Fine Art Foundation Degree

 Learning to make Lace To start the process making my lace collar, I first had to learn how to even make it. Every article or instructional video I saw was very lengthy and complicated, requiring you to know basic and even some other harder stitches, as well as already owning some precise and sometimes even expensive equipment. All I had was a couple of embroidery hoops, needles and thread.  I had already ruled out bobbin lace as my method of production, because as well as learning how to make, I would also have to buy a special lace pillow, pins and quite a few bobbins. This would be too much for me to do in a couple of weeks, as well as be too expensive. I then settled on needle lace.  During my research, needle lace seemed out of my depth as many sources stated it being harder than bobbin lace, however it was easier for me to start straight away as I didn't need any extra equipment, or to waste time trying to find and purchase said equipment. I then found an amazing tutorial on

 My Project  Through my project, I have been able to form a better understanding of lace as a whole, whilst also being astonished by the skill and time needed to create such pieces. One product that fascinated me the most was lace collars. They are such versatile pieces and can look completely different from each other, whilst sharing a common purpose, to highlight status. For this reason, I decided to make on for the upcoming exhibition 'Lace Places' at Newstead Abbey. Inspiration For my collar, I chose to look at different styles at different times to try and find something that they all shared.                                              The main thing I noticed was the continued use of scalloped edges. These came up time and time again, so this basic shape is something I wanted in my final design.  I realised that due to my time restraint (a couple of weeks), I would never be able to learn the craft of lace making and then apply what I had learnt to make even a large, let

 Function of Lace Uses of Lace Lace is a decorative fabric used in clothing and home furnishings. Narrow laces can be used for trims, and wide lace fabrics can be used for curtains, table cloths and garments. Laces are made in different widths with the final use in mind. Lace (most of the time) is so delicate and reliant on its careful construction, that cutting or adjusting the lace in any way can ruin it, which is different to other block fabrics, such as linen. So once the design of the final item is decided, once production starts, there can be no other adjustments, such as reducing or increasing the width.  Lace was originally produced to provide an alternative for embroidery for clothing and other linens, including for the clergy of the early Catholic Church as a part of vestments in religion ceremonies. When they first started to use lace, they primarily used cutwork, and most was made of gold, silver and silk.  Lace as a Status Symbol Because of the long painstaking production

 Lace Collar Throughout my research into lace and its history, I was fascinated by the idea of lace collars. Not only were they worn to adorn the necks of the upper classes and royalty, they were also worn by religious figures and even some of the middle classes. The difference between the lace designs and intricacies were vast, but the idea of a single item that highlighted the wearers class, position or wealth remained constant.  Lace collars, particularly those worn by the more 'lower' class, were often pieces by their own right. They were made separate from the clothing, allowing them to be removed and worn with multiple different outfits. This allowed lace to be more economical, and easier for ordinary people to own. This type of collar was called a 'pin-on' collar. The cheaper the lace collar, the less detailed and intricate it would be, however owning even a simple design would give the appearance of wealth and power to others.  Types of Lace Collar There were ma