Once upon a time...We do not know when the first embroidery was made, but because fishing nets have been in existence for so long, it is believed that Filet Lace could be the oldest form of decorative fabric.

Diagonal or square mesh, the Knotted Net Lace falls in the family of the Knotted Lace.  Also called "Plain Filet", we market it under the name "Filet Net". It is the traditional foundation for the different stitches and combinations of stitches for the big family of Filet Lace techniques. The Knotted Net is a fine fishing net, an open fabric, made of meshes and has a small fisherman knot in each corner.  REMEMBER:  if it is not knotted, it is not the traditional foundation for Filet Lace.

The Embroidery is quickly done with a long blunt needle, some thread (traditionally linen, cotton, silk, wool), on a delicate fishing net (knotted Netting). Following a counted stitch pattern (on a grid, like the one for cross stitch or filet crochet) you make lovely projects from doilies and clothing to large curtains.

The Linen Stitch is the oldest stitch that is almost forgotten. It is the weaving of the thread, crossing in two directions (horizontally and vertically) within the meshes of the Filet Net to form a cloth. The Darning Stitch (only woven in one direction to fill the mesh) is also used to create more opaque sections in the drawing. This technique was widely used in the Medieval times for fine clothing, bedding.  Work done with this stitch is also called Italian Filet, Filet Cluny (in English), Filet Brodé au Point de Toile (in French) and all the other names given depending of the languages you want to speak). 

Filet Lace has a large family of stitches from weaving to embroidery. Depending on the combination of stitches used, the kind of thread and the size of this thread, the place it is made, the work takes another name. But in general here's few:  Italian Filet Lace, Filet Cluny, Filet Richelieu, Filet Guipure, Gros Filet, Filet Plumetis.

For example, the technique using a combination of a fine Double Linen Stitch with a coarse thread surrounding each motif is called "Filet Richelieu".  The technique of "Filet Guipure" or "Filet d'Art" is a combination of fancy stitches along with the Linen Stitch, made on and over the plain netting.  The picture here shows a Russian combination of stitches. It is a Filet Guipure. 

Filet Lace is amazing: it is a lacy embroidery and weaving all together. It is also a quick technique: imagine, you can make a curtain in a matter of days / week if your design is kept simple; it is because the background netting is already made for you. So it is much quicker to do than Filet Crochet!  And if you want to work hours with a magnifier glass, you can achieve works as fine as a spider web after the rain! Filet Lace has chalenges for every one.

From traditional to eclectic projects, the possibilities are endless. If you take a well designed pattern and follow the directives in my instruction book, your lace will always look good!    Welcome  ...to the wonderful world of Filet Lace!