Bobbin Lace

The history of the bobbin lace has always been loved in my family. My Grandmother Fancy, born in Postojna when it was still Italian - it’s now Slovenian- loved the fine weaving of the threads, created by expert and patient hands.

Through the years she collected entire chests of laces and crochets: hours, months and years of work of Idrija women, a town in the heart of Slovenia that since 1876 masters the art of laces.

My grandmother’s passion was passed on to my mother, and then to me… and so we are three fans of the school of Idrija, famous throughout the world

Just like my grandmother, my mother and I jealously keep chests filled with our linen and sometimes we compare the fine work of these golden-handed women.

I’ve always thought that the precious treasures of Idrija deserved to be brought out of its borders that restrict it as a passion for few people.

And so, after having been to the lace Festival (held in Idrija every year towards half June), I decided to study and modify the design of a few old shirt cuffs to transform them into something new and modern.

My innate capacity to chat to people brings me to meet Rosa, an elderly lady that lives here in Trieste, and that studied in the school of which my grandmother talked so much about.

Matching up her great talent with my eccentric creativity, we created some bracelets, made with coarse linen thread from Poland. 50 laced pieces called “Clic clak” (that’s the name we called the Slovenian ladies that worked the bobbin, an onomatopoeic name that comes from the noise of their hands at work).

I could fill pages describing the magic of these finely intricate threads from which these beautiful laces are born, but I prefer to leave some space to the pictures that can show the art, the tradition and the work that hides behind every single knit.

Have a look!

“Photo Gallery of the Festival of Idrija" ( www.festivalidrijskecipke.si/si/ )