We associate the handmade Bruges lace with Belgium. The Belgian nuns passed down the tradition decades ago to India by training the rural girls of Kanyakumari in lace-making. The legacy is carried forward diligently to this day.
The delicate thread is woven into lace runners, table centres, motifs, borders and even pictures of astounding beauty. Petit-point and Limerick embroidery, smocking, cutwork and stitches such as satin and chain have now become part of India's eclectic craft tradition.
At the Embroidery Exhibition and Sale, now on at the Little Flower Convent, the Indo-European embroidery heritage comes alive in an exquisite range of table cloths, tea cloths, napkins, bedcovers bedspreads, children's clothes, bed and table linen as well as saris.
The lace jewellery spun with metallic thread makes perfect accessories.
Some of the embroidery and smocking have been done locally by the trainees of the School for the Blind and the Deaf. Swabs, napkins and kitchen cloths made by them are also on display.
The exhibition is on at the Little Flower Convent, 4, G. N. Chetty Road, (Near Anna Flyover) till March 6.
