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The Quarterly Newsletter of the
New England Lace Group Issue 87 www.nelg.us November 2014
Enjoying Lace Together Since 1982
Here are some of the Creative Arts entries that DID NOT win a special
award!
(Go to our website to see them all.)
Imagine how wonderful that lace is that did win!
See Page 3.
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 2
Elected Officers President Sharon Sacco 69 Aaron Way Carlisle, MA 01741 (978) 371-1984 [email protected]
Vice-President Jim Martin 117 Mansfield Road Ashford, CT 06278 (860) 377-6762 [email protected]
Treasurer/Membership Barbara Morrow 132 Old Mill Road Shelton, CT 06484 (203) 521-9874 [email protected]
Member at Large Marjorie Dashef 50 Wells Road C6 Lincoln, MA 01173 (781) 259-1318 [email protected]
Appointed Officers Clerk Bryce M. Wolf 52 Birchwood Lane Lincoln, MA 01773 (781) 259-8529 [email protected]
Librarian Susan Landry 27 Dewey Street Watertown, MA 02472 (617) 504 9510 [email protected]
Newsletter Editor Gail A. MacLean 5 Brookhill Lane Norwalk, CT 06851-1617 (203) 847-9437 [email protected]
In this Issue President’s Message ............................................................................ Page 2 Results of Creative Arts 2014 .............................................................. Page 3 Things to Do and Places to Go ........................................................... Page 5 Meet Our Members: Kate Moore........................................................ Page 6 Our Demonstrative Members ............................................................. Page 8 Other Member Activities .................................................................. Page 11 Lace in Literature ............................................................................. Page 13 Financial Report for 2014 ................................................................ Page 14 Member Resources ........................................................................... Page 15 Pattern Pages ................................................................................... Page 16
…And much more!
President’s Message
We’ve had a long demonstration season. I try to participate as much as I can, at least with the big events. Bryce Wolf and I journeyed out to the Big E on a day that was gray but not quite wet. My expectations were low, after all, who would want to go to a fair in such weather? Surprise! While there was not the number of people who might have attended on a warm, sunny day, there was still a
good showing of people, many of whom stopped to look at our lace. A few brave souls even tried their hand at Bryce’s demo pillow.
After that was Plimoth Plantation with the opening of their new craft center. We had a good presence on both days. Every venue has its own special characteristic. Here we were with a lot of crafts people that tended to focus the attendees more on crafts. It was a lot of fun.
As I am writing, I am looking forward to the Fiber Fest, which is the last major demo event on the NELG schedule. It’s been a long season. I think the quiet of the colder months will allow more time to think of other things in lace. So here is a list of a few ideas to think about.
1. It’s a great time to start planning on entries for Creative Arts at the Big E. It’s a long way off, but it takes time to make all that lace. We hope to be able to keep that display case full.
2. If you have a technique you would be willing to teach to someone or have some informative talk on lace, think about how you might make a program on it at an NELG meeting. We are always looking for programs for the calendar.
3. Think about volunteering for NELG. I have posted a couple of positions in this newsletter, but that isn’t all. I am always looking for someone to do something. Hopefully the tasks are small enough that you won’t have to spend a lot of time on them. When you participate, you will get to know other members better.
So, as the holiday season approaches, enjoy your holidays.
A Gentle Reminder: All the work that appears in this newsletter is either original or obtained from an outside source with permission for its use in the NELG newsletter. Please contact the Editor for written permission to use any particular item.
Thank you.
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 3
Creative Arts Results 2014
Congratulations and thank you to all of our winners! Your entry in the Creative Arts event has helped bring the beauty of lace to the thousands of people who attended the Eastern States Exposition this year.
Special thanks go to Winann Steinmetz, Mary Linden and Rosalie Bares for arranging the display case and to Sharon Sacco, Cressy Goodwin and Rosalie Bares for the photography. We are grateful also to all who helped deliver and return our precious entries.
And here are our NELG winners:
Bobbin Lace, Original 1st – Jeanne Goodwin, Flower Design 1st – Jeanne Goodwin, Continuous 5” wide Scarf
3rd – Jeanne Goodwin, Border around Photo
Bobbin Lace, Adaptation Instructors 1st – Doris Shick, Old Brussels Duchesse Collar 1st – Doris Shick, Old Brussels Duchesse Fan
Non-Instructors 1st – Rosalie Bares, Lace Round 1st – Sr Madeleine Cleverly, Double Bobbins 1st – James Martin, Geometric Bucks Sampler 1st – Sharon Sacco, Torchon Handkerchief 1st – Winann Steinmetz, Fish on a Dish 1st – Bryce Wolf, Rosehips Box 1st – Bryce Wolf, Flower Runner
2nd – Sr Madeleine Cleverly, Colorful Rainbow Square 2nd – Gail MacLean, Bucks Sample 2nd – Gail MacLean, Binche Grounds 2nd – Brenda Osborn, Linen Shirt Edging 2nd – Sharon Sacco, Contemporary Valenciennes 2nd – Winann Steinmetz, Lacy Hat
3rd – Gail MacLean, Sample Corners 3rd – Catherine Morin, SSJ, Lace Mat
Youth 1st – Maya Sarich, Lace Butterfly (Maya is Rosalie Bares’ 7-year-old granddaughter) Combined Lace, Original 2nd – James Coleman, Peace
Tatting, Original 1st – Carolyn Wetzel, Blue Paracord Mat
Tatting, Adaptation 1st – Mary Linden, Tatted Shirt Border 1st – Carolyn Wetzel, Decorated Handbag
2nd – Nancy Fama, Tatted Nail File Cover 2nd – Sharon Sacco, Tatted Collar
Beginner, Any Lace 1st – Kirsten Berg-Sonne, Love’in a mist Bookmark
2nd – Kirsten Berg-Sonne, Lobelia Off-white Bookmark
Other Handmade Lace, Original
1st – Rita Bartholomew, Net Lace covering a Satin Ball
Other Handmade Lace, Adaptation 1st – Rita Bartholomew, Net Centro Classico Doily 1st – Rita Bartholomew, Net Shawl
Be sure to go to
the NELG Website
to see pictures of
all the entries
listed above!
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 4
Creative Arts Special Awards 2014
Carolyn Wetzel Best of Division – Adult
Best Tatted Lace
Rita Bartholomew Best Technical Proficiency
Kristen Berg-Sonne Best Beginner - Adult
Jeanne Goodwin Best Continuous Lace
Bryce Wolf Best Use of Color
Sharon Sacco Best Torchon Lace
James Martin Best Contemporary Lace
Bryce Wolf Best Traditional Lace
Rita Bartholomew Beverly Award – Judge’s Choice
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 5
Things to Do & Places to Go See the NELG website (www.nelg.us) for more information, more events and to register for these events.
NELG Meetings
All meetings are at Joshua Hyde Public Library, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
November 15: Carolyn Wetzel will present a program on Eastern Mediterranean needle lace, including Armenian lace. Here is wonderful opportunity for you to expand your lace world, unless of course you already make or collect Armenian lace, in which case you should bring some examples.
December 20: Our traditional Christmas gathering. Bring a lacy surprise for the gift exchange, if you like. Bring a tasty treat to share, if you want. Bring yourself and your holiday cheer, no strings attached!
January 17: UFO's and tag sale. You can finish or make some progress on one of those projects you have been stacking up (think Big E)! You can also inventory your lace supplies and library and offer for sale whatever you won’t be using (Anything lace or fiber-related is OK.)
February 21: To be announced.
Please remember, we always want to see your work! Bring your completed projects so we can ooh and aah
appropriately.
And if you're stuck and need help, bring that too. What else are lace friends for?
Lace Days
Lace at Lies’ Lies Stolk hosts a lace day at her home in Hudson, MA the first Saturday of each month. Please be sure to contact Lies at (978) 562-7082 or [email protected] beforehand, since a date may be cancelled or rescheduled.
Western Massachusetts The Western MA group of lace makers is enjoying making lace. Watch the calendar for more information or contact [email protected].
Sunday Lace Group of Eastern Massachusetts They meet on the 2nd Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at members’ homes, generally located east of I-495 between Boxborough and Carlisle. For further information contact Bryce Wolf at 781-259-8529 or [email protected].
Connecticut Lace Days The group meets on the 1st Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the designated home. Please contact the hostess a few days beforehand so that she may plan lunch.
November 1: Mary Linden, 203-458-1305 [email protected] Guilford, CT
December 6: Barbara Doheny, 203-288-1831 [email protected] Hamden CT
January 3: Gail MacLean, 203-847-9437 [email protected] Norwalk, CT
February 7: Mary Linden, 203-458-1305 [email protected] Guilford, CT
Demonstrations and Other Lace Events
November, 2014 1-2: Fiber Festival of New England West Springfield, MA www.fiberfestival.org Demonstration Opportunity!
July, 2015 27-August 2: IOLI Convention, Coralville, IA
2016 OIDFA Congress, Ljubljana, Slovenia IOLI Convention, Indianapolis, IN
2017 IOLI Convention, Philadelphia, PA
2018 OIDFA Congress, Bruges, Belgium
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 6
Meet Our Members: Kate Moore This interview continues our effort to enable our members to become acquainted with their co-members,, especially those who are separated by distance. We have so many interesting people in NELG!
Kate Moore is a full time re-enactor at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA. Not only has she been trained in history and gets to wear period clothing, but she even has to modify her accent and vocabulary back to 1627!
Q: How and when did you become interested in lace?
I first encountered bobbin lace when I began working at Plimoth Plantation, which was in 1995. We had a weaver on staff who was just learning to make it and was demonstrating to our visitors a day a week. Like most Americans I had never seen or heard of it before, but I was fascinated! I'd been a knitter from a young age and was interested in embroidery, so bobbin lace really "spoke" to me! She was using Doris Southard's book to teach herself which made me think - if she can do it, so can I! To make a long story short, another colleague loaned me the supplies I needed to get started, and I was off!
I didn't get very far, I'm sorry to say. The book was OK, and I got several lessons into it, but then I had too many questions and no one to ask. I stumbled on for a couple of years making a lot of not-very-good lace and gradually dropped it in favor of embroidery, blackwork mostly, which became my obsession for quite a few years. I never intended to drop it permanently though, and when the head of our Wardrobe Dept. began nudging me a few years ago to look into it again, she didn't have to nudge very hard! I went online and found NELG. It must've been around February, because the registration was open for retreat, and I signed up. That was in 2012, and I have been obsessed ever since. Now it is embroidery and knitting that are in the back seat! (Actually, I think they might be in a different car!)
Q: What is your favorite type of lace to make? Why? Q: What other kinds of lace do you make? Wear? Collect?
I don't think I have a favorite lace - yet! When I first started (both times!) I was only interesting in making early lace, so my first class (with Holly Van Sciver) was in Bedfordshire, and I like that very much. But the more I do the more I
realize how much I don't know and I want to learn it all! I've since done Bucks Point and a very little bit of Honiton, while continuing to work on the early laces.
Q: What are your favorite tools to work with?
I started out using continental bobbins, but I hated the way they rolled around; I always felt like I was fighting them! Remember, I had no one to teach me. I bought some Midlands bobbins (because they were pretty!) and was pleasantly surprised to find that they didn't roll, and while at first the thinness bothered me, I got more used to them. And I loved the double head - I had a TERRIBLE time on the continentals with the
thread getting all bound up. I suppose I prefer midlands bobbins today for all those reasons - and they are so pretty! - but I'm beginning to see how that rolling around could be made to work for you instead of against you!
Q: What tips would you give a new lace maker?
For a new lace maker I'd say, make lots of lace! Spend as much time as you can (and want to) at it. Like any other skill, there's just no substitute for practice. I spend a lot of time making lace (to the detriment of my housekeeping and guitar practice) and I've come pretty far from being the lace maker I was in that first retreat class. But my poor music - I've been taking guitar lessons for about 7 years, but often the weekly lesson is the only time the guitar comes out of the case, because I'd rather make lace with what time I have to spare. I'm often reminded of my parents' scolding, "If you spent half as much time on your homework as you do learning the words to those darn rock n' roll songs, you'd be a straight-A student!" Well, if I spent half as much time practicing guitar as I do making lace, I'd be a rock star!
Q: What do you think is your best/favorite lace creation? (Please include a picture, if you have one.)
Picking a favorite - that's hard. I don't think I have one, really. But here's one I really like. It's an early lace from Seventeenth Century Women's Dress Patterns Vol. 1, and what I like most about it is I was able to work out how to do it on my own, and pretty quickly too, in spite of the fact that it's a terrible pattern! I'd never been able to do that before and in fact, that was one of my principal frustrations when I first started out, so I see this as a real breakthrough
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 7
for me. There's lots wrong with it (some of which is not my fault - the pattern really is very poor), but I've learned more since then and I can see things I'd do differently now; in fact, I probably will have another go at it soon.
Q: What do you do with the lace you make—wear it? Give it away? Hide it? Display it?
Most of the lace I've made thus far has been for the practice as well as the pleasure. I pick patterns that I think I can do, though I do have a habit of choosing things that are a bit beyond what I've already learned, and then I get frustrated when I don't understand what the author is talking about! I either get it figured out or I "fudge" it - either way, it’s a learning experience! I've been putting together a scrapbook to keep these "experiments" in! I also make some lace to be used on the costuming we do at the Plantation, but we don't need much - no one would have been making lace in
Plimoth Colony in 1627; the few simple laces they might have owned would have come over from England with them. I am probably going to be making some pieces to sell in our gift shop; I'm trying now to figure out what to make. If any members have suggestions, please pass them along!
Q: Do you enjoy demonstrating lace making to the public? What is your favorite encounter?
I have a real love/hate relationship with demonstrating! It's actually part of my job, and while I can choose from a variety of different textile/costume-related crafts to work on, I've chosen lace making these last few years…..because I can get paid to make lace all day! And while I love talking about it almost as much as I love doing it, the repetition can be a bit draining at times. It's a real magnet for people, because they've never seen it before, so I have to start from the beginning every time. We can see an average of 2,000 visitors per day, so….yeah, it can get old.
Q: Please share with us a good story relating to lace—people's reactions? Lace vacations? Challenging classes? Etc.
Don't have a good story that I can think of. I always enjoy meeting other lace makers, and when I'm demonstrating at work they are almost always from other countries. I was talking with a lovely German couple recently, she was the lace maker and didn't speak any English but her husband did and we had a nice chat. I mentioned that my husband is a bit put out at no longer being able to walk barefoot anywhere near me - well, anywhere in the house, really, and he said yes, he was used to that too! We had a pretty good laugh!
Thank you, Kate!
Welcome New NELG Members!
Janet Blanchard, Moodus, CT
Logan McGonigle, Peabody, MA
Logan first learned of our organization during a family trip to the Museum of American History in D.C. She is interested in bobbin, tatted and needle lace.
We’re so glad to have you join us and we look forward to
meeting you soon!
You might be a lace maker if…
…you see lace patterns in everything!
…you read a Torchon lace book while eating breakfast!
…your friends see lace and think of you!
…a road map looks like a Bedfordshire lace pattern to you!
…no one can safely walk barefoot in your home!
(Based on a suggestion by Kate Tinghitella; additional lace maker descriptions welcome!)
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 8
Our Demonstrative Members
In her President’s Message Sharon mentions three popular demonstration venues. It is only right that those who participate so enthusiastically be recognized. So a big THANK YOU to the following demonstrative lace makers:
The Big E
Barbara Kirk Winann
Steinmetz Rosalie Bares
Rita Bartholomew
Mary Linden Barbara Morrow
Patty Foley Bryce Wolf
Sharon Sacco Jeanne Goodwin
Plimoth Plantation
Gail MacLean Sharon Sacco
Linda Lane
Marjorie Dashef Rosalie Bares
Mary Lou Ricci Sr. Madeleine
Cleverly Sr. Annaliese
Kate Moore
The Fiber Festival
Sharon Sacco
Marjorie Dashef Mary Linden
Carolyn Wetzel Barbara Kirk
Bryce Wolf Jeanne Goodwin
Marjorie Dashef, our Member at Large, derived this list from those who registered online, so we may have missed some names. Thanks, therefore, to all those who participated but whom we did not name.
Demonstration Retrospectives: the Big E
Demonstration Retrospectives: Plimoth Plantation
Plimoth Plantation Plaits
By Sr Madeleine Cleverly
Sunday September 28 dawned a bright sunny autumn day with just the right bite to the air as Sister Anneliese and I, clutching our Dunkin Donuts coffees, laden down with lace stands, pillows and tote bags boarded the bus for Sagamore. Mary Lou Ricci, our newly found lace friend, had graciously offered to meet us in Sagamore; she then GPS-ed us to the Plimoth Plantation parking lot.
We descended the wooden stairs amongst rustling autumn leaves and signs detailing 16th century Pilgrims and
Wampanoag Indians. Kate Moore clad in a lace digs Staff T shirt greeted us; I promptly coveted the T shirt! We checked in at the artisan table, received a welcome packet of bottled water, plantation map and a very informative booklet which I devoured in the back seat on our ride home a couple of hours later. The booklet has since moved on to the Social Studies teacher of our small home school.
New England Lace Group tables were in the main room of Visitors Center with a lovely view of the courtyard. The day was a wonderful combination of 16th century lace making by Kate and modern lace making by Gail, Rosalie, Sr Anneliese, Mary Lou and me.
Jeanne Goodwin shows them how it’s done!
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 9
We felt so welcome. Lots of lace and lots of visitors asking the same questions: “Is it tatting?” “How do you know where to put the pins?” by now familiar refrains to all lace demonstrators. It was Sr. Anneliese’s first time so especially enlightening for her. She picked up the responses quickly from listening to us around her.
My favorite visitors were a young couple from England, always familiar with lace because of the English tradition. They had a little boy maybe three. The Mom asked if I knew the ‘Wind Up the Bobbin’ song. Of course I did not; I was treated to a rendition complete with hand motions similar to ‘Patty Cake Patty Cake’ by her three year old. I loved it and to think that the song came from bobbin lace winding and an old children’s game, a shared origin.
Again an older Japanese couple with their obviously Americanized daughter was delighted with lace as there is so much hand embroidery in the Japanese tradition. I was able to share that a Japanese gal had been in my class in Belgium taking the art of lace making back to Japan.
Mary Lou, Sr Anneliese and I took a break, as Rosalie and Gail were packing up for home, and walked to the Colonial settlement and through the Wampanoag village. It was a spectacular day with beautiful clear endless views of blue water and sky as we strolled the wooden walks through the
marshes and visited Alden homesteads and Wampanoag domed huts; all was fascinating and fun. A wonderful day! Next year, here we come!
(Kate Moore, our organizer for Plimoth Plantation, noted that there were many more visitors than usual, and that they are planning a similar event next year. Suggestions for improvements are welcome.)
Additional Comments
By Gail MacLean
Great things about demonstrating at Plimoth Plantation:
The staff is wonderful—friendly, efficient, supportive;
There is a golf cart to transport your gear;
I got more yardage done on my Try Me pillow than on my own pillow;
They feed you lunch and provide water;
The light is great; the temperature comfortable The other artisans, some of them Native
Americans, are fascinating.
All in all, a great venue; I’d go back in a minute!
Linda Lane Kate Moore Gail MacLean
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 10
Demonstration Retrospectives: Penobscot Marine Museum
By Vi Eastman
Last weekend we (here in Maine) did a bobbin lace demonstration at the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, 190 miles round trip from home, and there was not much foot traffic of incoming visitors. Most of the visitors came to see the quilts that were exhibited and available from $1,500 to $5,500. Parking was very limited, and traffic was very heavy. I wore my ‘wig-hat’ to have decent looking hair. I am wearing earrings and the necklace
bobbin lace created by Doris Schick! On the left side of my sweater vest I am wearing a little Rosalibre flower arrangement I attempted to make. It is not perfect, but here is a photo:
This is the front side of the flowers. For the back side, a frame of silver wire was created and I used invisible thread to attach it.
Reporting Volunteer Time
As a Charter Group with the International Organization of Lace, Inc. (IOLI), NELG is required to provide volunteer hours in order to help maintain the not-for-profit status of IOLI.
Please report your hours on the Report Volunteer Hours page in the Members Only section of the website.
If you don't have internet access, call or send a note to our Member at Large (see page 2 for contact information). In your note, include your name, where and when you volunteered, and how many hours you spent on each activity: demonstrating, traveling, preparing, teaching, presenting, identification, and lace making.
Remember, anything you do to help NELG that you aren’t paid for counts as volunteer time—writing articles for the newsletter, teaching a friend to make lace, preparing and making a presentation for one of our NELG meetings, helping to set up a display for a library, museum or demonstration, etc.
Thank you for your time!
Demonstrations
Winter affords us few opportunities for demonstrating our lace making. Yet it is a great time to plan for upcoming events and perhaps explore new venues.
There are so many potential locations, maybe right in your neck of the woods. If there are no events nearby, then you have the perfect excuse for a get-a-way weekend! Know of an event in your area? Please contact us so we can add it to our calendar.
Registering your participation on our website will allow our Member at Large to help support and coordinate your efforts.
Please be aware of our demonstration aids for you to borrow or create. There are banners and posters for display and handy brochures and business cards to distribute, the latter easily downloaded from the Members Only Pages on the NELG website.
If you can contribute more aids or have an idea to make our demonstrations more effective, don’t hesitate to contact our Member at Large, Marjorie Dashef, at [email protected], to discuss them with her.
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 11
Other Member Activities
Teaching Lace to Children
By Sr Madeleine Cleverly
Well…. the room was ready! Four smartly covered lace pillows with pastel linen working cloths, cheerfully matched cover cloths and small boxes of brass beginner pins awaited the four eleven year olds to whom I was teaching lace on the Fine Arts day of our religious community’s small home school. The cheery excited voices tumbled over one another as the girls clambered down the stairs and into the basement to our classroom/art room. Most of them had seen the bookmarks, mats and crosses in our monastery gift shop and now THEY were going to learn lace.
The first lesson adapted from Eileen Collins generously shared Lesson #1 for beginners amounted to an introduction to the right “lace lingo,” e.g., pillow, bobbins, cover cloth, stitches and cross and twist.
They endured a 20 minute capsulated history of lace about which they knew nothing. I related that girls like themselves learned lace from their mother or aunts or grandmothers and in some cases were chained to the chairs in dimly lit rooms or outside in the fresh air. The young lace makers needed to actually produce some lace worthy of sale by the broker who came to collect it at the end of the day. I promised I would not chain them to the chair, probably the only remnant they actually remembered!
Many giggles and cries of “Can you help me?” later, Perle#8 cotton had been cut in to 6 1 ½ yard lengths and with some difficulty actually wound on the bobbins and knotted around the heads. I spent several minutes either untangling knots, cutting new lengths or simply doing the knots myself so there was no discouragement or feeling of being left behind before there was even one bobbin on a pillow!
At last, all had 7 pairs of bobbins, one long worker pair either ecru or white and 6 colored threaded bobbins in readiness for the all important ‘hang on”. All four of the girls crowded around, as I chose the pillow under the best light to actually hang on the 6 pairs of bobbins and then start the work. I taught and demonstrated the cloth stitch. (I did not tell them that this stitch has 3 different names depending on where in the world you were or what book you were reading!) “Can we try? Can we try?” the cry arose…. So off they went, returning to their own pillows to discover first hand that it was not as easy to do the stitch as it was to watch. But… they all managed to actually cross the row, pin up and then come back without too many delinquent crosses of thread. The cries now were “Wow! Wow! Look at that!… it is beautiful!” “I am going to put
this in my Bible or in my book or give it to my mother.” Well…. there are still more lessons to come and the half stitch and the cross twist, cross twist and the braid at the end are still awaiting instruction but the taste and enthusiasm are there and they are off and lacing,
Can we all remember when we were these beginners awash with excitement but alas without one skill. Many thanks to that lace teacher who cared to teach us!
Learning Barjac Ombrée at Ithaca
By Gail MacLean
I have always enjoyed driving, so being “on the road” in the scenic Finger Lakes region of New York State on autumn was a wonderful way to begin my long Columbus Day weekend!
As relaxing as the ride was, I needed to hit the ground running when I arrived at the hotel because I had not finished the homework for my class. So Friday night and Saturday morning I industriously worked to finish the rose ground of my chosen pattern, up to the beginning of the motif. It would be a waste of class time to work on something I already knew how to do. Too bad I had procrastinated and left this preparation until the last minute!
At the beginning of our class, we were fascinated to learn that our teacher, Ulrike Voelcker, had named the lace Barjac because she had found antique examples of it at a flea market in Barjac, a village in the Provence area of France. She called it Ombrée because it appeared to have the shading common to Chantilly lace.
The main feature differentiating this lace from others is that there is no gimp, but the outline of a motif is created by linen stitching through a pair of heavy contrasting threads! The fill stitches for the motifs include half stitch, honeycomb and split spiders, among others. The background is always a rose ground using large pins and further emphasizing the pin holes with an extra twist.
The next thing I learned in class was that my choice of colors wasn’t ideal! Our class preparation directions said to choose contrasting threads, so I chose mauve and dark purple. Sounds good but I didn’t realize that the contrast was between the lace and its future background, not the two shades of threads! No problem—I could use just the mauve.
Another important thing that I learned in this class is that the size of your pins matters! I had never paid too much
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 12
attention to pin selection but Ulrike taught us that pin size very much affects your results. The right size pin will help standardize your ground and emphasize the pin holes so that your ground will create the best effect. Very fine pins are used to help hold the shape of your fill, among other uses. Large pins can make your picots pop!
After the thread color and pin size were resolved, all went well with my class pattern, if you discount the few times I had to undo my work because I wasn’t paying attention! This was the first time (thanks to Susie Johnson’s advice) that I was smart enough to choose a pattern that could be completed during class. Hooray! I finished something! (I am a great starter of projects but not so great a finisher.)
Unfortunately when I took out the pins, so densely clustered that you couldn’t see much of the lace, some imperfections became apparent. Happily many of them will be concealed behind the matte when the work is framed.
While I and one other student worked on our small motif, the rest of the class worked on a larger, more challenging pattern. Their pattern required using a “gimp loop” technique to minimize adding and taking out contrasting pairs because the design circled around. Ulrike taught a clever way of using a rayon magic thread to complete this loop but from what I heard, in English and French, they were lucky to have a teacher to direct them through the process. I may not have had to learn the procedure but I
surely listened to it enough to help me when I do attempt it!
This class was the first time that Barjac Ombrée was taught in the US and coincided with the publication of Ulrike’s book on the lace. Of course, I bought the book! It is a wonderful compendium of how the lace was discovered, some technical explanations of how to make it, about a dozen designs based on the antique lace plus maybe 2 dozen modern designs Ulrike created using the same basic methods. The designs are presented against photos of scenic places that Ulrike has visited. It would make a wonderful addition to the NELG library or to your own.
But my copy is autographed!!
My High Point of Ithaca Lace Days 2014
By Barbara McGuire
For many years now, Columbus weekend has had a special meaning for me – a return to Ithaca to visit with lace friends (and get some great chocolate by volunteering!). But this year was especially special!
Susie Johnson has been my mentor for Withof and we’ve been using Anneke Reijs’ excellent “Manuals for Sluis and Withof Duchesse.” This year, Anneke, herself, came for a visit! My reaction was akin to meeting a heroine in person. What a treat!"
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 13
Lace in Literature
NELG Member Judy Nesbit submits this curious bit of literary reference to lace making. The Hunting of the Snark is a long “nonsense poem” by the author of Alice in Wonderland. It is written in “Fits.” Below is the first part of the first Fit, which includes a reference to a lace making beaver! It is accompanied by an illustration by Henry Holiday from the first edition in 1876. Enjoy it best by reading it aloud! Find the entire poem online.
The Hunting of the Snark BY LEWIS CARROLL
Fit the First The Landing
"Just the place for a Snark!" the Bellman cried, As he landed his crew with care; Supporting each man on the top of the tide By a finger entwined in his hair. "Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice: That alone should encourage the crew. Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice: What I tell you three times is true." The crew was complete: it included a Boots— A maker of Bonnets and Hoods— A Barrister, brought to arrange their disputes— And a Broker, to value their goods. A Billiard-marker, whose skill was immense, Might perhaps have won more than his share— But a Banker, engaged at enormous expense, Had the whole of their cash in his care. There was also a Beaver, that paced on the deck, Or would sit making lace in the bow: And had often (the Bellman said) saved them from wreck, Though none of the sailors knew how. There was one who was famed for the number of things He forgot when he entered the ship: His umbrella, his watch, all his jewels and rings, And the clothes he had bought for the trip. He had forty-two boxes, all carefully packed, With his name painted clearly on each: But, since he omitted to mention the fact, They were all left behind on the beach.
The loss of his clothes hardly mattered, because He had seven coats on when he came, With three pair of boots—but the worst of it was, He had wholly forgotten his name. He would answer to "Hi!" or to any loud cry, Such as "Fry me!" or "Fritter my wig!" To "What-you-may-call-um!" or "What-was-his-name!" But especially "Thing-um-a-jig!" While, for those who preferred a more forcible word, He had different names from these: His intimate friends called him "Candle-ends," And his enemies "Toasted-cheese." "His form in ungainly—his intellect small—" (So the Bellman would often remark) "But his courage is perfect! And that, after all, Is the thing that one needs with a Snark." He would joke with hænas, returning their stare With an impudent wag of the head: And he once went a walk, paw-in-paw, with a bear, "Just to keep up its spirits," he said. He came as a Baker: but owned, when too late— And it drove the poor Bellman half-mad— He could only bake Bride-cake—for which, I may state, No materials were to be had. The last of the crew needs especial remark, Though he looked an incredible dunce: He had just one idea—but, that one being "Snark," The good Bellman engaged him at once.
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 14
Financial Report for Fiscal Year End 2014
!!!NELG Opportunities!!!
We need a couple of people to help with NELG activities. Here is a brief description of the positions:
NELG Creative Arts Liaison – We need someone to coordinate with the Creative Arts part of the Big E. You will need to contact vendors and groups to verify awards so that they will be listed in the Big E marketing. You will also coordinate the demonstrators including getting the parking passes and admission tickets to them prior to the Big E.
NELG Web Assistant – We need someone to work with our Webmistress, Jill Hawkins, to help maintain our web presence. We have a great website that is viewed worldwide. If you have ever had any interest in how to run a website, this is a great opportunity.
For more information, please contact [email protected].
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 15
Standing Committees
Scholarships & Grants: Winann Steinmetz & Bryce Wolf
Retreat: Winann Steinmetz & Jill Hawkins
Nominating: Marjorie Dashef & Carolyn Wetzel Website : Jill Hawkins, Webmistress
Member Resources
Your Website Members Only Pages
Website Members Only pages are available to all registered members via the email address and password you defined when you registered online.
It is here that you will find current and prior newsletters, the member directory, resources such as the NELG brochure and business card, a form to report volunteer hours, and information on scholarships and grants.
Your Newsletter
The NELG Newsletter is published 4 times a year, on or about the 1st of February, May, August and November.
If we have a valid email address for you and you haven’t told us otherwise, you will receive an email informing you when the latest newsletter is available on the NELG website for your viewing pleasure or for printing in glorious color! Past issues of the newsletter back to 1998 are also there for your easy reference.
If you have an email address, but wish to continue receiving your newsletter in the mail (in black and white), let the Newsletter Editor know or update your website member profile accordingly. If you don’t have an email address, you’ll receive your newsletter via the US Postal Service.
Printing Your Newsletter in Duplex
Want to save paper by printing your newsletter on both sides of the sheet? Follow these simple steps:
1. Click on the printer icon in your Adobe Reader window
2. Click on the Properties button (at top of window) 3. Click on Finishing tab 4. Click on Print on Both Sides (manually) 5. Follow directions that will pop up on how to re-
insert your paper to print on the second side
Your NELG Library
The New England Lace Group maintains a collection of both print and non-print materials for the use of its members. We have loaded scans of all book covers on the website so you can see each of the books we have. Click On-Line-Web to view the collection to date. To view the print catalog of books and materials that are currently available, please click here. If you don’t have access to the internet, you’ll receive a hardcopy of the Library Inventory with the February newsletter.
A representative selection from the Library is available at each monthly meeting, as well as at local Lace Days, thanks to our Assistant Librarians. To be assured of a particular item, please contact the Head Librarian and arrange for it to be brought to the meeting or mailed to you. Also, please feel free to contact her with your suggestions for new material to be added to our library for member use. She also welcomes reviews of new or current books for publication in the newsletter.
NELG has documented the Policies and Procedures with regard to how the Library collection is managed. Click on NELG Library Policy & Procedures and read the changes we have instituted for all members.
Your NELG Membership Directory
The NELG Membership Directory is available on the NELG website to all currently registered members. Check there for the latest contact information of your fellow lace makers. Update your own contact data here when it changes and your lace friends will know instantly! If you have a picture of yourself and have difficulty uploading it, please contact our Webmistress, Jill Hawkins, for assistance
If you don’t have access to the internet, you’ll receive a hardcopy of the Directory with the February newsletter.
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 16
Pattern Pages (from 2013 IOLI Pattern Book)
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 17
NELG Newsletter, Issue 87, November 2014 Page 18
