Merletti -- Fine Lace and Linens
Representing the high quality work of women artisans around the world
"Merletti" is Italian for lace.
 any of the finest early examples of handmade needle lace were created in Venice, Italy, beginning in the seventeenth century. Burano, an island of Venice, still produces some of these magnificent pieces today. Lace was initially made for ecclesiastical purposes, later spreading to fashion ornament and home decoration. As the demand for high quality lace grew, the crafting of lace spread throughout the world.
In addition to needle lace, other types of lace were often created primarily by women in convents and cottage industries. Some of these laces included bobbin lace, applique and embroidered lace, and cutwork, a technique of creating a decorative design in fabric by cutting holes and then embroidering the edges. All of these were made using the finest quality cotton and linen fabrics and threads, with a small piece often taking untold numbers of hours to create.
The lace industry was vibrant throughout the end of the nineteenth century, picking up again into the middle of the twentieth century. Today, many of the most time-consuming needle laces are only made in a few parts of the world. Bobbin lace is still made, along with many types of applique, knitted, woven, and crochet lace , as well as many fine examples of embroidery and cutwork.
The history of lace and the creation of fine home decor and fashion accents is a long and complicated one. Merletti hopes to bring back an awareness of these decorative arts by providing a wide variety of laces produced today, along with antique creations of the past. The majority of items are handmade. Where possible, Merletti will feature the work of women reviving cottage industries today as a means of continuing these artforms and as a way to provide for their families. The history is long, the techniques are many, but the artistic creation is the result. Merletti hopes to provide an appreciation of these arts and an enjoyment of their beauty for many years to come.
Sybil Argintar
 he owner of Merletti, Sybil Argintar, has spent many years studying and understanding the skill and the artistic creativity that goes into the production of these elegantly crafted textiles. She inherited her interest in handmade lace, embroidery and textiles from her maternal grandmother who grew up in Romania and learned these arts as a child.
When Sybil first visited Burano, Italy in the late 1980's, she was instantly attracted to the hand-created lace and linens she found there and in other parts of Europe. The idea of importing the work of these artisans back to the States so others could also appreciate their beauty began to be cemented in her mind.
Featuring Women Artisans From Around The Globe
 onsiderable time and research has been spent to ensure that the products sold by Merletti will feature top quality items made by women artisans both locally as well as overseas. Whenever possible, Merletti features the handmade work of women working through the fair trade market. This helps ensure these women are paid a fair wage. Women reviving these cottage industries help enable these art forms to continue and can help provide a livelihood for their families. For the same reason, locally and regionally crafted items are often bought directly.
Merletti's Current Product Line
erletti's current product line includes doilies; tablecloths, runners, and centerpieces; placemat and napkin sets; guest towels; and bread baskets. A selection of smaller gift items including lavender-filled sachets, handkerchiefs, bookmarks, Christmas ornaments, and jewelry, all of which are either hand-embroidered or made of lace are also part of the current inventory. Framed and unframed lace creations are also current items available for sale. Knitted lace shawls and scarves are another line, along with a wide variety of decorative pillows which feature hand embroidered designs. Complementary home decor items including hand-painted floral candles are also available. Please click on the link for more details, including photographs of featured items.
Work of women artisans from India, Thailand, Romania, Vietnam, Portugal, England, Ireland, Belgium, Italy, France, Czech Republic, Sweden, Dutch Antilles, Paraguay, Peru, Guatemala, and the United States is currently featured and new products are always being researched and added to the product line.
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