The Lacis Museum Newsletter

February 11th, 2010
Dear Friends of LMLT,

This Week

Winter persists with a passion, overwhelming us with its power, majesty and beauty, insisting on being politically incorrect.
Our vision, framed by the whiteness of snow, and the clouds of storm, simplifies our world to shades of gray where visions of lace offer comfort.


An Invitation

In participating in the many tours at LMLT, there is great pleasure in listening to the visitors..the memories conjured up by the LMLT experience...the  stories of their own collections...and knowledge in many of the specific areas of the Museum collections. Knowledge not being finite, it is always welcome and the sharing appreciated. If any of our Friends is interested in sharing with our readers, I would welcome any submittals that could be included in our Newsletter. Until experience suggests otherwise, I offer no rules for any submission.

We would also like to resurrect our Forum, which has been dormant for lack of time and commitment. If any of our friends would like to accept a position in monitoring a LMLT Web Forum, do let me know.
 
Events

The Bobbin Lace Exhibit is now a memory, the Gallery silent in this world of grey, the laces returning to the safety of conservation focused storage

Transformation into the world of the Twenties will be taking place over the next several weeks where we will be able to recall the most dramatic change in society since the birth of this nation. The past would only be memories, the classic styles only those cast in stone within our cityscapes. Freedom exploded by free will, self expression and minimal government. This was an era dominated by the human spirit through an aggressive youth who ravished on this new freedom demanding equal rights and abolishment of long established social customs. Nowhere was this witnessed more than in the fashion trends that quickly reflected the era. The human body was no longer something to be molded by corsets and the professionally tailored garment. The fit was loose and the simplicity opened an era of home dressmakers. More of the body could be exposed with a new focus on stockings and shoes, and a blurring of differences between male and female form was underway. Opulence was reflected at night through the rich embellishments, elaborate embroideries in beads, ribbons and metalwork, while endurance was never considered as reflected in the silken threads that held it all together
 


The Exhibit, "NIGHT AND DAY - THE WORLD OF THE TWENTIES," will open April 3rd. Erin, working with staff and volunteers, filling the veins of these remnants of the past, bringing forth the memories of not just a time but the souls of a lost age. A visit on any Saturday will let you witness progress in this transformation.
 
Classes


February 5, 12 and 19
Carol Wood's amazing corset making techniques will again be shared in VICTORIAN CORSETRY in a new 3 session format, each session a week apart. It will be designed so that, at the end of the last session (if you do your homework), you will have a finished corset. Classes will be held on Friday evenings from 5:30 to 9:00 on February 5th, 12th and 19th. Class fee is $100.00

February 26 and March 5
FELT HAT BLOCKING CLASS with Jacqueline Palacios. A Friday evening, two session class where you will block and fit a basic felt form to conform to both size and disposition of the maker. Class fee is $70.00

 

July 14

CLONES IRISH CROCHET with Maire Treanor, direct from Ireland. This will be a 4 day workshop plus an evening lecture where the spirit and techniques of this magical lace, which saved a Nation, will be brought to life. The workshop will cover the popular floral motifs and the unique ground of Clones lace as well as the development of patterns. An evening lecture by Maire covering her own collection and studies will compliment the occasion. Workshop fee is $250.00

The most advantageous travel plans are best made early. At least 6 sign-ups are necessary to assure a teaching commitment. If there is interest, we are requesting an early registration to assist Maire in her travel plans.



Details on all classes are available on our web site at http://lacismuseum.org/classes.html.
 
Lace Groups at LMLT

Participation is free and if attending, do bring some of your accomplishments, complete or incomplete, and find a community of friends.

BOBBIN LACE GROUP
This steadily growing group meets on the third Saturday of each month from 1 - 3. Hosted by Maria Jose Munoz and Beth Lysten, all are welcome to learn, share and encourage.  If curiosity persists, we would encourage participation in the more formal bobbin lace classes by Maria.  The group will meet  Saturday, February 20th  from 1 - 3.

KNITTING GROUP
Welcoming knitters of all persuasions to gather, learn, share and explore all the facets of this 1-thread-2-needle textile technique, this group will meet at the Museum on the second Saturday of each month from 1:00-3:00 PM. All are invited, to knit or just meet Amy.   Amy, a creative knitter and natural instructor, can make any garment fit and find a way to restore the intended glory of discards. She helped put an all men’s knitting club in the spotlight in lower Manhattan while instructing children, adults, seniors and celebrities how to tame yarn with a pair of pointed sticks. The group will next meet on February 13.

 
Details on all groups are available on our website at http://lacismuseum.org/classes.html.

New in the Shop

EESTE...ESTONIAN MITTENS ALL AROUND THE WORLD [Eesti Labakindad], Aino Praakli. [OU07]. Estonia remains in the spotlight for indigenous knitting. This book focuses on the traditional mittens with full color pictures, charts and instructions in both Estonian and English.
Nancy Bush, who has this special connection with all that is Estonian writes: "This wonderful book gathers Aino Praakli's  research on Estonian mittens under one cover. There are 175 color images of patterned Estonian mittens, a short description of each mitten from the museum archive notes with author’s comments, where the mitten came from, who made it (if known) and details about the construction. There is also a colored graph for each design, showing the pattern repeat.  Included are instructions for special techniques, an interview with the author and some of her personal thoughts on her work and the mittens she has studied." This book is a labor of love. Aino has spend countless hours in the Estonian National Museum collections, she has given her heart to these knitted treasures of her culture. Her dream is to see these patterns scattered around the world."
Expected early March, advance copy now available at the Museum Shop..

KNITTING TRADITIONS [IT77]. Released as a special issue of Piecework Magazine, This special edition includes selected articles from past issues covering the full spectrum of historical knitting from the early traditions of Turkish stockings to the early 20th c. lace knitting of Christine Duchrow. . We extend our kudos to editor,  Jeanne Hutchins who continues to praise the harmony of  threadwork and the human spirit.


MONK'S CLOTH, Jeanne Tams [AA79]. Simple, counted thread stitching in a style commonly known as Huck embroidery, is presented in a colorful collection of "17 fun and easy projects" irresistibly inviting.


TATTING LACE, Hisayo Sugita. [JK70]  An inspiring book for tatters. A wide range of projects from doilies to large table covers to borders, body ornaments, pictorials, motifs, ball covers, dimensional work, inverted picots...all in imaginative color. Most projects by graphic representation.  Japanese text. 


CROCHET BOOKS FROM JAPAN
New designs from Japan bring crochet into the realm of fashion through several books by Nihon Vogue. No longer doilies and stoic wearables, these new designs are delightfully fluid, with flowing lace sophisticated colors and stylish accessories. Books to look at:

CROCHET: 2010 [4807] {JK71]
CROCHET CLASSICS [4801] [JK72]
CROCHET LACE, V. 12 [4798] [JK73]
CROCHET STYLE #18 [4797] [JK74]
CROCHET LACE [4793] [JK75]
NATURAL CROCHET [4808] [JK76]
HAND MADE CROCHET [4806] [JK77]
CROCHET FOR SPRING/SUMMER [4799] [JK78]

RATTAIL. [ES11]. The universally popular #2 nylon rattail is now available in 200 yd rolls in 14 beautiful colors.


"LIZBETH” THREAD" With over 100 colors, this highest quality 6-ply cordonnet is now in stock in sizes #10 [HH40], #20 [HH41], and #40 [HH34]

Closing Thoughts

Spring will emerge, evidenced by the blossoming trees in California, and with it, the awakening of a new spirit of freedom in our nation. As our forthcoming Exhibit on the Twenties reflects major social changes demanding a new freedom, so we are, 90 years later, consolidating to demand again freedom as the necessary change.  Let us not be seduced to accept anything less.

May Valentines Day bring a respite from days unknown and a time for joy and reflections on lace as the symbol of this special day.

And looking for all that might be positive:
Kung Hei Fat Choi, a welcome to the Lunar New Year of the Tiger

Jules

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