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bobbin lace

bobbin lace

1 9.1
A handmade decorative cloth made by twisting thread wound on small wooden spools around pins on a pillow
  • noun
  • /ˈbɑbɪn leɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : encaje de bolillos
  • I've been inspired by some of the bobbin lace.

Examples

  • Apparently, there are many different kinds of bobbin lace, and each kind or style has a different kind of bobbins.

    Blog text (9)
  • I think bobbin lace tools and materials will be coming to our house soon.

    Blog text (9)
  • This one is the first piece of bobbin lace I've made in years.

    Blog text (10)
  • This is Flemish bobbin lace from the late 1600s.

  • However, I'll be doing it slowly, so don't expect any new updates on bobbin lace anytime soon.

    Blog text (10)
  • I wanted her unfinished bobbin lace, the little pale blue pillow with a pattern pinned to it.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • She's evangelizing bobbin lace and encouraging newbies to try.

    Blog text (9)
  • She gave us a copy of Le Pompe, 1559: Patterns for Venetian bobbin lace by Santina Levey and Patricia Payne.

    Blog text (9)
  • I learned how to create beautiful designs with bobbin lace at the crafting workshop.

  • She displayed her intricate bobbin lace on a decorative pillow at the exhibition.

Synonyms

lacework
vsbobbin lace
1 6.8

A delicate open pattern of threads used to decorate veils or dresses

is handmade using twisted braided threads fixed by pins on a pillow
pillow lace
vsbobbin lace
  • Specialized
9.9

Decorative cloth made by twisting and braiding thread on a cushion marked with pins

is the same method but phrased with pins fixing the pattern
Valenciennes lace
vsbobbin lace
  • Specialized
9.9

A fine handmade lace with small flower patterns from Valenciennes in France

is the general handmade technique rather than a specific regional style
torchon
vsbobbin lace
  • Specialized
9.9

A kind of handmade lace with simple shapes and braided edges

is broader, covering pillow made lace beyond only simple designs

How Complex

bobbin lace
  • Specialized
1 9.1
lace
79 2.0
trim
34 3.8

Surface Forms

bobbin lace singular
bobbin laces plural

Morphology

bobbin + lace

This is a straightforward noun–noun compound: 'bobbin' (a small spool) modifying 'lace' indicates a type of lace made using bobbins. A B1 learner who knows both constituent words can reasonably infer that it refers to lace produced with bobbins, even if they wouldn't know the detailed craft techniques.

Etymology

Bobbin lace comes from the small wooden spools called bobbins that hold the threads while makers twist and braid them around pins on a pillow to make patterns. So the name points to the tool and the process and helps you picture 'lace made with bobbins'.