[Public-List] McNamara's Lace

[Greg Bover]

My copy of John Rogers' Origin of Sea Terms says McNamara's Lace is Navy slang for fancy work, said to be named for an old Bosun, but possibly a corruption of macramé.
Macramé first appeared in print in the 19th century but the art is much older. Etymology possibly from Turkish makrame, towel, or from Arabic megrama, striped cloth.

Greg Bover
A-30 #114
PENSIVE FLYER
Gloucester, Mass.