Historical information

Said to be made approx. 1875 by nuns.
Aemilia Ars needlepoint lace (It. Punto in Aria di Bologna) is linked to the establishment in 1898 of the Aemilia Ars Society, in Bologna, Italy. The Foundation propagated the revival of the old crafts of the Emilia region, including that of embroidery and lace.
Aemilia Ars lace is fairly strong and hard wearing. It is worked using a pattern that is placed over a card backing made of card. Holes are pricked into the pattern and card, and into these holes stitches are worked that support a laced framework. The framework is then used for the actual needlepoint lace, using a variety of stitches, mainly buttonhole and knot stitches, as well as picots. When this done the support stitches are removed, and so is the card backing.
The designs were often taken from sixteenth and seventeenth century Italian examples, in line with the basic concepts of the Aemilia Ars society.

Physical description

Aemelia-Ars embroidery, made of lawn the decorative front oval has an inset of needlepoint lace surrounded by cutwork motifs. The pocket and front has an edging of detached buttonhole scallops.