Babka Bobbin Lace

One of the manifestations of the rich bobbin lace traditions in Slovakia are the various regional and local forms of this type of textile. Some municipalities along the Lower Váh River are known for the production of lace, called babka lace (babková čipka), full lace (plná čipka), machine (stroj), Krakovany lace (krakovianska čipka), or Piešťany lace (piešťanská čipka) by their inhabitants. The origins, production, and the use of the lace are tied to the municipalities of Trebatice, Krakovany, Stráže (part of Krakovany today), Ostrov, Bašovce, Pobedim, Horná Streda, Očkov, Častkovce, Podolie, and Korytné (part of Podolie today). Babka bobbin lace has its origin in tulle lace, which the women from the Lower Považie region learnt from the women from the Myjava Hills at the end of the 19th century. However, they began adjusting the white tulle lace to the clothing, adding multicoloured embroidery. In babka lace, which emerged in the first quarter of the 20th century, tulle was replaced by babky – square tallies – rectangle elements (patterns) of five threads. Most frequently, four of them are white or another colour. One thread, by which the other four threads are braided, can have a different colour, or a metal thread is used. The lace is unique, since elsewhere in Slovakia the patterns are usually made up of only four threads. In babka lace, emphasis is placed on the colour intensity of the ornament, which is most commonly dominated by diamond motifs composed of multi-colour babkas. Lace makers – women and today also men – must handle the skill of babka weaving. They should have a feeling for composing colours and imagination. Even though babka lace is woven on a perforated cardboard form, colourful motifs are created directly during weaving, without pre-drawing.
Women and girls used to make babka laces for their own needs until approximately the mid-20th century. Laces formed a decorative part of female clothing – in particular caps and sleeves – and male shirts. Today, lace weaving is a hobby, and the bearers of the babka lace tradition are the inhabitants of the municipalities of the Lower Považie region, as well as lace-makers from other parts of Slovakia. The most active are the civic associations Bábence and Za krakovskú bránu, which are active in the municipality of Krakovany. Their members collect and preserve laces and organise courses of babka lace weaving. They promote lace-making traditions and art at home, abroad, as well as during international bobbin lace festivals that they organise.