The net isn't torn, it looks as if its been chewed. Â How on earth did it happen. Â Or was it speared by a stiletto heel.
I agree with Joan that appliquéd sprigs (plural) are one way to go.  As the damage is in from the edge a way they'd need to use more than one, balanced either side of the centre back motif, or it would be obviously a repair.  They don't need to be fancy, just in keeping with the rest of the design, but obviously one in each group must be large enough to conceal all of the hole, the others could be smaller.  It may be possible to use motifs from a damaged old piece of Duchesse or Honiton if there's no lacemaker with the time and skills available but you'd need to match the scale and colour. Another option would be to patch in a piece of net and this would be the easiest and quickest, and properly done almost invisible, BUT would depend on you finding a piece of old net that is a good match in mesh shape and size and colour.  It is relatively easy to find areas of net in otherwise unimportant pieces of machine lace, once you attune your eyes to the search; having said that this looks as if it might be a diamond mesh net (although the detail isn't quite good enough to see clearly) and that's not as easy to find as hexagonal mesh, but still possible. See if you can find a copy of the Anybody Can  Mend Lace and Linens book, by Arachne Elizabeth Kurella. I don't know if it's still in print or not (? Elizabeth) but if you belong to IOLI they likely have a copy in their library.  If not, and if you are a Lace Guild member, we have a copy and are allowed to copy small parts of a book for your use (we can't loan the books overseas).  But if you can find your own copy I can't recommend it highly enough. I think (and I may be dreaming) that in the above book she also shows you how to do a darned repair, but for this you'll need a very fine thread in the right colour, or it would stick out like a sore thumb. I wish them luck as it's a lovely heirloom piece. Jacquie in Lincolnshire Sent from Samsung tablet - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
