Filet and buratto lace stitches and finishing

Filet Lace
I have only done the linen stitch – weaving one way and then the other.  Edge stitch (or Hidden stitch as it is sometimes called) too, of course. My next piece will be mainly the linen stitch, too.   I will have about 4 squares each side to do the border, so have not decided on that yet.  Might have to do a row of one colour, and then a row of the other, before I buttonhole stitch around the edge.  Have not decided whether to do it linen stitch or darning stitch.
The Filet Lace by the Sea (Florida USA) book says to wash and/or bleach the lace when completed.

I am thinking just a steam iron or damp cloth while pressing will be enough. This should be quite adequate.

I think I will just press it under a wet cloth, or steam press it, this time, and maybe find out a bit more about it all. I found it fun to do (don’t know why, as I Hate darning!!! – and the main stitch is a darning stitch!!!), and now I have bought some Leno netting – so I can do Burato lace – which is almost the same thing, but the Leno net is woven, and Filet net is knotted! The Filet lace lady I met in Denver had a fit of the horrors when I mentioned the woven net!!!  She only does her work on the knotted net!  It is coarse, though, – 5 holes to the inch or 3 holes to the inch, whereas the Leno I have just got is 9 holes to the inch, and there is some (I will try later – perhaps) that is 14 holes to the inch!  I prefer the finer work, so I must remember to call it Burato, rather than Filet!!! (Thought police at competitions might disqualify it, otherwise, so I am told!!)

The filet needle is used for weaving in and out through the filet net, and is also handy for hardanger.  However, I normally change to a crewel needle to finish off the ends.

Making netting
I found one of my netting needles and a measuring stick that goes with it.  They are not the ones I am looking for, and I will keep looking.

I *was* wondering if something home-made could be rigged up, say with a wooden ice-cream stick or the like, and this shuttle answers that question — though a pop-stick version might be a bit small.   It depends on the thread being used, I suppose — and I’d rather start with a larger “string,” if I can.

Sadly, the best book on linen stitch is long out of print.  It is by Kath Waller.  However, Margaret Morgan has a book coming out soon through Milner press and I can’t wait!  There is a book on linen stitch by Filet by the Sea.  It is called Filet Lace, An Introduction to the Linen Stitch by Marie-Jo Quinault.  It has a series of exercises and very good pictures and diagrams.  There is another book on Filet Lace by Pauline Knight, a Batsford publication. From time to time an affordable copy comes up.  There are also some books by Lacis on filet lace.

I always use a square or rectangle frame for my work
A friend made me one from a round steel and it works a treat as I have covered it with old stocking and I sew the net on I found this method in one of my books and find it the best. I have made a couple of small ones from old picture frames covered with stockings  -make sure you get the frames  moulded in one  piece otherwise you run the risk of the frame coming apart at the corners.

I work filet lace in a round embroidery frame – always, so that the tension of my thread is better. I cut the net about an inch larger than the finished size of the piece, and then stitch some old fabric (sheeting or calico) along each side so it will be held snugly by the embroidery frame.   As the net is expensive – I am very stingy, and by using an edging strip of fabric I can cut only just what I need, and not waste much on having enough to fit in a hoop. I am just graphing out the beaut mat. I find I Have to graph out the pathway to follow.