Macramé Lace…..a little history Part 1
We all know that lace has a long, very long history and that it channels like a river into different fields and spreads into new designs and concepts.
The first time Romanian Point Lace made it’s first steps into the western part of Europe was due to a very popular Craft Magazine named Anna. It is still today a pioneer in the field of crochet, lace making, seasonal crafts and knit. A beautiful concept developed by Anna Burda Brand- introducing a new lace making craft to the western world.
This is the cover that made history, March 1981 in Romanian Point Lace and transformed the world of craft and lace making. It actually opened up to a new generation of crochet and lace makers.People got hooked!
Funny is, that it was called Macramé Style Crochet. I agree partially with this name because first of all the original name of RPL was actually Macrameu. Macrameu because RPL was developed and created in Romania, to be more specific in Transylvania.
So, now you know there is more coming out of Dracula Country….. that leaves an impact in our society
But you could not translate it Macramé 
because you would confuse it with the Macramé knotting.
Well they included the word Crochet into it because, the cord is created with a crochet hook. It is wrong actually because once you created the cord, you put the crochet hook away and do not use it any more. In January 1990, Anna Burda, started to print single lessons on RPL and since then the name got changed to Macramé Lace.
You will find many books out there saying that RPL was actually invented in Belgium, some say in Spain , or France. Now this is wrong- all these countries, have different type of lace that they are known for.
From generation to generation Romanians create only this type of lace-macrameu. The tools to create it have not been replaced, changed, etc…. The basic ideas are still like from the start. We use ancient materials like vinegar to preserve the pattern, we do the same organic floral and leaf designs…. It is known in Romanian that is spread via Christian Nuns who went to Egypt and other parts of the world and created macrameu. From there it took a long journey in North Africa and South Europe. Once in Europe is kinda spread not only fast but with a own mind! In Spain it developed into Bobbin Lace, In Germany into Battenburg Lace, and In France into Guipure Lace, etc….
One thing all these lace types have in common is the type of thread they use. Ecru , white or beige thread mostly #10 -cotton. 
Ecru is the traditional shade of beige used for the Romanian Point Lace Designs. White is common for special occasions like weddings.
Devoted RPL -makers, ( I am talking here about generations – at least 3-5 ) do not step away from the traditional tone, colour and thread type. It;s like an unwritten law. Use DMC ECRU. On top of that they like to stick to traditional designs – meaning floral and leaf combo, leaf or floral.
The RPL design has different geometrical shapes.Meaning the most designs are oval, round or square. You will never find abstract forms or shapes. In Romania the typical macrameu thread looks like this. The good quality thread comes form Sibiu. Now you can buy this type of thread from ebay or
etsy. But you can replace this brand with Lizbeth and Aunt Lydia’s
The cord in the image below is made with traditional Macrameu thread from Sibiu.
In the next part I will talk about the designs and the fillings….
If you have any questions about RPL, feel free to contact me
XO,
Lorena
