Reticella

 (also reticello or in French point coupé or point couppe) is a needle lace dating from the 15th century and remaining popular into the first quarter of the 17th century.

Reticella was originally a form of cutwork in which threads were pulled from linen fabric to make a "grid" on which the pattern was stitched, primarily using buttonhole stitch. Later reticella used a grid made of thread rather than a fabric ground. Both methods resulted in a characteristic geometric design of squares and circles with various arched or scalloped borders.

Books of patterns for reticella designed by Federico de Vinciolo (France, 1587) ------->

and Cesare Vecellio (Italy, probably from the 1590s but printed 1617) were popular and were frequently reprinted

 

Princess Elizabeth Stuart, later Queen of Bohemia, wearing a reticella collar

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