TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CAMARIÑAS BOBBIN LACE by Concha Canoura
The Camariñas lace is considered of the type guipur, being a lace of simple geometric motives, the best known everywhere as the bobbin lace of Camariñas.
Clear influences of other lace types can be found in it ; designs that have been adapted to the technique of the Camariñas lace. This transfer is, in any event, logic, since it happens with all type of artistic manifestations. It is even considered as a virtue that the lace maker adapts and give its personal interpretation to the influences that she receives of other areas or of its own place.
- 1. CAMARIÑAS STITCHES
- 2. PARTS OF THE EDGING
- 3. ORNAMENTATION
- 4. TYPICAL MOTIVES OF THE CAMARIÑAS LACE
- 2. PARTS OF THE EDGING
1.1 Half stitch:
It is made taking always the same bobbin as worker and repeating the crossing of half stitch with successive pairs . This stitch is used to for closed parts, giving the visual aspect of a transparent fabric.
1.2 Whole stitch:
Its is made taking always the same pair as worker and repeating the whole stitch crossing with successive pairs. This stitch is used to form closed parts, giving the visual aspect of an opaque fabric.
If, previous to whole stitch crossing, we give two or more twists to each pair, we obtain the twisted whole stitch.
1.3 Darning stitch :
To make this stitch four bobbins are used, always taking the same bobbin as worker, which goes through the other three ones, alternating once for above and another for under.
Repeating the "darning" movement successively and according to the form we want and how the bobbins are placed, four different forms can be obteined:
a) Leaf : It is made taking four bobbins out of the same stitch and finishing with the four ones in a contiguous stitch.
b) Tally: It is made taking the four bobbins two at the time out of two different stitches and finishing in the same way.
c) Ball: To make the ball we separate four bobbins of whole stitch or half stitch base, making with them a torchon stitch. Then we make the darning stitch in leaf shape and we join the end of the leaf with its beginning.
d) Star: The pairs are taken out of two different stitches, we make the darning stitch and all are taken to the same contiguous stitch.
1.4 Braids:
The braid is made with four bobbins, to make it we always twist the two middle bobbins toward the right and those of the sides toward the left.
It is very similar to the whole stitch.
There is a variant with picots. To make the picot, we twist one of the threads of the braid with the help of a pin and we hold it in a stitch.
1.5 Torchon stitch:
To make this stitch two pairs of bobbins are used and three twists or more are given to each pair. Crossing the bobbins of half stitch and putting the pin on, it turns each pair twice again and they cross again of half stitch to close the stitch. This point is used as ground, giving an effect of transparent mesh.
1.6 Spider:
Its form is similar to a spider inscribed in a rhombus (sometimes in a circle or in an oval). To make the spiders it is necessary to have the ground point worked in the superior half of the rhombus. To make it they are given three or more turns to each one of the pairs and then they cross -whole stitch- in the following way: the 1 with the 4, 5 and 6; the 2 with the 4, 5 and 6 and the 3 with the 4, 5 and 6. This way the superior part of the viril is obtained. Repeating the previous operations, but to the inverse, the inferior part is obtained.
1.7 Virgin ground stitch:
This is a stitcht that is used as ground, creating a reticle of alternative squares, each one of those is composed by a rhombus inscribed in a square.
To make each one of the squares, we need four pair of bobbins, which go twisting and crossing of half stitch. The visual effect is complex and at the same time it is a transparent net.
The varieties are:
a) Virgin ground stitch with braid: The twisted pairs joining the reticles become braids.
b) Virgin ground stitch "tapado" :The reticle loses its rhombus form and it is made with whole stitch.
1.8 Antena :
This is a typical Camariñas stitch. It is made crossing the pairs four at the time with half stitch crossing
It creates grounds of a great visual complexity.
They are two varieties :
a) Antena with braid: The vertical and horizontal twisted pairs become braids.
b) Half antena: One of each two diagonals is suppressed.
1.9 Honeycomb stitch:
It is a ground stitch and the drawing is similar to that of a honeycomb of bees. It consists of two braids, which go separating in twisted pairs, that when joining with others that lower at the same time, they again form braids.
1.10 Rose ground stitch:
It is a ground stitch that consists of two twists, crossing, to nail the pin, to cross to close the stitch and to repeat the whole operation again, always following the drawing.
2. PARTS OF THE EDGING
In the edging we can distinguish three fundamental parts:
2.1) Footside
2.2) Center
2.3) Head side
2.1 FootsideIt is one of the fundamental parts of the edging. It is the part for which the lace will be joined to the cloth, for what should have a certain consistency. It is usually made with whole stitch and twisted whole stitch, although variants exist, so much in shape (rectilinear, curvilinear or mixed) like in used techniques.
The most common footside is formed by a zig-zag that goes along the work.
There are different footside types :
a) Simple footside with whole stitch and twisted whole stitch (they are the oldest)
b) Footside with whole stitch and with twisted whole stitch with different thickness in the whole stitch.
This foot type is good to pick up, to leave or to cut even according to he/she needs it the work.
c) Crossed footside : This footside is formed by a double zig-zag so that they form rhombuses along the foot.
d) Footside with braids.
e) Footside with whole stitch
f) Footside with twisted whole stitch
They are footsides in which the pairs don't only stay in the edge (like it usually happens), but rather they connect with the center of the piece and even with the lace edging, being part of it
2.2 Head side:
It is usually the part of the edging whose border doesn't join to the cloth. This part doesn't exist in the insertions neither in other lace types that they take footside in all its perimeter. They also exist some works with head side in both borders and without footside.
In the Camariñas lace the following types can be distinguish:
a) Scallop:
It is a whole stitch and twisted whole stitch lace edging, it has the shape of a shell or half moon.A variant of the scallop is the arola that is carried out with two couples guide, which go crossing. It is made with two worker pairs, which go crossing.
b) Torchon:
It is a lace edging which forms arches with an 45º angle and it has a series of torchon stitches parallel to the radius, from which the worker pair goes and returns toward the arch, forming a similar drawing to that of the shell of a cockle. It is made with whole stitch and/or twisted whole stitch.There are two variants:
b.1. With a stitch next to the vertex and several stitches parallel to the radius. They can be with whole stitch and twisted whole stitch or only one twisted whole stitch.
b.2. With one or two stitches separated from the vertex and several stitches parallel to the radius. They can be with whole stitch and twisted whole stitch or only one twisted whole stitch.
c) Braids:
This lace edging type, as its name indicates, is formed by braids. These braids can be placed as follows:
We can find three different forms: hooked to whole stitch and half stitch, together to other motives of the center or skirting a lace edging of another type.
1. Hooked to a whole stitch and half stitch base (the most typical). In this group there is a characteristic form that is similar to a pyramid or stair.
2. Next to other motives of the center.
3. skirting a lace edging of another type.
d) Gitana:
This is, maybe, the most characteristic and well-known in the area, since it is of the first ones to learn how to work. For analogy, the similar lace edgings are called gitana.
This head side is distributed forming angles of 45º and having an angle for each arch and it has a fan shape.
Two types can be distinguish:
1. Half stitch.
2. Whole stitch (they usually have open work of twisted whole stitch).
As a rule, in these lace edgings the radiuses are usually the same, but we can also find them with unequal radiuses in the same arch.
e) Corazón:It is usually made whit half stitch, although we can find some with whole stitch.
There are three types:
1. with lobe shape in which for each angle several arches exist
2. with several angles for the same arch
3. with the center of the radius doesn't coincide with the center of the arch
f ) Pluma:
Lace edging with great similarity with the feather of a bird due to its lengthened shape, with an central axis and multiple secondary axes. It is made with whole stitch and twisted whole stitch.
Dentro de este grupo se distinguen dos tipos:
1. Plumillas : similar to the torchon lace edging, but more lengthened and it receives pairs laterally to hold them one to others.
2. Plumaflor : this lace edging is included inside the group of the pluma lace edgings. It is very characteristic in Camariñas and it gives its name to the work that takes it. It is formed by a continuous wavy strip of whole stitch that goes along the whole work. This strip takes a series of joints of twisted whole stitch that maintain their structure, being able to also take darning stitches to hold it.
g) Simona :
It is one of the most characteristic lace edgings in the area of Camariñas. This lace edging usually forms an angle of 45º, in which a series of arches are distributed
We can distinguish three spaces in it : the nearest to the lace edging with darning ground stitches, an intermediate space of half stitch, and a third space with a series of arches with tallies, twisted whole stitch and braids with picots.
h) Acordeón:
Its name comes from the similarity with the bellows of an accordion. This lace edging is considered as a group because its pairs go from the footside to the opposed border of the piece.
It is composed by parallel bars with whole stitch, separated by strips of rhombuses, with twisted whole stitch, which are joined to each other.
2.3 Center:
It is the central part of the edging. This part is located between the footside and the head side, between two footsides (when it is an insertion) or between two head sides. The center is usually well differentiated of the rest of the work. and the.
Two elements can be distinguished:
a) Ground : It is the net, more or less transparent, on which those fillings that configure opaque forms highlight.
Ground stitches :
1. Virgin ground stitch: This is a stitch that is used as ground, creating a reticle of alternative squares, each one of those is composed by a rhombus inscribed in a square. Their visual effect is complex and at the same time it is a transparent net. To make each one of the squares, we need four pair of bobbins, which go twisting and crossing of half stitch.
2. Antena : stitch used in the making of the lace. This is a typical stitch of Camariñas. It creates grounds of a great visual complexity. It is made crossing the pairs four at the time with half stitch crossing.
3. Torchon : To make this stitch two pairs of bobbins are used and three twists or more are given to each pair. Crossing the bobbins of half stitch and putting the pin on, it turns each pair twice again and they cross again of half stitch to close the stitch. This point is used as ground, giving an effect of transparent mesh.
4. Braids : The braid is made with four bobbins, to make it we always twist the two middle bobbins toward the right and those of the sides toward the left.
b) closed part : It is the opaque work that is silhouetted against the ground.
Closed part stitches :
1. Whole stitch : it is made taking always the same pair as worker and repeating the whole stitch crossing with successive pairs. This stitch is used to form closed parts, giving the visual aspect of an opaque fabric.
2. Half stitch : it is made taking always the same bobbin as worker and repeating the crossing of half stitch with successive pairs . This stitch is used to for closed parts, giving the visual aspect of a transparent fabric.
3. Darning stitch : to make this stitch four bobbins are used, always taking the same bobbin as worker, which goes through the other three ones, alternating once for above and another for under.
4. Spider : its form is similar to a spider inscribed in a rhombus (sometimes in a circle or in an oval). To make the spiders it is necessary to have the ground point worked in the superior half of the rhombus. To make it they are given three or more turns to each one of the pairs and then they cross -whole stitch- in the following way: the 1 with the 4, 5 and 6; the 2 with the 4, 5 and 6 and the 3 with the 4, 5 and 6. This way the superior part of the spider is obtained. Repeating the previous operations, but to the inverse, the inferior part is obtained.
3. ORNAMENTATION
The ornamentation or drawing that it presents the fitting is a characteristic that serves us to classify it and to differentiate it.
According to the classification that we propose, the edging can be divided in three types:
1. Geometric: it is based on a continuous repetition of a basic module along the whole work, so that it is gotten a clear prevalence of the symmetry and the harmony in the whole piece. In them it is necessary the presence of a great number of darning stitches which give a big impact on the lace.
This type of edging is one of the most characteristics that we find in Camariñas
- Curvilinear, type of geometric lace in which the curvilinear lines dominate.
- Rectilinear, in which the straight lines dominate.
2. Figurative: in them it is necessary to highlight the presence of different types of figures on a bottom sometimes formed by a geometric mesh (formed by bottom points) or fellows for cords or couples turned to the rest of the work.
According to the figure type we can distinguish subtypes:
- Animals: In this type of lace they exist great quantity of pieces that we can consider as fruit of the transfer of models of other places.
- Bloemwerk : it represents flowers, leaves and branches.
- Antropomórficos:Motives representing human or mitológical figures.
- Inanimate: They can be the religious motives, letters or other.
4. TYPICAL MOTIVES OF THE CAMARIÑAS LACE
1. Diamonds : Series of rhombuses of small size and a form more or less rounded that can be accentuated with a sedón. These diamonds can be with half stitch or whole stitch and when they are with whole stitch they can have holes in their interior.
2. Triangles of half even: This figure is formed, as its name indicates, with triangles made with half stitches whose base is located parallel to the footside of the lace. In its making, the torchon ground stitches located in their base don't go in the same line, but rather those that unite them to the footside or another figure, are located more toward out.
3. Joined tallies : joined tallies without any stitch beetwen each one of them. Their realization is complex because it requires a great ability on the part of the lace maker.
4. Row of tallies : tallies with two stitches between them. This makes their realization easier since it helps to hold the pairs, so that it doesn't come undone the upper tally.
5. Joined flowers
6. Joined scallops : the scallop is used as much as center as forming the head side of the edging.
7. Whole stitch-half stitch joint: These two points unite amid a figure, having a series of you itch between both.
8. "S" with whole stitch and half stitch (alternating)9. Partridge eye: this stitch consists on a strip in continuous shape of an eight, it is formed by a gimp or a group of pairs that cross in whole stitch.
10. Crowns: With darning stitch
With twisted whole stitch
11. Squares and rectangles: these squares and rectangles can simply be made with whole stitch or they can have inside another square of torchon stitch or braids.
12. Darning stitches above whole stitch and half stitch
13. Gimps: thicker thread that the rest of those used in the same work. It is placed between the threads that form the figure and twisting these. It is used in the figures as an outline thread , so that they are better defined.
14. Bars with whole stitch and half stitch
15. Waves and hairsprings of whole couple and turned whole couple
16. Zig-zag of darning stitches
17. Open work : the open work is made in the whole stitch diamonds, twisting the threads or putting a series of torchon ground stitches forming a hole
18. Curved torchon
19. Raised strip: insertion that go next to edging joined by the same footside.
20. Footside prolongued pairs: stitchs that are part of the footside and they go in solitary from it to the center and return again to the footside.
21. Rhombuses: this figure is very much used in the Camariñas lace, being their dimensions and the stitches that compose them very varied.
22. Bloemwerk:
a) Leaves, branches and flowers of whole stitch and half stitch
b) Flowers of darning stitches: Joined darning stitches that form a flower figure
c) Flowers with spider inside: In these flowers, the pair of the upper petals are picked up in a series of stitches, so that they are held to make a spider inside the flower.
d) Flowers crossed with braids : Flowers with braids instead leaves.
e) Palms: This motif is made with joined leaves. It looks like a palm.
Note : These texts have been elaborated by Concepción Canoura and selected and adapted for the present work.