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Punto in Aria

Punto in aria band, Italy, 1601-50
Type	Lace
Production method	Needle lace
Production process	Craft production
Place of origin	Italy

Punto in aria (literally “stitch in air”) is an early form of needle lace devised in Italy. It is considered the first true lace because it was the first meant to be stitched alone, and not first onto a woven fabric.

It is a closely related needle lace to reticella, and their designs have many similarities when compared side by side. However, the punto in aria was an important improvement on the reticella method, and was a breakthrough in needle lace design.

History

The reticella was the design that was the catalyst of the transition between fabrics made into lace by subtracting threads after needling, and lace made from scratch without fabric support. The reticella design required one to draw out threads after stitching onto fabric. As that design evolved, an increasing number of threads required withdrawing. Eventually, so many threads were drawn-out that the foundation became very flimsy and lace makers devised a new framework that did not require original foundation fabric. This came to be known as punto in aria.

Design

Punto in aria retains many of the characteristics of reticella but also is able to go beyond the geometric framework. The lace makers devised a linen and parchment base for their work. This base consisted of two or three layers of fabric with the parchment pattern on top. The layers were then basted together. The pattern was then laid over with a gimp which was basted down through the pattern and layers of support fabric. When the lace was finished, the basting stitches were cut between the layers thus leaving only the lace.

References

1. "Punto in aria". britannica.com.
2. "Punto in Aria, Needle in the Air". midorisnyder.com.

v t e Lace types
Needle lace	Alençon Aemilia Ars Argentan Argentella Armenian Burano Filet lace Frisado de Valladolid Greek Halas lace Hedebo embroidery Hollie Point Hvar lace Kenmare Lace Nallıhan Ñandutí Oya Pag Point de France Point de Gaze Point de Venise Punto in Aria Puncetto Valsesiano Tenerife Youghal Embroidery Buratto Filet lace Limerick Needlerun net Reticella Tambour Cutwork Broderie anglaise Carrickmacross Lefkara lace Saba lace
Bobbin lace	Mesh grounds Antwerp Arras Bayeux Beeralu Beveren Binche Blonde Bucks point Chantilly Chefoo Cogne Flanders Freehand Lille Ipswich Mechlin Mundillo Paris Valenciennes 's Gravenmoer Torchon Tønder Guipure Bedfordshire Cluny Dentelle du Puy Genoese Liptov Maltese Yak lace Part laces Bruges Brussels Point d'Angleterre Honiton Rosaline Tape Cantù Hinojosa Idrija Milanese Peasant Russian Schneeberg Three Pair Flanders
Tape lace	Battenberg Branscombe Mezzopunto Princess Renaissance Romanian point
Crocheted lace	Broomstick lace Filet crochet Hairpin Irish crochet Orvieto lace
Machine-made lace	Barmen Bobbinet Chemical Leavers Nottingham Lace Curtain Machine Pusher Raschel Stocking Frame Warp Knit
Other handmade laces	Chancay gauze Lace knitting Liturgical lace Macramé Metal lace Punto a groppo Sprang Tatting
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