Masquerade Butterfly

The formal definition of a masquerade quoted from Oxford Languages is “a false show or pretense”, the eleborate masks being a fanciful ruse to allow flirtatious behaviour on the thin excuse that the participants were not recognisable.  

Made using several Idrija, and some non Idrija techniques, this Masquerade Butterfly can also be made as a fancy dress mask by missing out just the last of the center swirls by making the turning point earlier in the trails. 

The first test making of a pattern I have drawn is usually in white. I experimented with slightly different techniques on each side, the pricking has been made using the best solution.

 I would love to see this made with colours, golds, sequins, beads,wired edges, even adding feathers!  Please post your finished Masquerade Butterflies on my Lesley's Lace Facebook page. 

Showing picot and non picot edges, a waisted half stitch and a non waisted half stitch along the tops of the wings. 

I chose to make the half stitch sections with two passives on each side, adding in two extra pairs into the cloth stitch trail as it widens, then making the center two in half stitch.  Add a twist to the worker before entering the half stitch pairs.  

The fancy corners are where I experimented with different ways of making them, I would recommend choosing one method throughout.  

The inside of the curves on the tighter swirls were made using the simple turning stitch of leaving the worker aside with a twist added and using the last passive worked as the new worker, swapping over in the same manner at each turn unless there is a bar to be made.  There is no pin used on a turning stitch. 

I added the extra pairs by tying two leftover bobbins together and pinning the knot away from the work, lay each thread on each side of a passive.  Leave the pin in at the knot, you don't want to risk pulling these pairs untill safely worked into the lace.   The added pairs can be knotted before cutting off afterwards if you wish. 

The pairs are worked as cloth stitch as the trail narrows, being taken out as alternate threads and can be knotted if you wish before being cut off. 

Pairs which are joined, can be added in whatever manner you choose, if you want this to be an Idrija style piece, follow the instructions of the Idrija Lace School.

The half stitch sections only need two extra pairs. you can add more if you want a more dense half stitch section. The edge stitch you choose will alter the stability of the lace but you could use wire around the edges.  Remember to take out the same amount of pairs as you added in.