If one grew up with "binche" you would understand that it isn't that difficult. In Flanders we call the "binche" patterns with no tallies : flat binche (meaning "even") (in flemish : platte binche), refering to the more "easy" patterns as the "mentebolle" and others with NO tallies. The more elaborate patterns, with tallies are called "toveressewerk" or "toveressekant" this is the flemish word for witchcraft, refering to the very intricate and difficult designs (for which you need "magic" fingers, haven't we all ???). There was a beautiful translation for this word in french : point de feé (in english : fairy tale) but when you translate the word "toveresse" in english it means : "witch". And yes, the old lacemakers here in Brugge still use the name "toveressewerk" instead of binche. The feathered binche that Berthilde Vandoren (flemish lacemaker and collector) refers to are the binche designs of the late 17th, begin 18th century, and this "feathering" also appears in other laces at this time such as Valenciennes, and certainly needle laces.
Magda, from very sunny Belgium (no chocolatemaker, but lacemaker) - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
