The earliest needle lace that developed in the 15thC from drawn thread work. In earlier lace interpretations lace patterning was made by taking threads out, and manipulating, stitching this open grid of threads, into new designs.Geometric lace patterns were created by connecting these threads with buttonhole, overcast or Genoa stitches.
Reticella flourished until the early 17thC, and as it developed more and more threads were drawn out, until so few were left that the lace became very flimsy and a new support system had to be designed–this led to Punto in Aria
Pattern books of these designs have been re-printed and copied, especially as Princes Elizabeth Stuart was painted with a reticella collar in 1613.