How French Lace is Made
A Step by Step Guide to French Lace
Each step is conducted by hand by highly trained workers
Each step involved in creating the lace – threading the bobbins, loading the bobbins, running the looms, dying the lace, scalloping the lace, etc. – is carried out by hand by highly trained workers to ensure quality and accuracy. It takes three to five years of on the job apprenticeship to master the necessary skills.
STEP 1: Weaving
Each Leavers Loom is about 5 meters long and is made up of thousands of hand wound bobbins. These bobbins are installed and threaded in the loom exclusively by tullists. The loom is guided by a series of punch cards, or in some cases a digital map, to create a designated pattern. This system then directs the loom to weave together the threads in a specific and intricate manner to produce the desired lace. The master craftsman, tullist, continuously walks on a platform throughout this process. To change the loom from one pattern to another takes more than a day and each pattern can only be made on specific looms. For more information on the design process visit our FAQs.
STEP 2: Dying
Once a strip of lace ( on average of 5 yds – i.e. the length of the loom) comes off the loom it is checked again, this time by hand, for any defects and is prepared for dying. To achieve optimal color and quality each strip is then hand dyed in large vats.
STEP 3: Clipping
Once dyed, the lace is checked yet again and hand clipped (i.e. the threads connecting the design elements are cut off) – this is necessary since when the lace is woven, there are little threads connecting the flowers/motifs. All these threads are carefully trimmed to reveal the innate beauty of the lace.
Scalloping Process BY HAND
Chantilly lace can be left as is and used as is at this point, or can be turned into an Alencon, or corded lace.