This is my 1850s Limerick lace day cap which I embroidered by hand. I used unbleached cotton bobbinet tulle and non-mercerized white cotton thread which was so difficult to find: Almost all embroidery thread are mercerized today. Mercerization was invented in 1844. But antique Victorian Limerick lace is usually embroidered with non-mercerized thread.

Inspired by antique Victorian Limerick lace, I drew a lace design. Floral lace designs were very popular for Victorian Limerick lace. I only embroidered motifs which I saw on antique mid-Victorian Limerick lace.

Then I embroidered the cotton bobbinet tulle with the non-mercerized cotton thread and finished the raw edge of the tulle with crochet stitches. This was a popular finish on Victorian Limerick lace.

Here are instructions on how to make needle-run lace.

Related: How To Make Limerick Lace

It was so much fun to make this dainty lace and – apart from the research – it didn’t take long at all.