Reticella: a walk through the beginnings of Lace

with Sabrina de la Bere

Defining Reticella:
The word is Italian and translates as “little net”or “mesh the pattern was done on parchment paper. The paper is then
stitch”. At its base, it is a form of cutwork where squares of pinned to a hard and slightly rounded sewing pillow. This in
woven linen are removed. The remaining threads form a base, turn is held on the workers knee or rested on a table.
or net, upon which the decorative stitches are placed. Reticella
is primarily done with buttonhole stitch rather than running The primary stitch is detached buttonhole. This is worked
stitcheds, darning stitches, or knotting for fillings. between the lines of the outlined structure. It may be looped
into the piece above or next to it. The stitches may be con-
Reticella, or Reticello, is the diminutive of “Rete”. Rosette tinuous creating a solid ground or varied to give a pattern.
is used in some 16th C. pattern books to refer to the more The thread may also be twisted or knotted to give variety.
geometric star and “snowflake” pattern used for Reticella. The filled patterns are linked by connecting threads which
In addition, some of the less geometric needlelaces with pro- are then oversewn in buttonhole.
jecting points and scallops were referred to as ‘merli” or
“merletti”.
A Bit of History :
Reticella is thought to be an outgrowth of Punto Tagliato - (ref. Ricci Vol I pg. 6-22, 119-138; Earnshaw, Dictionary
cut linen work, or in french Pointe Coupe. It is is also com- pg. 145-6; Earnshaw, Fashion pg. 9-24)
monly viewed as the precourser for Punto in Aria - stitch in Both Ricci and Earnshaw view the Sforza inventory of 1493
the air. as probably the first mention of lace; any form of lace. How-
ever, it is not until 1530 that there is a written mention in a
The french term “Dentelle” is used generically to refer to all book. This is in a pattern book, Punto Tagliato by Matio
lace. Specifically it means “to the teeth” and refers to in- Pagan, that mentions “rete” (a variant name on reticello).
dented edges. Dentelle a l’ aiguille is needlelace and dentelle Another pattern book in 1548 mentions “punto in rede”.
aux fuseaux is bobbin lace. These comprise the 2 main forms
of lace. Reticella is a needlelace. The 1560 wardrobe accounts for Queen Elizabeth lists partlets
with “de opera rete” and “de opera Rhet”. In the 1565 un-
Needlelace initially had a linen ground from which areas published inventory of the Castello d’Issogne in Val d’aosta,
were removed. Then this ground was replaced with a cord- there are several mentions of what is most probably reticella.
ing or thread which was used to define the shapes. The pat- In Elizabeth’s 1586 inventory there is a record of cutwork
tern is built up on this outline structure, whether from the for a ruff “edged in good white lace”. Such edgings begin at
initial cloth, added threads or cording. the start of the 16th C with narrow edgings on shirt collars,

The main threads are tacked along the pattern lines. Initially (continued on
page 3)

Design for Reticello From the Corona delle nobili e viruose aonne of Vecellio, Venice, 1592
Ricci, Vol. II, No. 21, pg. 20.
All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004 Page 1
 Some Lace Pattern Books.
50 were published between 1517 & 1599 of which 28 were Italian, 7 French, 4
German (Lace, Bookking pg. 10):

Matio Pagan, Giardinetto novo di punti tagliati et gropposi per exercito e

ornamento delle donne, Venedig, 1542.**The 1st to mention cutwork.**
Matio Pagan, Ornamento de le belle et virtudiose donne, Venice, 1543.
Matio Pagan, Il spechio di pensieri della belle et virutdiose donne, Venice, 1544,
1549.
Matio Pagan, L’honesto essempio, Venice, 1550.
Mathio Pagan, La gloria et l’honore de Ponti tagliati et Ponti in oere, Venice,
Ouurages de point couppe. 1558.
Vinciolo - Singuliers, 1587 Giovanne Andrea Vavassore, Fior di gli essempli, Venice, 1545.
Dominique de Sera, Le livre de lingerie, Paris 1584.
Vinciolo, Les singuiliers et mouveaux pourtraicts d’ouvrages de lingerie, Paris, 1587.**1st true Reticella patterns.**
Vinciolo, Les singuliers et nouveaux pourtraicts servant de patrons a faire toutes de poinct coupe. Paris 1587.
Claude Nourry, La fleur des patrones de lingerie, Lyon, 1533.
Pierre de Sainte Lucie, Livre nouveau, dict patrons de lingerie, Lyon, 1530.
Pierre de Saint Lucie, Patrons de Fiverfes Manieres, Lyon, 1533.
Pierre de Sainte Lucie, S’enfuyent les parons de Messire Antoine Belin, Lyon, 1533.
Sibmacher, Poinct coupe, Nuremberg, 1597.
Isabeatta Catanea Parasole,Specchio delle virtuose donne, 1595.
Isabeatta Catanea Parasole, Le studio delle virtuose dame dove si vedono bellissimi lavori de Punto in aria, retuella, de
malia,Rome, 1597.
Isabeatta Catanea Parasole,Pretiosa gemma delle virtuose donne, Rome 1598.
Isabeatta Catanea Parasole, Stickereien u Spitzen, Berlin, 1616.
Isabeatta Catanea Parasole, La corona delle nobili et virtuose donne, Rome, 1601.
Pietro Paolo Tozzi, Ghirlnda di sei vaghi fiori, Padua, 1604.
Giovanni Ostaus, La Vera perfettione del disengno, Venice, 1557, 1591.
Cesare Vecellio, Corona delle nobili et virtuose donne, Venice, 1591, 1593.
Giovanni Antonio Bindoni, Il Monte, Venice, 1557.
Sessa Brothers, Le Pompe, Venice 1557, 1559.
R.M., Nuw Modelbuch, allerley Gattungen Dantelschnur..., Zurich, 1561.
Dominico de Franceschi, Serena, Opera noua di recami, 1564.
Jacques Foillet, Nouveaux pourtraicts de point coupe, 1598.

Websites of Interest:
Digital Archive of Documents Related to Lace -- http://
www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/lace.html
The Lace Museum -- http://www.thelacemuseum.org/
Lace Identification -- http://lace.lacefairy.com/ID/laceID.htm
Needlelace -- http://www.geocities.com/monstonitrus/a_and_s/
needlelace/needlelace.html - originally published in TI, Issue #138,
April 2001
Antique Needlepoint Lace (private collection) -- http://
www.marlamallett.com/l-needle.htm
Ricci Vol II No. 112 - XVI century. Basic Reticella (NeedleArts) -- http://www.needlearts.com/articles/
Reticello rose with laurel crown in article_8/article_8.html
punto in aria. Actual size (print is 2”
sq.) Levier, Florence. pg. 128.

Page 2 All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004

 Ricci Vol. I No. 113 - Cuff in pierced linen and reticello, Detail from Gozzadini Portrait - Portraits of the Gozzadini
family by Lav. Fontana, 1584, Gozzadini, Bologna.

chemises, partlets and cuffs and grow into huge ruffs by the 3rd quarter of the 16th C.

Most of the early pattern books are for the various forms of embroidery - blackwork, voided work, surface embroidery, but
few books even mention the stitches or methods to be used for interpreting the patterns. There are a few early patterns
suitable for interpretation as lacis - where a net is created from pulling and wrapping threads and then a weaving pattern is
used to fill the squares. You also see the same patterns repeated or reversed time and again by different publishers.

The name “Reticello” first appears in Vecellio’s 1591 book Corona. Vinciolo publishes patterns that are obviously for
Reticello. but in his Singuliers books of 1587, and its reprint of 1606, calls them “Pointe Couppe”.

While there are no Flemish pattern books of lace, it was produced in Flanders as well as Italy and France. Since there were
import restrictions in England, some may also have been produced in England.

Reticella, as with other laces, was done alone as well as inconjunction with other forms of needlework and lace. There are
examples of borders with the same design done in embroidery and reticella (Ricci Vol. 1 No. 107). A number of linens have
reticella, with curl stitch (outline stitch) and satin stitch (Ricci Vol. 1, No. 122,123, 124, 126, 127, 128, 130, 131, 132, 133,
134, etc.). Bobbin lace was also frequently combined with reticella and appears both as insertions and edgings (Ricci Vol.
1, No. 134, 142, 153, 169, 170, 171, etc.).

continued on page 5

All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004 Page 3

Ricci Vol. 1 No.114-High Collar with insertion and edging of reticello. Portrait of Maria Capponi-Pecori. Uffizi, Florence.

Page 4 All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004

 Bibliography
75X Lace: Lace in the Rijksmuseum, Wardle,
Patricia, Rijksmuseum, 2000, 90 400 9448 9.
A Dictionary of Lace, Earnshaw, Pat, Dover,
1984. 0-486-40482-X.
Armenian Needlelace and Embroidery,
Kasparian, Alice Odian, Emp Publishers, 1983,
0-914440-65-9.
Cut-Work Embroidery and How to Do It, Cave,
Oenone, Dover, 1982, 0-486-24267-6.
Drawn Fabric Embroidery, Leach, Agnes M., Do-
ver, 2001, 0486-41809-X.
Drawn Fabric Embroidery, Wark, Edna, Batsford,
1979, 0 7134 1477 4.
Drawn Thread Embroidery, McNeill, Moyra,
Henry Holt and Company New York, 1989, 0-
8050-1406-3.
Drawn Thread Work 1st Series, De Dillmont Th.
ed., DMC Library, Societe a Responsabilite
Limitee Mulhouse.
Drawn Thread Work 2nd Series, De Dillmont Th.
ed., DMC Library, Societe a Responsabilite
limitee Mulhouse.
Elizabethan Lace, Dye, Gillian, The Elviston
Press, 1995, 0 9522709 3 5.
Hardanger Fundamentals Made Fancy,* Love,
Janice, Love-N-Stitches, Athens GA, 1999.
Hardanger: Basics and Beyond,* Love, Janice,
self published, Athens, 1995.
Hems, Edges and Fancy Borders, Altherr, Ilse,
self.
Hemstitching, Scoular, Marion, American School
of Needlework, 1999.
History of Lace, Palliser, Mrs. Bury, Dover, 1984,
0-486-24742-2.
Italian Cut Work and Filet Lace: Variety Book
No. 2, Testa, Carmela, ed., 1926.
Italian Lace Designs: 243 Classic Examples,
Ricci, Elisa, Dover Publications Inc., New York,
1993, 0-486-27588-4.
La Broderie sur Lacis 1st Series, De Dillmont
Th. Ed., Bibliotheque DMC Mulhouse.
Lace, Bath, Virginia Churchill, Penguin Books,
1974, 0 14 046.378X.
Lace, L’Aventurine Bookking International
Paris,1995.
Lace: A History , Levey, Santina M., V& A Mu-
seum/W. S. Maney & Son Ltd., 1983, 0 901286
15 X.
Needle Lace: Techniques & Inspiration, Clark,
Jill Nordfors, Hand Books Press, 1999, 0-
9658248-5-3. continued page 6

Ricci Vol.1, No. 102 - XVI Century.

Unfinished Reticello, executed on drawn
linen. Palermo Museum.

All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004 Page 5

Needle-Made Laces and Net Embroideries: Reticella Work Mani di Fata Milan, 8-099999-801103.
Carrickmacrosss Lace Princess Lace and Other Traditional Renaissance Patterns for Lace, Embroidery and Needlepoint:
Techniques, Campbell, Preston Doris, Dover Publications An unabridged facsimile of the “Singuliers et nouveaux
Inc.,New York, 1984, 0-486-24708-2. pourtraicts” of 1587, Vinciolo, Frederico, Dover Publications,
Needlelace, Earnshaw, Pat, Merehurst, 1991, 1 85391 158 New York, 1971, 0-486-22438-4.
5. Textiles: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Cavallo, Adolph
Needlelace: Designs and Techniques Classic and Contem- S., Trustees of the the Museum, 1986, 0-914660-09-8.
porary, Barley, Catherine, Batsford , 2002, 0 7134 8688 0. The Art of Drawn Work: The Metropolitan Art Series Vol 2-
Old Italian Lace, Vol. 1 & II, Ricci, Elisa, William No. 1 March 1896, Kliot, Jules and Kaethe ed.., Lacis Publi-
Heinemann,1913. cations, Berkeley, 1989, 0-916896-29-3.
Openwork Embroidery, DMC Library, New Edition (Re- The Finishing Touch: Lace in Portraits at Frederiksborg,
vised), de Dillmont ,Th. ed., DMC Library, Mulhouse, 1974. Levey, Santina & Patricia Wardle, Fredericksborg Museum,
Patterns Embroidery: Early 16th Century, by Nourry, Claude 1994, 8787237598.
& Pierre de Saincte Louie, Lacis, Berkeley, 1999, 1-891656- The Needle-Made Lace of Reticella, Kliot, Jules & Kaethe,
16-3. Lacis, Berkeley, 1994, 0-916896-57-9.
Punti a Giorno, Mani Di Fata ed.,I Lavori Femmininili Di The Open Canvas: An Instructional Encyclopedia of Open-
Mani di Fata Milan, 8-099999-802407. work Techniques (Pulled, Canvas, Needleweaving, Hem-
Punti a Giorno 2, Mani Di Fata ed.,I Lavori Femmininili Di stitching. Filet, Hardanger, Reticella & Hedebo), Ambuter,
Mani di Fata Milan, 8-099999-802391. Carolyn, Workman Publishing New York, 1982, 0-89480-
Punti a Giorno 3, Mani Di Fata ed., I Lavori Femmininili Di 170-6.
Threads of Lace: From Source to Sink, Earnshaw, Pat, Gorse
Publications,1989, 0-9513891-1-4.

* included as the author gives clear

instructions as to how to “fix” prob-
lem that occur, such as cutting the
wrong thread and weaving back.

Ricci, Vol 1. No. 162- Pillow Slip,

Satin Stitch and reticello. Binney,
Florence.

Page 6 All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004

 Isabeatta Catanea Parasole, Stickereien u Spitzen, Berlin, 1616. - published by Ernst Wasmuth, Berlin 1891.

All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004 Page 7

 Ricci, Vol 1 No. 172 - Original pillow-slip of drawn thread, curl-stitch, and reticello on very fine transparent
linen. Bargagli, Florence.

Ricci no. 154 - Table cover with design in curl stitch and reticello. Tranquilli, Ascoli Piceno.

Page 8 All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004

Stitches Used: Detached Button Hole ***
Button Hole Stitch** Come up through the material at A and down through the
material at B (Fig. 1) making a horizonal straight stitch
across the area to be covered (for a firmer base work 2
horizonal stitches). Do not pull the stitch too tightly. Bring
the needle out at C and buttonhole stitch closely over the
loose thread without picking up any of the fabric (Fig. 2).
Every following row of stitches is worked into the loops of
the previous row. Work alternately from side to side.
Shaping is creating by increasing or decreasing stitches at
the end of each row. -- ftom Classic Stitches.com

** drawing courtesy of Sharon B’s

http://home.iprimus.com.au/ijerry/sharonb/
stitchdict/stitch/
Button Hole Stitch - over bar *** *** drawing courtesy of Classic Stitches.com

Woven Bars & Picots:

Picots: These very traditional additions are worked at the same time as the weaving is being accomplished. Weave to the
center of the bar and insert the needle part way into the bar (6a). Bring the thread from the bar, under the back of the
needle and around the front (6b). Pull the needle through, and work with the picot until it lies firmly on the outside of the
bar. Wrap that side one time, bringing the needle around the outside of the bar and into the center. Repeat for the other
side (6c) and complete the weaving of the bar (6d).
Diagram and Description from Nordic Needle -- http://Nordicneedle.com/tips/har201_a.html

All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004 Page 9

 Class Materials:
32 ct. Irish Linen
#12 DMC Pearl Cotton
#28 Tapestry Needle

Steps:
READ Through all the Steps First!
1. Draw a 2” x 2” square on your linen being sure to
align it with the linen threads. Draw lines every 1/2 inch
within the square.
2. Hoop your fabric.
3. Using a double running stitch, outline the square 1
thread out from the 2” line - over 2 threads.
4. Repeat 2 above except 1 more thread out and be sure
your stitches are offset by one thread.
5. Do a satin stitch all the way around, from the 2”
square line out, covering the 2 lines of double running.
At the corners you will be using the same inside corner
whole repeatedly until you have completely covered the
corner.One satin stitch per thread - 1:3.
6. Cut all the threads from the inside EXCEPT for 3
threads where there is a 1/2” mark. You should now have
a grid of 16 squares.
7. Remove fabric from hoop. Place your pattern on the
“pillow”. Cover with clear protector..
Ricci Vol 1 No. 158 - Table cover with reticello. Bobbin
made edging. Cave, Leghorn. Hint: use clear self adhesive shelf liner. Cut a piece
Enlarged portion below - class project: slightly larger all the way around the pattern. Peel off
backing and place over pattern.

Tack or pin fabric in place at the corners. Then place

small tacking stitches over each thread group - 1 or 2 per.
Be careful not to distort the lines and do not tack in the
center as it will interfer with connecting lines.

Hint: Starting and Stopping Threads: you can run

the thread end under a previously worked line. If you
don’t have a place to put the thread, as in the area has not
been worked then you need to stitch over the thread end
as you work
the line. You
can also do
Original was this to cover
probably 1 to 1.5” an end of
square & the flat thread. Be
inset was probably sure to use 5
linen rather than the or 6 stitches
filling stitch we will to secure the
do for the project. thread end.
Plan where
you will start
Outline and stop your
for Learning threads. It is
Project better to start
2x2” a new thread
Page 10 All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004
in a planned section than to run out of thread at an awk- ing in the center square area.
ward moment. 14. Cast a thread fromI-J and J-I. Repeat so that you have
4 threads going back and forth. Overcast from I-J.
8. Starting at A begin making button hole stitches along the 15. Cast a thread from K-L and from L-K. Repeat so that
A-B line covering the threads that you did not remove. Be you have 4 threads going back and forth. Overcast from K-
sure the bottom part of the stitch is toward the center of the L.
piece. 16. Beginning at I, do Detached Buttonhole from I-L and
9. When you reach the threads grouped at the 1” mark - #1, L-I. Use the crossed threads to hold your return. Repeat
cast a thread across to the frame. Then begin working your lines until sufficient area is filled. Then continue on to next
way back across section. Be sure to align your rows and have the same
to the A-B line number of rows in each section. Note that you will need to
doing a figure reduce the number of stitches in your rows as you proceed
“8” overcast- closer to the center.
each part of the 17. Beginning at “a”, throw a thread to “b” and back to
figure over 2 “a”. Then begin doing a buttonhole over cast along the a-b
theads. . When route. When you get to the cross threads, move to “c”.
you reach the half 18. Cast a single thread around at “c” to make a circle.
way point do a Wrap the casting thread once around the cross threads to
picot on each hold the cast in place. When you return to “c” after making
side. a full circle, begin doing a button hole stitch over the cast
as you work your way around the circle.. Do a picot in the
Hint: The center of each section. When you complete the circle
general rule of return to finish your a-b line.
thumb is to work 19. Beginning at “d”, throw a thread to “e” and back to
the side trips as “d”. Do a buttonhole over cast along the d-e route. Repeat
you go. Sometimes as here, you cannot work the side trip for f-g and h-i.
on the A-B progress and there is nothing to use to hold the
thread in place until you are on the C-D run. Hint: Steps 17-19 can be done as part of Step 16, if it
works in the flow of stitching.
10. Starting at C begin making buttonhole stitches along
the C-D line as above. When you reach 5, cast a single CHALLENGE: Now that you have worked through the
thread to 6 - this is known as a”bride”. Go under 2 threads steps and have feel for the method, try scaling the same
at 6 and move to 7. Go under 2 threads at 7 and go to 8. piece to the original size. The class materials will probably
Go under 2 threads at 8 and go back to 5. Go under 2 work for 1.5” square, but you may need to go to finer linen
threads at 5. Continue your button hole over cast along the and thread for 1” square.
C-D line.
Finishing Your Piece:
Hint: Much of Reticella is about tension. Making sure
you have adequate tension in the threads as they cross the If you want to work a larger area you can make more
area. This is a balance of being aware that too loose makes squares and either abut your frame from the first piece or
the final piece limp and too tight, pulls the bit out of reuse the apropriate sections. Perhaps you can repeat the
alignment. pattern in another area of the linen. Another possibility is
to do a series of smaller patterns in a corner or around the
11. When you square you have done.
get to #2 do the
casting, “8” and Since all such pieces had finished edges, consider either
picots, as with hemstitching the piece or doing a needlelace edging. Many
step 9. pieces had an edging in colored or metal thread needlelace.
12. Do E-F and
G-H - doing the Some appropriate needlelace edgings might be:
side trips as - buttonhole bars
outlined in Steps - button hole bars with picots
9 and 10. - stacked buttonhole bars
13. Cut and - woven points
remove any - picots cast onto the rolled hem
threads remain-
Whatever you do enjoy!

All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004 Page 11

 Ricci Vol. I No. 181 Reticello
insertion. Chieti Exhibition, 1905.
RLB - note that some of the areas of
detached buttonhole are open and
have a lacey look achieved by
“skipping” stitches.

Ricci Vol. 1
Squares, insertions and points.
No. 208 - Levier, Florence
No. 209, 210 - Ameri, Florence

Page 12 All Rights Reserved by Robin L. Berry 2004