Basic Course - Quaderni di Aemilia Ars (ENGLISH VERSION)

Quaderni di Aemilia Ars Bianca Rosa Bellomo Carla D’Alessandro Luisa Monteventi

Basic Course

Nuova S1

to the Friendship which sees us still together after 10 years and to the best master: Antonilla Cantelli

Front and back cover photos by Raffaella Lollini Translation by Jeanine Robertson

Š2014 all rights reserved Casa Editrice Nuova S1 s.n.c. di Pietro Cimmino Gibellini &C. Via Albertazzi, 6/5 - 40137 Bologna, Italy info@nuovas1.it - www.nuovas1.it ISBN 9788885743106 First edition: October 2014 First English translation: January 2019

Quaderni di Aemilia Ars Bianca Rosa Bellomo Carla D’Alessandro Luisa Monteventi

Basic Course

The pattern for the drip catcher is on page 28, the instructions start on page 29.

The doily has the same border as the drip catcher, the pattern is on page 62.

Execution of the flower by Scerlina Olivotto.

Table of Contents

Forward

Pag. 7

1. Doily with little arches

Pag. 9

2. Four-petaled Flower

Pag. 17

3. Geometric Square

Pag. 25

4. Drip catcher with ovals

Pag. 29

5. Netted Heart

Pag. 35

6. Frame

Pag. 39

7. Four-petaled Rose

Pag. 45

8. Leaves

Pag. 49

9. Rose from the Promises Altar Cloth

Pag. 55

Other designs

Pag. 61

5

The materials are those commonly used by embroiderers and by those who do needle lace.

Generally we use needles nos. 8-9-10.

For binding the card-support, pattern and vellum paper use a no. 8 needle.

For perforating the card-support use a no. 9 needle, or you could use the pricking tool found in the photo to the left.

For basting the support stitches use a no. 10 needle and for working use a no. 9 needle.

Threads used are almost always DMC Cordonnet nos. 50 or 60, for more demanding work use DMC cutwork thread or Cordonnet nos. 80 or 100. The thread used for the support stitches merits a separate discussion. Currently we use the Coats Glace no. 40. Fundamentally what you need is a fine and tough thread [which won’t split easily like Guttermann 40 glazed cotton hand quilting thread].

6

Forward Aemilia Ars, in the lace category, originates from Reticello and then quickly evolved into Punto in Aria following designs and distinctive ornaments that characterize the artifacts, making them quite easily recognizable.

The technique itself was also distinctive, so much so that today we can say there is the technique of Aemilia Ars. The technique uses very few stitches and some embellishment and has, as a further innovation with respect to similar needle laces, instead of a continuous basting: the support stitches. It is not known who had the idea but we lean towards the mind of an architect, used to imagining essential supporting structures: perhaps Alfonso Rubbiani himself is owed the credit for this artistic direction?

Our master Antonilla Cantelli, transmitted the technique, and it is the true and right technique.

We affirm it with great confidence: Antonilla attended the Sacred Heart School, which worked on Aemilia Ars designs according to the rules laid out by the Aemilia Ars Society – precision, impeccability, grace in the execution, in the sense that the form was constructed right from the lacemaker who, free from the continuous basting and with the only constraint of the support stitches, could artistically interpret.

At 18 years old Antonilla was defined ready, and from then on executed lace under the direct management of the Aemilia Ars Society (then called: SocietĂ Anonima Cooperativa). She spoke often with Lina Cavazza, together they studied the execution path, which often is not unique, they decided which filling stitches to use, the positions of the bars, the finishing.

On these pages we will describe the first part of the instructional course that we learned from Antonilla Cantelli: we owe it to her multi-decades of experience in executing and perfecting. Using the students of our courses we have repeatedly and successfully tested it and we recommend it to all those who desire to get closer to our lace.

Do not be stunned by a few very simple motifs, with methodical steadfastness and application, in the doing and re-doing, in the small personal variations, you will then be able to address the more complicated motifs.

The hands are those of Antonilla Cantelli (1914-2008), our master.

7

Half of the pattern at actual size for the doily with little arches

Pattern at actual size for the pincushion

8

1. Doily with little arches This doily that, for being very simple, lends itself to various developments and has very specific aims: to learn how to prepare the card-support, to practice executing the Buttonhole stitch (punto smerlo) which is one of the fundamental stitches of the technique of Aemilia Ars), to use the padding thread, to execute the Venetian knotted stitch (punto chiaro) from left to right, to understand the use of the support stitches (punti d’appoggio), to execute the little arches, both single ones and groups of three, to execute the picot (gruppetto), to address the changing of the working thread.

In the pincushion, a variation of the doily, there are, as embellishment, the small eyelets (palline a raggio) with and without picots.

It will further be explained how to prepare the fabric on which will be worked the border with the little arches.

The attachment of more complicated lace, but with the same square shape, follows the same steps.

Preparing the card-support Superimpose: - two layers of card-support - the pattern - a piece of vellum paper stitch with a no. 8 needle and the no. 40 thread. (figure 1). figure 1

The card-support must be robust but flexible [67 lb. Bristol card-support works nicely]. The sheet of vellum paper serves to protect the pattern underneath.

Support Stitches The support stitches are fundamental for the execution of any motif: they oblige certain passages leaving freedom in the execution of the rest. The same support stitches in “different hands� lead to different laces.

Prick the holes with a no. 9 needle, baste the support stitches with a no. 10 needle and the no. 40 thread as in figure 2.

figure 2

9

Preparation of the fabric Cut a square of linen fabric 16 x 16 cm very carefully following the straight of the grain.

Mark the central lines on the straight of the grain with needle and thread in a contrasting colour. At a distance of 1 cm from the edge execute a row of double running stitch (for clarity we used a coloured thread, but these stitches should be done in white thread). This step can also be described in a term commonly used: ordire (running or loose whipped stitches depending on the location) the fold line (figure 3). figure 3 Fold the fabric along the running stitches. Baste. Baste the fabric to the card-support.

Edging with Buttonhole stitch Starting from one corner, execute a row of Buttonhole stitch with two padding threads – one of which is the tail of your working thread – directly on the fabric (figure 4).

padding thread tail of working thread

figure 4

figure 5

The padding threads not only serve to pad the Buttonhole stitch but by adjusting the tension, they even out the stitches and they help to form the shape desired for a few particulars of the lace.

At the end of each side, pass the working thread under the support stitch and proceed with the Buttonhole stitches (figure 5).

To close the row of Buttonhole stitch, hook into the first Buttonhole stitch made (figure 6).

10

figure 6

Edging with Venetian knotted stitch [also called Antwerp or Knotted Buttonhole stitch] The row of Venetian knotted stitch (from left to right) would logically be started at a corner. Starting the execution instead at a certain distance from the corner makes it easier to hook onto the first Venetian knotted stitch completed.

To regulate the height of the first Venetian knotted stitch, make a support stitch (figure 7).

figure 7

At the end of one side, to continue the working, execute an Venetian knotted stitch in the Buttonhole stitch of the corner and again in that same stitch execute another Venetian knotted stitch (figure 8).

figure 8

Completion Complete with a row of Buttonhole stitch (with two padding threads) and simultaneously execute the little arches and the little arches with picots (figure 9). Before starting the Buttonhole stitch, do an overcasting into the Venetian knotted stitches.

Remove the card-support: from the backside, cut a thread in any position and withdraw all the support stitches. If fragments of thread remain attached to the lace, remove them with the aid of tweezers.

The padding threads must be taut: affixing a needle to the card-support does the job (figure 9).

figure 9

11

End of preview You can order this book on www.nuovas1.it/eng

Quaderni di Aemilia Ars

Basic Course

These pages describe the first part of an educational journey learned from our master, Antonilla Cantelli: we have repeatedly tested it with success in our classes and we recommend it to all who wish to get closer to our lace.

ISBN 978-8885743106

â‚Ź 15,00

9 788885 743106