Vintage lace and other needlecrafting techniques are the inspiration for my latest Urban Fantasy WIP.
- Moving left-to-right, the hankies are (I think!) Brussels Needle Lace, Tatting, Appliqué, Bullion Scalloping along the edge, Withdrawn Threadwork, and Tamboured Lace.
I’ve been collecting lace since time immemorial (and hauling it around the world with me, everywhere I have lived). My maternal great-grandmother was alive until I was 16, and it was the treasures in her chiffarobe (a standing closet, often complete with little drawers and a mirror on the inside) that got me started. She had a yellow melamine grooming set. She had exquisitely tailored vintage jackets I wore with my jeans. Stacks of yardage–mostly early examples of rayon–from sewing projects. Jewelry. And lace. Lace hankies, removable lace collars and cuffs, lace-edged bias cut slips…oh my gosh, that little closet helped shaped my future.
With my first Urban Fantasy trilogy on the shelves and in e-readers, I had planned to take a break. Replenish the well. Clean my house. Cook dinners.
But the next story calls, inspiration spilling out of boxes and bags of vintage laces, fabrics, and artifacts stashed in my writing cabin. Even my button collection–jars filled with loud-mouthed wonders from the 19th and 20th centuries–has been so noisy!
Here’s my helper (taking a break):
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