Maltese lace (Maltese: bizzilla) is a style of bobbin lace worked as a continuous width on a tall, thin, upright lace pillow. You used to see women sitting outside their front doors painstakingly producing exquisite designs including the Maltese cross or leaves known as ‘oats’. Maltese lace was shown at The Great Exhibition of 1851 and it became popular in Britain. The style was copied by lacemakers in the English Midlands.

In Malta, to ensure the survival of the handicraft, lace making is taught in Government trade schools. In Ta Qali, on the way to Mdina, there is now a new Crafts Village to ensure traditional skills are nurtured for future generations.

This sample of lace is from a family-owned factory in Derbyshire, founded in 1845. Their ‘Leavers Lace’ is the closest thing to handmade lace.

Make your lace bookmark

1. Cut a strip of coloured card slightly narrower than the width of the lace. 2. Cut a full-width v-shape at one end of your lace and a corresponding point at the other. 3. Wrap the lace end to end over the card and shorten the piece of card as necessary so that the two ends of lace meet neatly at the back of your bookmark. 4. Glue lace onto the front of the card, allow to dry, then glue the back. 5. Use in drawers to gently scent your clothes, or by your bed for relaxation and sleep. 6. Note that the glue supplied has a cap between the nozzle and the tube.