Elena Kanagy-Loux, Lacemaker & Historian (classic)

Elena Kanagy-Loux, Lacemaker & Historian (classic)

From The Long Thread Podcast by Long Thread Media

January 10, 2026 · 52 min · Season 13

About this episode

Elena Kanagy-Loux discusses the history, culture, and techniques of lace making.

When you picture lace, what comes to mind: an old-fashioned once-white piece of Victorian embellishment? The elegant, possibly itchy decoration on a wedding gown? If you are a needleworker, you might picture an array of bobbins leashed to a cluster of pins and arrayed on a pillow, or a tatting shuttle, or a steel crochet hook. All of these images would be correct—but capture the tiniest slice of the world’s laces. As a PhD student, Elena Kanagy-Loux considers lace through the lenses of history, culture, and gender. How have textile artisans around the world developed lace strutures? Who was making lace—and who was wearing it? (For what matter, what is lace, anyway?) Beyond our assumptions about lace are delightful surprises: Wearing lace previously denoted power and wealth rather than femininity. Traditional lace may include a riot of color. Although they look delicate, lace fabrics can be surprisingly durable. Outside her academic pursuits, Elena takes a more hands-on view of lace. Having studied a variety of methods, she fell in love with bobbin lace, which seemed to click in her mind when she sat down at a lacemaking pillow. Like most of our readers, Elena generally creates…

People in this episode

Guest: Elena Kanagy-Loux

Topics covered

  • lace
  • textile history
  • gender studies
  • cultural significance
  • needlework techniques

Keywords

  • lace
  • bobbin lace
  • textile artisans
  • cultural history
  • gender
  • needlework
  • durability

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Columbia Law School, Threads of Power

Places: Bard Graduate Center

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