Bobbin lacemaking originated in the 16th century in continental Europe and has developed throughout the world, in various forms and in various centres, since then. In England it developed as a cottage industry, again in various distinctive regional forms in several areas, notably the south-east midlands - Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire - and in Devon. This cottage industry had
its heyday in the 19th century before being largely overtaken by machine-made lace from the Nottingham area. The 1960s the craft saw a revival in interest in lacemaking among hobby lacemakers which spread throughout the world, The craft continues to flourish today, with 'lace days' and 'lace fairs' held regularly in most parts of the United Kingdom and other places thoughout the world. It is traditionally carried out using a shuttle to form the distinctive forms often seen on doily and handkerchief edgings - but nowadays developed to produce, in addition, far more adventurous and advanced pieces. More recently, needle tatting has developed and remains a popular alternative to the shuttle.
