Maltese (bobbin) lace is also a form of guipure lace. Guipure lace is marked by the sprigs or motifs being connected with bars or bridges (or 'brides'), and not with a mesh or net. It is also known as Venetian lace. The sprigs, placed closely together, were often outlined with a thick thread (gimp), which gave it an almost three-dimensional, raised appearance.

Other traditional forms of guipure lace are Cluny lace and Yak lace. The development of Maltese lace in the 19th century was strongly influenced by Genoese lace, which also is a guipure lace. Bedfordshire lace, which was developed in Britain in the later 19th century under the influence of Maltese lace, is consequently a form of guipure lace. 

In fact the term guipure lace covers an enormous wide field of laces, and, according to Pat Earnshaw (1984:76), thereby lost its usefulness. She mentions 'new guipure laces' and lists, within this category: Brussels duchesse, Bruges, Honiton, Beds Maltese (Bedfordshire lace), Irish crochet, Youghal, Carrickmacross and (French) Le Puy.