Cyprus-Forum.com

[T_C]

An abbreviation maybe?

[T_C]

It’ not a word, just letters of the alphabet…

M H G K D

They're consonants in the Greek alphabet: M X Γ K Δ

(I tried googling with them but it just comes up with algebraic geometry. Sure to be initials for something.)

The first two pairs are probably the initials of the couple to be wed and the last little triangle (obviously smaller than the rest) may be a simplified version of the symbol of the holy trinity.

images.duckduckgo.jpg

That makes sense. I was hoping it would indicate it's origin.

Thanks you guys!

[Pyrpolizer]

Sorry guys, I know this is the most boring thread in the world but I was wondering if anyone could decipher or make out the meaning of the text on this textile?!

Lace (69) 010.JPG

I think it was an exercise to draw as many letters as possible without touching the holes.
It has something to do with the holes for sure.

[T_C]

Sorry guys, I know this is the most boring thread in the world but I was wondering if anyone could decipher or make out the meaning of the text on this textile?!

Lace (69) 010.JPG

I think it was an exercise to draw as many letters as possible without touching the holes.
It has something to do with the holes for sure.

Then it's likely the holes were there by accident (they are quite irregular in shape) and the lacemaker had to embroider the letters/initials around them.

[Sotos]

I don't think those letters were added by the same person who made the original. It seems like they were added later by somebody with lesser skill... probably initials that indicate to whom it belonged.

[T_C]

Not necessarily Sotos. The lace is made by creating grids with thread and then covering them with stitches. Obviously it's not easy but it is calculated and there's method and a solid foundation behind it's construction...whereas embroidering letters is "freestyle" and more likely to show imperfection.

It's quite common in Lefkara lace. You'll have areas of the design that require counting look great, but then the embroidery around it has to be adapted to fit, so unless the embroiderer is a genius who's able to guesstimate how many stitches to miss in each segment to even out any discrepancies, it can appear irregular in places through no fault of the person making it.

[Sotos]

Maybe you are right. That is why such kind of jobs went extinct. You can now design such things on a computer any way you want and have a machine make them in a fraction of the time and with no errors.

[T_C]

Maybe you are right. That is why such kind of jobs went extinct. You can now design such things on a computer any way you want and have a machine make them in a fraction of the time and with no errors.

You're right of course but the machine assisted irish linen of today is like a cheap knock-off in comparison to some of the homespun linens I have from Cyprus.

The quality of old Cypriot fabrics is ridiculous! Despite being made on primitive narrow looms the fabrics feel plentiful like a real luxury product.

I suppose you could replicate that on a machine to some degree, but profits come first so things now tend to be made at their bare minimum. Even the cheaper mixed fibre 'metis linen' from yesteryear feels superior to most pure linen on the market today.