Made With Lace: 40 Exquisite Lace Garments and Accessories

Barnston, Ginny

The mere mention of lace conjures up images of Victorian opulence, sumptuous weddings, elegant lingerie. Formerly a costly handmade indulgence, lace is nowadays an affordable luxury, an easy way to add beautiful enhancements to clothing and accessories. Contrary to popular belief, the art of sewing with lace (known as heirloom sewing) is actually quite simple to learn, according to the author of this lovely book. She provides very detailed instructions on all the basics of working with lace, from sewing and gathering to mitering and shaping to mastering the embroidery stitches that perfectly complement the lace adornments. And she presents 40 attractive step-by-step projects (complete with good color photos and diagrams) in five categories: weddings, christenings, gifts, clothing, and Christmas. In addition to pretty variations on the usual lace-trimmed items (sachets, pillows, camisoles, handkerchiefs, christening gowns) there are full directions for items less commonly made from scratch, such as baby booties, a bride's garter, padded clothes hangers, and a kimono dressing gown. Complete gridded patterns and templates are included for most projects; other items utilize store-bought garments as a basis for embellishment. --Amy Handy