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The
Lacis
Museum Newsletter
January 9, 2009
Dear Friends of LMLT,
A new year is here, and we hope it will bring happiness and hope to all
Friends of the Museum, and to everyone everywhere.
Jules, Perrin and I are getting ready for the annual trade show of the
National Needlearts Association in San Diego January 17-19. This show
gives us an opportunity to meet with our friends in the needlework
world, check out new books and products, show our own wares, and
generally get a peek into the state of the industry and upcoming
trends. It’s always lots of fun, and we always return with new
goodies for our loyal customers and renewed enthusiasm for the work we
have undertaken, to supply the needle artists of the world with all
they need to keep their arts alive, create new forms, and pass them
along to a new generation. There won’t be a newsletter that
weekend, of course, but watch for an update on all the needlework news
when I return.
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Exhibits |
Our
exhibit “LACE COMES OF AGE: Tape Lace from the 17th to the 21st
Centuries” features one of the most ubiquitous and intriguing
forms of lace, ubiquitous because it was made in every generation of
lacemaking, and often by amateur needle workers, and intriguing because
each needle artist put her own stamp on the work, through choice of
materials, stitch patterns, and final use. Almost everyone recognizes
tape lace in one form or another, but this exhibit allows visitors to
see the entire range of styles, from the elegance of 17th century mezzo
punto to the delicate floral forms of Princess lace to the sinuous Arts
and Crafts designs popular in the late 19th century when lace was freed
from the lacemaker. We are having great fun leading tours for visitors,
because for so many people it brings forth happy memories of
grandmother’s handwork, or stories of packets of tapes and
patterns found tucked away in attics. We look forward to meeting you
soon and showing you our treasures.
The exhibit will be available until the beginning of February during
regular museum hours, from noon to 6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays.
We are always happy to welcome groups, so let us know if you'd like to
bring your class or group for a special tour. Please call Erin at the
museum shop, (510) 843-7290 to make arrangements.
Work is now under way for our spring costume exhibit, tentatively
titled "As the Century Turns," which will run from April 4 through
August 1. Erin, as exhibit coordinator, will be recreating a home scene
from around the turn of the century, giving us an opportunity to show a
wide range of clothing and accessories, as well as household linens and
tools that span the decades from the gay 90’s to the new freedoms
of the Edwardian period.
For our Fall Lace Exhibit, 500 years of bobbin lace will fill the
gallery. The exhibit, tentatively titled “Bobbin Lace: The Taming
of Multitudes of Threads,” is scheduled to run October 3, 2009
through April 3, 2010.
For the autumn of 2009 we are also planning an exhibit of lace knitted
by the avid knitters who have become Friends of the Museum. If you have
a masterpiece that you’d be willing to lend for the exhibit, see
the announcement under LACE KNITTING GROUP below for further
information.
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Lace Making Retreat at LMLT
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We are
happy to confirm that the scheduled URBAN RETREAT is on track and will
be held as scheduled. We have now opened classes to those wishing to
enroll in a shorter program with specific classes of their choice.
Signups will be accepted for a fee of $125.00 per day with a 2 day
minimum enrollment. When you register, please specify the classes and
teachers you want with your enrollment. An early response is requested
so that we can begin to formalize a specific class schedule based on
your requests.
We are looking into group rates for hotels near the Museum. We can
offer rates as low as $60.00 per night per person for a 7-night stay in
a 3-person shared suite at the historic Berkeley City Club. This newly
renovated building was designed by Julia Morgan, and is a California
historical landmark (see the full story at the website,
http://www.berkeleycityclub.com/). It’s also conveniently
located, just one BART stop from the museum. Please let us know as soon
as possible of your housing needs, and if you would be interested in
sharing a suite.
The retreat, which will take place from February 4 through 10, 2009,
offers the opportunity of a week-long adventure in lace-making with
five extraordinary teachers: Iris Niebach, teaching Tatting, Galina
Khmeleva, Lace Knitting, Nancy Evans, Needle Lace and Lace
Identification, and Louise Colgan and Maria Provencher, contemporary
and traditional Bobbin Lace. This retreat represents a wonderful
opportunity to meet some outstanding lace makers working in a variety
of techniques, and we are excited about the possibilities that may
result when these five very talented lace artists are brought together
with enthusiastic students of the venerable yet always innovative art
of making fabric from thread, inspiration, and dedication. You can get
to know more about these lacemakers by visiting the instructors’
webpage, which includes brief biographies and photos of each teacher
and her work. Iris Niebach has recently sent us some examples of her
exquisite work in tatting. These are on display in the museum and can
also be seen on her page on our website at
http://lacismuseum.org/irisniebach_02_09.html.
The class descriptions, available on the website at
http://lacismuseum.org/retreat_schedule_02_09.html, list classes that
our teachers have suggested. On the same page you can see a tentative
schedule of classes. This schedule is still flexible, so if you have
problems or questions, please contact me as soon as possible.
Information about the instructors and the projects planned for the
retreat, along with information about accommodations, amenities and
attractions in Berkeley, and a downloadable registration form, is also
available on our website at http://lacismuseum.org/retreat.html.
A note to registrants: for those who have already signed up, we are now
requesting the balance of your retreat fee. All paid registrations and
deposits are acknowledged by a mailed receipt. If you have registered
but have not yet received a receipt, please contact me at
maryfrances@lacis.com or call me at (510) 843-7178, Mondays through
Thursdays, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., PST.
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Classes at LMLT |
FELT HAT
BLOCKING with Jacqueline Palacios, January 24 and 31
Learn to create your own handcrafted hat. You will block a felt hood
into a style of your choice to fit your head size exactly. Blocks and
steamer will be provided. You are asked to bring a felt hood of your
color choice (no white or velour felts, please.)
INTRODUCTION TO CROCHET with Mary Frances, January 24 and 31
Crochet is a wonderfully flexible needle art. Worked with wool or
substantial cotton or blends, crochet makes sturdy hats and scarves,
garments, and toys (from tiny amigurumi to cuddly teddy bears, the
dense fabric produced by crochet ensures them a long and happy life).
Worked in fine cotton or linen thread, crochet yields a lace that bears
close resemblance to fine needle laces (in fact, Irish crochet was
first made as a short cut version of Venetian gros point).
If you are ready to hop on the crochet bandwagon, this two-session
class will teach the basics to get you started on a lifetime of happy
hooking, including materials, reading charts and instructions, and a
variety of stitches and techniques. You’ll begin with a small
project – a lacy star to shine over your winter nights.
KNITTING
You can schedule individual knitting lessons with Mary Frances on
Saturday mornings from 10:30 to 11:30 at the museum shop. For
scheduling of these Saturday morning classes, contact me at
maryfrances@lacis.com.
Details on all classes and registration information are available on
our website at http://lacismuseum.org/classes.html. Registration forms
are also available at the Museum shop.
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Lace Groups |
LACIS
LACE KNITTING GROUP
Lace knitters of all skill levels are invited to join the Lacis Lace
Knitters, a flourishing and friendly knitting family that meets once a
month to share, show-and-tell, occasionally commiserate, congratulate,
and always encourage each other through knitting thicks and thins.
Bring along a current project and join us on the first Saturday of
every month from 1 to 3 in the museum shop.
We are planning to feature knitted lace in our Fall 2009 lace exhibit,
and would like to feature the work of friends of the museum as part of
this exhibit. To that end, we are sending our lace knitting friends a
heads up – if you have a special project tucked away on your
project list waiting for just the right occasion, we hope you will
consider working it up and submitting it for display during this
exhibit. Please contact me if you have any questions or thoughts at
maryfrances@lacis.com.
BOBBIN LACE GROUP
The Lacis Bobbin Lace Group will meet on January 17, from 1 to 3. Our
bobbin lace classes with the charming and talented Maria Jose Munoz
have produced lots of new bobbin lacers who are clamoring for
lace-making camaraderie, and so Maria and the bobbin lacers now gather
at the museum on the third Saturday of every month from 1 to 3 to share
tips and work on lovely pillow lace of every description. Bring along
your bobbins and join in the fun, or just come by and watch the magic
happen.
Details on all groups are available on our website at
http://lacismuseum.org/classes.html.
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Opportunities
to Work at Lacis |
If you
or someone you know would enjoy being a part of the excitement here at
the Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles, LMLT and LACIS WHOLESALE are
looking for an enthusiastic office and warehouse worker, someone with a
strong sense of organization who loves needlework tools, books, and
filing, as well as general warehouse work which does include some
lifting (requiring a certain level of physical fitness). This position
would be at the office/warehouse location, 2 blocks south of the
Museum, and involves work in a more informal atmosphere. It includes
responsible tasks such as filling orders and understanding the
thousands of products that Lacis offers as well as simple tasks like
stuffing little bags with goodies, counting and weighing, assembling
kits, inventory control, filing, and taking out the trash, always
something different. Carefulness, accuracy and attention to detail are
important. Carefulness, accuracy and attention to detail are important.
Because of the extensive training required, a part-time schedule would
be necessary, working up to full time, a part-time schedule would be
necessary till June when a full time commitment will be required.
For more information and to fill out an application, come by the shop
or call (510) 843-7290, and ask to speak with Erin Algeo, the shop
manager, or call Mary Frances at the warehouse, (510) 843-7178.
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New in the Shop |
Great
news for lace knitters: Sonja Esbensen has produced a new book of
exquisite designs, KNITTED LACE IN WHITE. Especially nice is the
addition of patterns for shawls, alongside the more traditional doilies
and tablecloths. This is a beautiful addition to her two earlier
volumes, and a must-have all on its own.
Our translation of GESTRICKTE SPITZENDECKEN proceeds apace, slowed
somewhat by the extensive revisions necessary to make the patterns
knitter-friendly. Most of the patterns in this book were designed by
Herbert Niebling, but many errors crept into the original edition. We
are correcting and test knitting them, so the volume will, we hope, be
worth the wait. We hope to have it within a month or two.
Further Niebling news includes the appearance of three volumes of lace
knitting patterns, two of them patterns by Niebling and the third with
patterns by Marie Niedner and Mitzi Donner. These volumes will be
coming from Verlag fuer die Frau in April, and can be pro-ordered now.
And finally, Gladys Amedro’s classic SHETLAND LACE has been
revised and is now back in print. Along with a dictionary of Shetland
lace stitches, this book presents patterns for christening dresses, hap
shawls, a skirt, and many square shawls, including the stunningly
beautiful Brora Black Shawl.
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Closing Thoughts |
There
will be a lot more to talk about when I return from TNNA! Meanwhile,
best wishes for a new year filled with happiness and hope!
Mary Frances and your friends at LMLT
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Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles
2982
Adeline Street
Berkeley, CA 94703
http://lacismuseum.org/
at
Ashby & Adeline
St.,
adjacent to the "Ashby" BART Station
Hours: Monday thru Saturday 12:00 - 6:00 pm
tel: 510-843-7290 |
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