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A Victorian Lace Square to Appliqué and Embroider
Try your hand at lace with this vintage-inspired piece.
Kathi Rotella used cotton tulle and tape laces to make this sweet lace square. Photos by Joe Coca
Captivated by the timeless allure of lace? PieceWork has fallen under lace’s spell since its inception and has dedicated eleven issues to lace’s magic, including the May/June 2018 issue.
Throughout time, needleworkers have become smitten with lace, and Kathi Rotella’s Victorian lace square is a good example. She was so taken by a sample that she re-created it for PieceWork. Current PieceWork subscribers can log in and access this bonus subscriber-exclusive PDF instantly.
Kathi explains, “The inspiration for this design came from a vintage piece of lace purchased by a friend from an antiques shop in Missouri. The lace particularly impressed me because it has a delicate visual presence even though it was created entirely from machine-made lace net (tulle) and machine-made tape laces. The tapes formed little flowers upon the net background that mimicked my favorite forget-me-nots.”
Kathi’s delicate Victorian square
Captivated by the timeless allure of lace? PieceWork has fallen under lace’s spell since its inception and has dedicated eleven issues to lace’s magic, including the May/June 2018 issue.
Throughout time, needleworkers have become smitten with lace, and Kathi Rotella’s Victorian lace square is a good example. She was so taken by a sample that she re-created it for PieceWork. Current PieceWork subscribers can log in and access this bonus subscriber-exclusive PDF instantly.
Kathi explains, “The inspiration for this design came from a vintage piece of lace purchased by a friend from an antiques shop in Missouri. The lace particularly impressed me because it has a delicate visual presence even though it was created entirely from machine-made lace net (tulle) and machine-made tape laces. The tapes formed little flowers upon the net background that mimicked my favorite forget-me-nots.”
Kathi’s delicate Victorian square
[PAYWALL]
Materials
- Lacis tulle, #HE01, 100% fine cotton, 18 hole, 1 piece 9 x 9 inches (22.9 x 22.9 cm), Ecru
- Lacis princess tape lace, #CN17, 100% cotton, 2 yards (1.8 m), Ecru
- Lacis Honiton tape lace, #CN14, 100% cotton, 10 inches (25.4 cm), Ecru (for small leaves)
- Lacis Honiton tape lace, #CN15, 100% cotton, 6 inches (15.2 cm), Ecru (for large leaves)
- Lacis dot tape lace, #CN18, 100% cotton, 6 inches (15.2 cm), Ecru (for small rings)
- DMC Brilliant Cutwork and Embroidery Thread, Article 107, size 16, 100% cotton thread, 23 meters (25.1 yd)/skein, 1 skein of Ecru
- Sewing thread, Ecru (for sewing) and contrasting color (for basting)
- Muslin fabric
- Marker, fine point permanent
Finished size: 7½ x 7½ inches (19.1 x 19.1 cm)
“A Victorian Lace Square to Appliqué and Embroider” PDF Download
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Originally published December 4, 2018; updated November 11, 2022; updated May 14, 2025.
