> Back to the home page

The operating chain of manufactures - The finishing work

The assembly
Within the workshop, the assembling of the lace on the material is done by machine, as soon as the lace as been ajusted and pinned.
From the end of the XIXth century onwards the manufactures use sewing machines to do this work.
The assembly bench of the "Experton Frère & Soeur" firm boasts of more than twelve machines by 1920.
Only items of very fine cloth, like handkerchieves are sewn by hand ; in which case the work is done at home by specialized workers.

The cutting-out
Equiped with a pair of small size scisors, the "cutter-out" situated near the assembly bench, sometimes behind the sewing machine, gets hld of the piece of linen which has just been sewn and meticulously cuts the material which overlap under the assembled lace.
 

 
The ironing
Before being ironed, the material must be dampened to give a good appearance to the cloth, to stiffen the lace and show-off the slight sheen of the linen thread.
it is sometimes starched.
After been ironed it is then folded and stored in the dispatch boxes.