Leslie Sercombe's
Collection of Lace
Ref: 08.LS.1.

Leslie has been making lace for over 20years. For the past six years she has used lace as a tool for learning, resulting in a Masters Degree in Textile Culture at Norwich University of the Arts, Norfolk, England.

This collection consists of a variety of fragments, lengths and complete items of handmade lace in degrees of degeneration, which have accumulated over the past few years.

The collection indicates the diversity of handmade lace, aiming to contrast excellent examples with poorer quality lace, which together with the history of hand made lace forms its own unique language.

In the past semiotics of handmade lace speaks of status and class, in contrast to its value today, often seen as a time consuming hobby, with no status or monetary value. It is Leslie's opinion that lacemaking has social if not economic value in today’s society.  As more groups form to socialise, communicate, and share knowledge, this is evidence of its social valve.

Through the detail seen in these images and the names given to each combination of movements, one can begin to form an understanding for the technical achievement to date.

Collating the language of lace has been a lifetime’s work for J.Coene, his book Kantlexicon contains 12,870 words and expressions used, in the making of lace.

    
   Alencon ref: 08.LS.1.2                Milenese ref: 08.LS.1.1