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The operating chain of manufactures - The transformation

The "apponce" (the seam)
When the lace arrives back at the manufacture, one worker will then put together all different pieces belonging to the same design.
This streamstress is called the "apponceuse", she will also sew the lace to close the frames.
So the "apponce" is a seam which allows for the discreet sewing of two pieces of lace. It can be done by hand or by machine.

The "crochetage" (which is not done with a crochet hook) is a way of assembling in parallel several length together, mainly to make items of large size.

Both the "apponce" and the "corchetage" are done by the same experienced person, on a machine on which the guard has been removed, the piece of lace to be sewn being held by the fingers which slide it as near to the needle as possible.

See collection Regards sur une vie : "Marthe ALIBERT, dentellière et apponceuse"

The "pliage" (the folding)
Once sewn together the lengths of lace are carefully folded in a card : the "knack" being to strech the lace on the card with a regular overlap as well as showing the best of its pattern.
The folding will be done either by hand or with a "plioir".
Tha lace cards are then labelled and put away in pigeon-holes. They help the manufacture to collect the stock needed to deal as fast as possible with the demand.
 

 
The "preparage" (preparation)
Once the material has been cut to the desired shape, sometimes with the help of a template, the lace is then positioned and pinned to be sewn by machine. This phase is long and delicate ; the straight grain of the fabric has to be respected to be sure to have an impeccable item.
Even when ti concerns complex items, like table-cloths or badcovers which have several inserted pieces of lace, the lace id only pinned and not basted on the cloth.

 

The embroidery
When an item is to be embroidered, the embroidery is done before the lace is sewn onto the cloth.
The pattern of the embroidery is designed by the manufacturer on tracing paper, then it is transfered to the material with a needle.
The worker who deals with the preparation puts the tracing paper in a precise position on the cloth. A stamp loaded with blue pigment allows for the colour to go through the holes in the tracing paper marking the design onto the material which can then be embroidered following the perfect tracing. The embroidery can be by hand or by machine. It is piecework done at home.