Bobbin Lacemaking is a handicraft skill used in Slovenia that involves weaving lace by crossing and twisting thread – wound on a special wooden stick known as a bobbin. Local patterns and names are used by the bobbin lacemakers to create lace in bands or finished shapes.
When the bobbin lacemakers sew lace in bands or finished shapes a specific pattern is followed: a drawing is attached to the fabric, and the lace is then sewn on. The lace serves as an inspiration for visual arts as well as architectural and culinary design and is used to embellish clothing and fashion accessories, church and home textiles, and decorative spaces.
In northwest Slovenia, Idrija, Cerkno, and Kofja Loka are the most famous lacing regions. The yearly Lace Festival is also celebrated there. A century ago, the same know-how in making bobbin lace was introduced to the nearby village of Ziri, where there is a school that has been making bobbin lace for more than 100 years. In all, Idrija is considered the cradle of Slovenian bobbin lace making.
While the Idrija Lace festival preserves the rich history of its handmade bobbin lace, it also encourages innovation in design and use. During the Festival in June, Idrija becomes one of the liveliest lace centers in the world, where the knowledge and experience of this refined craft are exchanged, knowledge and friendships are forged through experience that is passed onto new generations, and thousands of invisible threads are formed connecting people across the globe.
Bobbin lacemaking has notable therapeutic functions and is an environmentally friendly and sustainable activity whose creative expression is contributed by all parties involved. There are about 120 bobbin lacemaking societies, sections, and groups in Slovenia today, with both trained and untrained bobbin lacemakers.
The bearers of knowledge and skills related to bobbin lace making are mostly women, with knowledge and skills passing down from grandmother to granddaughter. The socializing of female bobbin lacemakers in neighborhood communities is important for transmitting knowledge and skills.
Currently, making lace has become a favorite pastime for retired women, children, and youth, often with men helping to make the lace-making tools. As Bobbin lace-making used to be an important economic activity, which is it has survived. Making lace has become popular. Even it has been an inspiration for countless fashion designers, industrial designers, contemporary visual artists, architects, and chefs.