A couple of years ago I embroidered an 1850s Carrickmacross lace day cap completely from scratch by hand! 😀

I used unbleached cotton bobbinet tulle, fine sheer (UK) muslin, cotton thread, cotton Valenciennes lace and blue silk ribbon. Bobbinet tulle has been made since 1808 in the UK. It took me quite a while to find real cotton bobbinet tulle – and it’s also a rather expensive fabric! 😉 The small muslin fabric scraps were left over from my Victorian sheer muslin dress. And the other things I had already in my stash.

To make Carrickmacross lace, bobbinet tulle is stretched over an embroidery hoop. Sheer UK muslin fabric is laid on top and the pattern is outlined with thick cotton thread. Then all is sewn together with small overhand stitches. After that, the muslin is cut away. Here’s a close-up of Carrickmacross lace. I embroidered small eyelets and a flower with leaves. By the way, Carrickmacross lace is best made with a continuous outline. Then I finished the edge with vintage Valenciennes cotton lace, and trimmed the Victorian cap with Valenciennes lace and blue silk ribbon streamers.

Here’s a beautiful mid-Victorian Carrickmacross lace cap trimmed with silk ribbon and flowers. Isn’t it just adorable? 🙂 Here’s another Irish Carrickmacross cap, a Carrickmacross lace cap trimmed with lace and pink silk ribbons, a ca. 1860s Carrickmacross lace cap and an 1850s blonde lace cap trimmed with pink and green silk ribbons. On this 1848 fashion plate you see a lady wearing a day cap with lace lappets and silk ribbons. And here’s an 1850 fashion plate with lace day caps with lace lappets trimmed with silk ribbons.

Here I wear my Victorian Carrickmacross cap: with my Victorian black wool dress, with my 1850s sheer muslin dress, with my hand-sewn Victorian day dress and while dressing. 😉 I also made an 1850s Limerick lace day cap.