Reconstruction of old laces.
In our lace group “The Lace Attic” we are reconstructing old lace from the catalogue of the lace trader Kops from Haarlem. The book is dated in 1752. So the laces are made in or before 1752. The catalogue with original laces is owned by the Municipal of Haarlem.
When we started, we went first to the Municipal Archives to photograph the original laces . After that, each in its own way began to redraw the laces and make them.
Although I first started to draw the way the threads go from an enlarged photograph on the calc-tracing paper, I lateron elaborated the drawings in Illustrator. I follow here the following method.
First I make a scan of a photo from iPhoto printed on A4. It is better to work with a scan than enlarge the photo on the computer. Then the drawing is no longer visible. On the picture, and so on he scan it still is. This scan I import into Illustrator, then this layer has been locked and dimmed to 50%.
First I put on a new layer the pin points along the edges. In the first instance on the spot where they should be according to the picture. Then you can align and distribute them.
Then again in a new layer the way of the pairs of the picture are drawn. This works very well, better than using transparent paper. The big disadvantage of that is that if you can not see the threads through the transparent paper, you have to lift it from the picture. Doing the tracing in Illustrator that problem is solved. The picture is simply available and can easily be consulted. It is enough to draw a report.
Another advantage of drawing directly in Illustrator is that if you did trace the way of the pairs at one point incorrectly, this part can easily be cut from the line and can be corrected. No erasing, no stains and no eraser parts.
Also I draw the dashes for the twists in a separate layer. In this layer I also place special marks and their meaning beside the diagram.
If all this is drawn, the diagram is ready. It is ready to connect the reports to each other. For this purpose, everything is selected and copied. This copy is grouped so that is can be selected in one click. Then this copy is e.g. placed above the original. The lines of the original are adjusted so that they fit well on the bottom of the copy. When this is done, select and delete the copy. First and then save a new copy of the report, group it and paste it below the original. Now the lines at the bottom of the report be adjusted so that they fit to the original. After the copy is selected again and deleted. This must be done precisely since the reports of the pricking should be connected to each other.
Because everything is in
separate layers, this can easily changed into a pricking. Make a copy the file by saving as a other name. The report is reduced to its original size. The reduction is made by placing your cursor on a corner and pull it diagonally inwards. In my case it was important that the width became equal to the original. The length would not work, because I drew only one report, and sometimes the picture showed more than one report. To give the pricking its length by copying the report
and paste it to the bottom of the predecing one. To do this the drawing should be enlarged
upto approximately 300%.
Then you can work precisely and slide it until it all fits together. This is important because the more precise you work, the better and more beautiful your pricking will be and after that your lace.
I actually work during the whole process with a magnification of 200 to 400%. This increases
accuracy and improves the end result .