Project 40: The spider loom
October 26, 2011
I was inspired to learn more about Teneriffe lace by a post on the Craft blog called How to Make a Spider Loom for Lace. Their example didn’t look like any kind of lace I’d seen. I had considered tatting as a craft for this blog (and may yet to get to try it) and I knew that there was a kind of lace one could make using pins, but the idea of a loom for lace was new to me. A bit of Googling turned up Teneriffe lace, also called Polka Spider Web lace.
A bit more Googling about lace blew my mind. I had thought that tatting was the word for making lace. I was very wrong. There are a zillion different kinds of lace. Check this out: The Structures of Antique Lace. Teneriffe and tatting both come under the Other Handmade Lace category, if that helps show how wrong I was.
One other great resource I found for Teneriffe is this awesome book from 1904 called Teneriffe Lace Designs and Instructions. I hope to try some of those designs but right now they all look too daunting!
Wish me luck.
Photo by Emilee Gettle for Craft
50firstcrafts 
Amber—over 10 years ago, dazzled by the lace-making genius of the Belgians, I bought a kit for Bobbin Lace. I still have the supplies, including very cool wooden bobbins, and have yet to place one blasted thread on them because it looks ridiculously hard. I hope you get a quick dose of courage and just jump off that ledge and surprise yourself with your creativity. For my part, I found that buying a bit of pre-made lace not only got me something pretty, but it helped Belgium’s economy, leading to the great economic stronghold that they are today. 🙂
Laurie, you are selfless indeed. Belgium thanks you! =D
Go, Amber, go!