Instructions for Creating a Reticella Foundation

Instructions for Creating a Reticella Foundation
		In period, lacemakers most likely drew their patterns on parchment and then embroidered the lace by couching the fabric and/or the threads to the parchment and then embroidered over the threads (but not over or through the parchment). Today, if we are using a period pattern, we can copy it (enlarging or reducing as needed), back it with 2 pieces of printer paper and cover the front of the pattern with scotch tape so the ink doesn't rub off onto the lace. I cover the pattern with vertical and horizontal overlapping strips of scotch tape. I usually use handkerchief linen if I am doing reticella and 80/2, 90/2 or 120/2 linen thread for my embroidery. I use a pair of scissors with a fine point and a millinery needle for the embroidery.

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	Decide the size of the square you want to embroider. This can depend on the complexity of the pattern you wish to fill it with. For reticella you will start with a piece of fabric. You can either count the threads that match the measurement, mark the corners of the square with a fabric marker, or, if you are couching the threads to a pattern, the edges of the pattern will determine the size of the square. If you are couching the fabric to a pattern, sew the fabric to the outline using a double running stitch. (Figure 2).
	Carefully snip the horizontal and vertical threads at the corner of the square. If the square is couched to the pattern, these threads should be drawn to the inside of the double running stitch. (Figure 3)
	Carefully draw the threads you snipped at the corner of the square out of the fabric until you reach the other ends of the square, then snip the threads. (Figure 4). Next snip and draw out the horizontal and vertical threads for the other two sides of the square. (Figure 4) This will outline the edges of the open work square you want to create. If you have a finer weave fabric, you may need to snip and draw a few more threads next to the beginning and end threads to be able to see the outline.
	diagram of couching thread to fabric.
	You also want to draw out most of the threads in the square. The only ones you want to leave are about 3 threads in the center both horizontally and vertically. (As in diagram below). Next embroider the edges of the square using buttonhole stitch. First do a few double running stitches through the fabric of the square (if doing reticella) or leave an inch or so of thread if doing punto in aria - you will embroider over this thread when you finish the edges of the square.
	Figure 8 - buttonhole stitch
	Here is a diagram of embroidering over the corner of a square in buttonhole stitch.
	Here is an example of drawing threads out and couching the fabric to the paper that I did out of fabric to show my students when I teach reticella classes.
	When you have embroidered all around the square, overlap the stitches by stitching a few threads over the beginning of the buttonhole stitch edging. Figure 10 - square with edges embroidered in buttonhole stitch
	If you want to start a new thread or use an existing thread to embroider at a different part of the square, feed the needle through the existing stitches to get to the part of the square that you wish to embroider. (Figure 11)
	If your stitches are too tight to feed the needle through (this usually happens to me when embroidering the designs within the square, you can wrap the thread around the buttonhole stitches (Figure 12).
	Reinforce the vertical and horizontal threads at the center of the square by stringing 2 linen threads in the center of each group of threads. This will reinforce the threads from the fabric. (Figure13 - buttonhole stitch before stringing linen thread to reinforce center threads)
	Figure 14 - stitching thread to center using buttonhole stitch
	Figure 15 - stitching thread to other side of square using buttonhole stitch
	Figure 16 shows the 2 reinforcement threads sewn over the vertical and horizontal threads.
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	Here is an example of the center threads of the square couched down with 2 reinforcement threads added to the center threads.
	Next embroider over the horizontal and vertical threads using a needle weaving stitch. I also like to stitch the thread to the edge of the square using a buttonhole stitch before needle weaving. (Figures 17 and 18 - for clarity, I just show needle weaving over 2 threads).
	figure 18 - needle weaving
	I also like to buttonhole stitch to the other edge of the square after embroidering the bar with needle weaving stitch. This connects the needle weaving to both sides of the square so that it won't gap at the sides of the square, exposing the threads. (Figure 19).
	Then feed the thread through 5 - 15 buttonhole stitches at the edge of the square to finish the thread or if the thread is long enough, feed it through the buttonhole stitches at the edge of the square till you get to the next set of threads to needle weave over. Figure 20 shows the horizontal and vertical threads finished with needle weaving.
	Here is a picture of needleweaving using 50/2 linen threads
	Here is a detail from border cutwork and needle lace Italian, early 17th century. - Clare Browne, Lace, from the Victoria and Albert Museum, (V&A Publications, 2004) Photography by Christine Smith, plate 8) that shows needleweaving (the vertical bar). The leaf is embroidered in buttonhole stitch and the stem attaching the leaf is embroidered by wrapping an outer thread around the thread connecting the leaf in a spiral.
	If I am planning on embroidering a row of reticella squares (as in making a ruff or handkerchief border), I like to use two long linen threads that stretch over the length of all the reticella squares as horizontal reinforcement threads. (Figure 21).
	If I don't have a thread that is long enough or if a horizontal reinforcement thread breaks, I needle weave through some of the squares and then feed a new thread through some of the existing needle weaving, needle weaving over the existing needle weaving using the new thread. This attaches the thread so that it is more strongly connected to the previous squares. (Figure 22 shows the new thread in gray). If you need to start a thread to embroider a pattern in the square, you can feed the needle through the needle weaving stitches or if that doesn't work, needle weave 5-10 stitches over the needle woven bars until you get where you can start your pattern.
	Most reticella patterns have 4 foundation threads - 1 vertical, 1 horizontal and 2 diagonal. To create the diagonal threads string 2 threads from one corner of the square to the next corner. I like to buttonhole stitch them at each corner and to the center so they don't slide. This creates a diagonal thread intersecting the center of the square. Couch those threads to the pattern. Do the same for the opposite corners of the square. (Figure 23 shows both sets of diagonal threads attached to the square). Embroider those threads using a needle weaving stitch, adding a buttonhole stitch at the beginning and end of the needle weaving.
	You have now created the foundation for a reticella square. (Figure 24) It is now ready for embroidering patterns.
	Here is a picture of couched diagonal foundation threads
	and a picture of one of the sets of threads needlewoven.