A case for amazing lace

If the word ‘bizzilla’ conjures up images of old aunt Grace sitting by the doorway with her 'trajbu' weaving away with her 'combini', think again, for ‘lacy’ has just gotten ‘racy’.

If you look at this season’s catwalks lace is the party fabric – and it's on everything from blazers to bodysuits. Miuccia Prada, the international fashion designer said she got interested in how lace "follows women through their lives", from christening gowns to wedding veils and underwear to widow's weeds. Lace pieces, says Prada, hold primal appeal. As a result, this summer, basic items like leggings and blazers – were overtaken by a lace alternative.

In Malta no less, timesofmalta.com met two lace ladies, busy making lace while lapping in the autumn sun on their Maltese roof garden.

Anna Maria Gatt, 46 and Consiglia Debono, 77, both from Rabat, have been lace makers for more than a decade. Although they both admit that it is something which requires an infinite amount of patience, they are fervent in their claims that “lace making is extremely relaxing.”

It's also a very social hobby: "Sometimes six of us gather on the roof and we just while away, working on lace, chatting and snacking," said Ms Debono. A small lace sash would take about four hours to make, however, said Ms Gatt: “I don’t look at the time but at the quality of the lace I’m producing.”

Ms Gatt is the Secretary of the Malta Lace Guild, set up ten years ago by the first students of the Lacemaking Programme at the University of Malta Gozo Centre under the direction of Consiglia Azzopardi, the well-known authority on Maltese lace.

The Malta Lace Guild aims to encourage an interest in the history of Maltese textile crafts and to promote Maltese lace particularly both locally and internationally by helping to improve the status and reputation of Maltese textile crafts and the artisans who continue them. It has members worldwide and over the years, has held workshops in various foreign and local types of lace and other textile crafts as well as in technical drawing and other aspects of pattern making.

During the past ten years it has issued a regular quarterly magazine featuring free patterns and updates on what is happening in the world of lace, both locally and internationally.

“On Sunday, at this year’s Malta Lace Day, there will be over 20 local artisans exhibiting their craft,” said Ms Gatt.

In this day and age, lace is no longer for doilies and runners: “It’s very popular for commercial use, and there’s a huge demand for wedding dresses and Holy Communion outfits,” said Ms Gatt as she showed us a lovely black lace top, which she made for herself.

Certainly lace is ideal for chic outfits in these dire economic times: it is more flexible than sparkle, in terms of making the transition between day and evening.

Surely, now is the time to call at old Aunt Grace’s for a few tips on her amazing lace.

The tenth Anniversary of Malta Lace Day sponsored by the Phoenicia Hotel and the Malta Crafts Council will take place at the Phoenicia Hotel, Valletta, this Sunday October 24 between 9 am - 4 pm For more details phone 2156 0001 or e-mail bizzilla@gmail.com.