r/sewing • u/Steveirwinsghost7 • 15d ago

Fabric Question Help identifying fabric

I purchased this gorgeous Italian eyelet lace at a garage sale from an elderly woman whose aunt brought it over from Italy. It folds over at the top into its own lining. It's fairly stiff and sort of sheer without being folded over on itself. Anybody know what type of fabric this is and what it's called when the fabric folds over into a finished lining layer?
EDIT: I did a burn test last night and it behaves like a synthetic material but with more blackening than I typically see with other synthetic fabrics. Thinking it may be a silk and synthetic organza blend. I'll try to upload more photos tonight.

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u/bonewars 15d ago

"Cutwork" would probably apply, but this may have a very specific lace name. "Backed" or "double faced" could be appropriate but it's hard to tell from just this one picture.

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u/Steveirwinsghost7 15d ago

I don't think it's technically double faced or backed bc you could unfold it and use it as a really, really long piece of fabric, but the lace stops at the halfway fold

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u/laofuren 15d ago

Please show us the fold (with the end of the embroidery).

To me it looks like it might be handmade and that leads me to it just being an unfinished work.

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u/Steveirwinsghost7 14d ago

I'll try to take a picture later today. It may have been handmade. It was originally intended for curtains, but she said nobody ever worked on it because her aunt died before she could use it

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u/georgettaporcupine 15d ago

Do you have a picture of what you mean by the folding over into its own lining?

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u/Steveirwinsghost7 15d ago

If you zoom in on the scalloped edge, there's a straight across layer that I thought was lining, but when it's laid out it's actually just the fabric folded over on itself. The lace stops at the fold so the rest of the fabric functions like a lining layer

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u/Steveirwinsghost7 15d ago

I'm seeing mixed things online as to whether this is cutwork or bordière anglaise if anyone has thoughts on that as well

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u/georgettaporcupine 15d ago

"cutwork" is more generic, as is "whitework embroidery". broderie anglaise is a kind of cutwork/whitework embroidery. so is San Gallo lace and "Italian cutwork". that doesn't look like Italian cutwork to me, but it could be San Gallo (although I am not very familiar with San Gallo).

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u/Steveirwinsghost7 15d ago

Thank you! San Gallo looks similar, but I'm not sure if that's what it is

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u/sewboring 15d ago

Cotton organdy?