We draw on the most beautiful lace designs in the world and their history to create Heirloom Lace Collection's exquisitely crafted baby and lady shawl
Estonian Lace Technique
We primarily use the Estonian lace technique for our shawls, which has a long and interesting history. The tradition of creating shawls in the town of Haapsalu on the west coast of Estonia began about 200 years ago and continues to this day. When Russia ruled Estonia from the early 18th century until 1918, Haapsalu become a flourishing resort. To take advantage of the tourist trade, the women began a cottage industry of knitting lace shawls that has continued to today.
The Estonian technique of creating lace is both unique and considered to be amongst the most durable and long lasting. Every stitch is calculated to match the centre of the shawl or scarves and the scalloped edges retain their shape even after wash. The item is placed on a traditional dressing frame to air dry. The Estonian lace making technique is steeped in history and still exists today due to its quality, beauty and durability.
Estonian Lace Technique
We primarily use the Estonian lace technique for our shawls, which has a long and interesting history. The tradition of creating shawls in the town of Haapsalu on the west coast of Estonia began about 200 years ago and continues to this day. When Russia ruled Estonia from the early 18th century until 1918, Haapsalu become a flourishing resort. To take advantage of the tourist trade, the women began a cottage industry of knitting lace shawls that has continued to today.
The Estonian technique of creating lace is both unique and considered to be amongst the most durable and long lasting. Every stitch is calculated to match the centre of the shawl or scarves and the scalloped edges retain their shape even after wash. The item is placed on a traditional dressing frame to air dry. The Estonian lace making technique is steeped in history and still exists today due to its quality, beauty and durability.
Unst Gossamer Web
The marvelous gossamer shawls of Unst are another inspiration of ours. They are knitted from wool hand spun almost to the fineness of human hair, meaning a shawl six feet square, knitted from a mile and a half of wool, may weigh only two and a half ounces. However large a shawl, it can be drawn through a wedding ring, and many times these delicately beautiful shawls have been worn as wedding veils. Only the wool from behind the sheep’s ears and round its neck, being the silkiest and finest part of the fleece, is used for this gossamer spinning.
The women who spin it do no housework, but keep their hands soft, lest they catch on the fine threads. Although so light and fragile that they look as if they would break at the touch, these shawls are surprisingly warm, as indeed, is all wool lace. It is a scientific fact that open textured, airy fabrics hold more warmth than closely knitted ones.
White - Garments of Light
People often ask us, why choose white for your baby? According to popular Christian theology, the baptismal robe symbolizes the "Garments of Light" with which Adam and Eve were clothed in the Garden of Eden before the Fall of Man. Baptism is believed to cleanse the believer both of original sin and personal sins, and the white garment is symbolic of this. The newly baptised with traditionally wear their white baptismal garment for eight days, which are special days of prayer and fasting. The family heirloom white gown and shawl is still used by many families, signalling the purity of a child. Traditionally, this gown and/or shawls is white or slightly off white and made with much lace, trim and intricate detail.
The timelessness of white lace means that these clothes are often kept as a memento long after the ceremony, and passed down through many generations. The British royal family, as Christians have adopted the white christening shawl for centuries. This tradition began long ago when only the wealthy and privileged could afford to wear garments as luxurious as those made with white or off-white lace.
