Cattern Lace

I’m currently working on some Torchon lace insertions for a blouse.

I’m using two patterns from a book by Robin S. Lewis (101 Torchon Lace Patterns) which complement one another in design. The wider insertion (11) will form the centre of the blouse’s bodice, and there will be a narrower strips (insertion 4) for each sleeve.

I need about 50cm of insertion 11 and around 60cm of insertion 4 for each balloon sleeve so luckily the lace is working up quite quickly.

For the blouse itself, I’m adapting the Mathilde blouse pattern from Tilly and the Buttons which I’ve made before and will be using some textured cotton fabric from Guthrie & Ghani to construct it.

Project details:

Pattern: Insertions 4 and 11

Type of lace: Torchon

Designer / source: Robin S. Lewis, 101 Torchon Lace Patterns, Dryad Press, 1988

Thread used: Belgian Fresia Junior linen 80/2, with Bockens Swedish linen 35/2 for the gimp, both purchased from Claire’s Lace

Stitches and techniques: Torchon ground; half stitch; gimp thread