Yak lace

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Yak lace refers to a coarse bobbin lace in the guipure manner, typically made from wool. [1] It was mainly made in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire in imitation of Maltese and Greek laces. [2] [3] While the name suggests the lace is made using yak hair, it can be made of any wool or worsted yarn. [1] [2]

Although woollen laces had been made since the 17th century, it was not until the mid 19th century that "yak lace" became popular. [2] Despite the difficulty of working with naturally elastic woollen yarn which meant that the lace instantly shrank to two thirds of its size once unpinned from the pillow, it was inexpensive, quick and easy to make and became popular and widely used. [2] Yak lace could be produced in various weights, ranging from lightweight trimmings for children's dresses and underwear, to heavier, upholstery-weight lace suitable for curtains. [2] Black yak lace was also widely used for mourning dress. [1] [2] The popularity of woollen lace was boosted by the nineteenth century hygienist Gustav Jäger's promotion of wool fabrics. [2]

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The manufacture of textiles is one of the oldest of human technologies. To make textiles, the first requirement is a source of fibre from which a yarn can be made, primarily by spinning. The yarn is processed by knitting or weaving, which turns yarn into cloth. The machine used for weaving is the loom. For decoration, the process of colouring yarn or the finished material is dyeing. For more information of the various steps, see textile manufacturing.

Textile manufacturing is one of the oldest human activities. The oldest known textiles date back to about 5000 B.C. In order to make textiles, the first requirement is a source of fibre from which a yarn can be made, primarily by spinning. The yarn is processed by knitting or weaving to create cloth. The machine used for weaving is the loom. Cloth is finished by what are described as wet process to become fabric. The fabric may be dyed, printed or decorated by embroidering with coloured yarns.

Monmouth cap

The Monmouth cap was an item of woollen headgear fashionable between the 15th and 18th centuries, and associated with the town of Monmouth in south east Wales. The knitted round caps were used by both soldiers and sailors, and they were widely exported.

Vegetable flannel is a type of flannel using fibres from the Scots pine, or Pinus sylvestris, rather than traditional woollen fibres. It is described as having a hemp-like appearance, but with a tighter, softer texture. In addition to this, the term can also describe coarse linen used for underclothing.

Yak fiber is the term commonly used to refer yak fiber wool produced from the coat hair of yaks, a long-haired bovine mainly found in the Himalayan region, Tibetan plateau, and some areas of Mongolia and Central Asia.

Woollen industry in Wales

The woollen industry in Wales was at times the country's most important industry, though it often struggled to compete with the better-funded woollen mills in the north of England, and almost disappeared during the 20th century. There is continued demand for quality Welsh woollen products.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Definition of yak lace at the Embroiderer's Guild website. Accessed 8 June 2012
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Makovicky, Dr. Nicolette, Beds Maltese and 'Yak' lace, The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford. Accessed 8 June 2012
  3. Jackson, Emily (1971). A history of hand-made lace. Tower Books.