Amid colorful Valentine decorations, the beautiful tradition of lace making was presented to members of the Mocksville Woman’s Club at their February meeting.

Lace maker Dianna Watson brought antique lace pieces, lace patterns under construction and a variety of bobbins she uses, along with some historical facts about lace making.

She began making lace in 1997 in Belgium, and has studied lace in Denmark, England, Russia and Slovenia.

Her method of lace making uses bobbins. “The first documentation of bobbin lace making was in the 1550s,” she said, giving historical facts about lace making around the world. Each area has a unique style, she said. Italy is famous for needle lace. After the French Revolution, Napoleon banned the importing of lace from other countries. Only French-made lace was sold in the country.

With the invention of machines, handmade lace began to disappear.

The two methods are needle and bobbin. Needle lace uses a single thread, with the bobbin technique using “braiding.” Most of the bobbin lace was used to make household linens or decoration for clothing. Some of the threads used were silk, gold, and silver.

Belgium grows a great deal of flax which makes a fine quality thread for linen.

There are two kinds of bobbin lace: a knit thread and purl thread braiding. Needles are used to hold the pattern in place as the thread is moved across the frame. There have been many materials used for needles, including thorns, wood, ivory and stones.

Club President Jean Saunders honored Phyllis Potter as an “Ordinary Woman Making an Extraordinary Difference.” Potter was a long-time member of the club. Upon her death, her family created a scholarship in her name to be awarded to a high school student planning to major in education in college.

Again, members brought decorated Valentines to be delivered to residents of nursing and care facilities in Mocksville.

Coupons are collected each month for veterans and plastic bags collected and delivered to A Storehouse for Jesus.