Lace From India

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 11

Lace From India

A GROWING INDUSTRY Gandhi’s emphasis on India’s need for village industries has thrown light upon a little known industry amongst women villagers in Travancore, who 120 years ago were to make hand laco by an English woman missionary. The present director of the industry has lately been in England interesting groups of women an Britain in many beautiful specimens of hand-made lace. The original teacher came from Buckinghamshire and taught patterns she had seen worked in cottages in her own country. The industry has grown remarkably. The 600 women at present doing handmado lace in Travancore live mainly in 56 villages round the town of Nagercoil and are supervised by the women's staff of the London Mission. The women work at home, often outside their cottage doors, sitting on low stools, with the lace bobbins spread over their laps. They are visited regularly so that the pattern can be examined and to give a chance to new women in the villago to Btart on learners’ pieces of lace.