We were at an antique mall at Hillsborough, Texas, when I saw the corner of a collar, peeking from a stack of doilies and other pretty pieces of needlework.
My heart beat faster. It looked like Irish Crochet lace! What a find! Had anyone else noticed this treasure? I glanced around furtively. Thank goodness, no one was else near enough to see. With trembling hands, I reached for the collar. I closed my eyes as I picked it up, afraid to look at the price tag.
Then the truth was revealed. It wasn’t Irish Crochet lace. It was machine made lace, sometimes called “chemical lace.” But wow, it was a really good copy of Irish Crochet lace, even down to the three-dimensional flowers, and the different mesh backgrounds.
I bought the collar, because it was very pretty and I can use it in workshops and I might write about it and another fabulous crochet fake that I know about. That one is in a museum.
Next time: a real Irish Crochet technique collar. How do I know? I made it!
