry out the designs. The designs were worked to produce an effect of lights and darks based on the density of the stitches. Comparing it to Chantilly the dark sections of the pattern were often worked in a heavier thread in clothstitch. Chantilly is worked with half stitch in those areas. Black and white silks were widely used, as well as colored silks. These pieces were decorated not only with
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