"Idrija Lace, a History Written in Thread" contains contributions from 12 authors about the special art of making lace using a bobbin dating back to the mercury mining days of this western Slovenian town.

The book, translated by Suzana Stančič, also includes numerous photos and a DVD containing the exhibition catalogue of the permanent display at the Idrija City Museum, which has backed the book.

The English version of the book was launched in an effort to spread the word about the special bobbin lace-making skills native to the mining town of Idrija globally, Marija Terpin Mlinar of the museum told the press.

It is also part of an effort to establish a multilingual glossary of terms related to Idrija lace-making and will serve as an additional reference in the efforts to have the handicraft put on UNESCO's List of Intangible Heritage.

The inclusion of bobbin lace-making on the UNESCO list would follow the listing of the Idrija mercury mine on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2012 as part of a joint bid with Spanish mercury mine in Almaden.

Idrija lace-making is thought to date back to the days of the mine, as it is widely believed that the craft was brought to the town by wives of miners.

Meanwhile, Slovenia is in the midst of preparations for hosting the 17th world congress of the International Bobbin and Needle Lace Organization in Ljubljana in 2016.