I found some old Devon Life magazines in the attic and one from January 1968 contained this article which I thought this group may find interesting. I have copied the full text from the article below for easy reading.

Devon is a county known traditionally for its farming, its old "sea dogs", its bleak moors and its battered coast-line, so what, many visitors ask themselves, is a craft so fine and intricate as lace making doing in a county like this.

In fact the generally accepted theory concerning its introduction to Devon is that the craft was taught by Flemish refugees who had escaped from religious persecution on the Continent. There is evidence that the Flemish started various centres, with the early schools in the Buckinghamshire and Honiton areas. But lace making had been in existence for many hundreds of years. Examples have been found in the ancient tombs of Egypt, and more recent examples, for those who might be interested in seeing some of this wonderful lace, can be found in many of our museums, and Buckland Abbey, near Plymouth, is fortunate in possessing a quantity of attractively displayed samples. Lace is even depicted in stone on monuments in Exeter Cathedral and Colyton Church.

Until the late sixteenth century English Lace was made with a needle, but in the early seventeenth century we read of "Bone Lace" which we know as pillow lace. According to tradition, the earl Devonshire lace makers, living within easy reach of the sea, made use of fish bones rather than the expensive pins, thus pillow lace became "bone" lace.

Boys and girls went to lace schools in Honiton and nearby villages at the age of five or six, gradually increasing their hours of work until they reached a total of twelve or more hours a day. The teachers kept the lace made by the children as payment for their lessons, weakness and debility of the early lace workers, particularly the children, was mainly due to the over- crowded, unwholesome rooms in which they spent their apprenticeship. Despite wide-spread belief to the contrary, lace making is not detrimental to the eyesight except perhaps where the very finest work is undertaken.

But slowly, over a long period of time, the changing fashions-reduced the demand for lace and the industry began to decline. In 1815 a shattering blow was struck when John Heathcote of Tiverton set up a machine for making the net on which the lace was mounted, thereby completely destroying the demand for handmade bobin net. Within the lace industry there was great depression and many were in distress, but there was no real or sustained revival of interest until the time of Queen Victoria's marriage in 1840 and the order for her wedding-dress to be made of Honiton Lace. This, naturally enough, made it highly fashionable, and the demand for lace overwhelmed the makers to such an extent that even travesties of the delicate sprigs and borderings of the Old School could command a ready sale. Efforts were made to raise the standard of design but, artistically pillow lace did not regain its high standard until the early twentieth century, when the Devon C.C. made efforts to improve the standard of work by instructing the villagers free of charge. second wedding dresses for older brides

Amongst the several varieties of Devon Pillow Lace, the following are perhaps best known:

Applique—in which the sprigs and motifs are mounted on machine-made net.

Point—where the lace is taken off the pillow and joined by various stitches with the needle.

Guipure—the sprigs are joined on the pillow by picot brides and purlings.

Honiton Guipure has an original character almost unique and the large pieces are rich and very lovely; it provides great scope for natural and original designs. It may interest the would-be student to know that the materials required for Honiton Pillow Lace are neither numerous nor very expensive. A pouffe shaped pillow stuffed with straw, 3 dozen wooden bobbins, lace thread, a few pins and some pricked patterns are all that is necessary for this delicate art.

Devon bobbins are made of wood, the early ones were frequently made of spindlewood and decorated with quaint markings, and were often given as love tokens, many bear dates and inscriptions. Births, marriages and deaths are to be found recorded on these early examples, and although they are becoming increasingly rare they are well worth searching for.

Since the Second World War there has been a revival of interest and a practical participation in the craft of lace making. This has been greatly due to the policy of the County and County Borough Councils who do everything possible to preserve and foster the growth of local crafts. The Educational Authorities provide expert instructors to teach lace making in day and evening centres throughout Devon and it is now possible to find Honiton lace being made far away from its original Devon birthplace.

The Devon County Education Authority, under the guidance of their Technical Adviser, provide visiting teachers for the School where the interest in lace making is sufficient to warrant it. Participation is voluntary and the sanction of parents is sought before a child takes up the craft.

The Honiton Lace Industry is fortunate in enjoying the patronage of many members of the Royal Family. H.M. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother spent an appreciable time examining specimens of lace which were displayed on the Exeter Education Committee stand at the Bath and West Show of 1954. Her Majesty was delighted with the efforts to preserve interest in the skill of this ancient craft. Much of the lace displayed on the stand was the work of housewives attending the City of Exeter Evening Centres. (There was also an outstanding display of Honiton Lace on the Devon County Education Authority's stand at this show)

Every little piece of lace, from the first leaf the student makes, is usable and although the use of lace on clothes has declined, except at weddings and christenings, there are still many enchanting ways of using hand-made lace. Beside the delicate handkerchief borderings and motifs, it can be prettily used under glass and can look most attractive on dressing tables.

So you want to learn how to make Honiton lace! Outlined below are brief details of how the student of lace-making can hope to progress.

If the student wishes to make her own lace Pillow, at the first lesson she is given an unbleached calico case of a specified size, stuffed with straw and will learn the first stitch with coloured coarse threads in order to see the position of the threads and the weave. She will also learn the use of the pins for providing the edge.

In subsequent lessons she will learn the two other basic stitches by making three sets of three leaves with the right tensions to ensure even lace, the method of adding threads and, as the leaf gets wider, taking stitches away so that the leaf will become narrower towards the stem.

It will take her at least one lesson to learn the art of finishing one leaf and starting the next, using knots peculiar to lace making. Then she can proceed on a sample pattern employing the stitches she has already learnt, and in this lesson she has to master the rather difficult stitch called "leadworks," which will be used as her skill advances in the making of all the lovely fillings which can be seen in the more complicated pieces. In this pattern she may learn the purl edge, which is a form of picot, and used on all edges. When this has been accomplished, she can then start on more skilful patterns under the watchful eye of the Instructress who will ensure that good tension of the lace is maintained and that the thread is not handled, and therefore dirtied too much.

At the end of twenty lessons the student should be able to make a few simple sprays and edges, but to reach a higher degree of skill she will need to continue lessons for an even longer period.

Raised lace requires a great deal of practical work before it can reach a high standard, but the student invariably becomes so interested that she seldom fails to continue with her lessons, as will be appreciated when some of the more advanced pieces of lace are seen.

Further information on lace making classes in Devon can be obtained from: The Chief Education Officer, County Hall, Exeter.