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The lacy open center of this lace was formed around a broom handle.
Cultural Objects, Textiles

Broomstick Lace

People
Maker/Creator: Effie King Brown
Date
Unknown
Places
Check (Locust Grove District)
Material/Medium

Cotton

Specifications
  • Length: 176 inches
  • Width: 3 inches
Description

Broomstick lace making incorporates crocheting with elements of knitting. This technique is based upon chain stitches. After an initial row (counted in multiples of three or six) is stitched, the maker picks up a loop from each chain and transfers it to a broomstick.  Next stitches are grouped in  bunches and worked off the broomstick. If a dowel smaller than a broom handle is used, the final product would be a tighter, less airy lace.

Keywords
Crocheting, broomstick lace, lace making
Bio Sketch

Effie King Brown (1910-2012) mastered so many different forms of needlework that Old Church Gallery could present her contributions as a collection in itself. The daughter of Thomas Merritt and Mattie Yates King, Mrs. Effie learned to quilt, crochet, knit, and sew from her mother and older sisters.

 

Notes

When families bought animal feed in printed cotton feedsacks, they often saved the cotton string that was sewn along the top of the sacks. Broomstick lace made good use of this string.