The town of Kiskunhalas in south-central Hungary is home to the more than 100-year-old world-renowne
The town of Kiskunhalas in south-central Hungary is home to the more than 100-year-old world-renowned tradition of Halas lace-making. The making of Halas lace is a painstakingly tedious, time-consuming process that is done exclusively by hand with exceptionally fine white thread, practically invisibly thin needles and meticulous dexterity and attention to detail. Only select initiated lace-makers were privy to the coveted technique, whose numbers varied over the years between 80-100 women and has since dwindled to a mere 11. The official trademark of this particular lace – found even on the smallest 2-3 cm lace articles - is the symbol of 3 fish superimposed upon each other.Even today the original century-old distinctive patterns and motifs can still be seen on Halas lace and the original unique stitching techniques are unchanged. Halas lace remains a symbol of not only the inhabitants of Kiskunhalas, but a unique example of Hungarian handicrafts.The Halas lace work is not only a work of art, but also Hungary’s ambassador in the world. Numerous international excellencies and aristocrats received Halas lacework as a gift from the Hungarian State. A few of these unique artistic pieces are owned by the Japanese Empress, Elisabeth II, the British Queen and the wife of US President Bush. John Paul II also received Halas lace work as a gift during his visit to Hungary in 1996. -- source link