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The
Lacis
Museum Newsletter
March 28, 2009
Dear Friends of LMLT,
Spring has arrived here in the Bay Area in full force, with cheery
birds and gardens full of color at every turn. Here at the museum,
we’re all closed
in the gallery, busy putting final touches on our new exhibit, but
every so often we manage to pop out for a breath of sunny spring air
and it
is most welcome after the past few rainy weeks.
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Exhibits |
Our new
exhibit, “As the Century Turns: The World of the
1890’s,” is almost ready for its debut. This exhibit is set
in the world of the 1890’s as time hurtles headlong into the 20th
century. Emphasizing period clothes along with the lace and linens
familiar to people living at the turn of the last century, this exhibit
presents a series of tableaux. To view this exhibit is a bit like
looking through a keyhole 100 years ago and seeing a slice of daily
life that includes not only shirt waists, petticoats, and drawers, but
also tablecloths, curtains, and doilies. The feel of the different
tableaux is lifelike and homey, with the pieces displayed not as
artifacts but like pieces from a home. Adding a breath of simulated
life are the period wax headed articulated mannequins graciously loaned
by Ellen Thompson, a longtime friend of Lacis, a member of the LMLT
Board of Directors, doll maker and proprietor of Making Memories Doll
Patterns. These lovingly restored mannequins impart lifelike movement
to the tableaux and a bit of glamour from the age itself.
This lovely and lively exhibit will open with a reception on Friday,
April 3, from 6 to 9 p.m., and we look forward to greeting you and
introducing you to this, our latest exhibit of precious textiles,
laces, and textile tools from the past.
The exhibit will be available during regular museum hours, from noon to
6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, from April 4 to August 1, 2009. 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.
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Classes
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MAKING
A VICTORIAN CORSET with Carol Wood, April 4 and 18
Carol Wood, an accomplished costumer, will teach you the art and
engineering of the Victorian corset, and guide you in making one of
your own. Starting with the pattern for “Ladies’ Victorian
Underwear” (#100) by Laughing Moon Mercantile, you’ll alter
the pattern to make a muslin mock-up fitted to your exact measurements,
then you’ll use your adjusted muslin mock-up to make a single- or
double-layer corset in coutil, with the option of covering it in your
choice of fashion fabric. Depending on your sewing ability and choice
of fabrics, it is possible to complete your corset if you work on your
project both Saturdays as well as the week between. You’ll also
receive a huge list of corsetry and reenactment suppliers,
bibliography, and demo handouts.
CUSTOMIZE A VICTORIAN GOWN: Taking Your Design from Concept to
Execution with Carol Wood, April 25, May 16 and 23
Need a gown for Dickens Faire, Gaskell Balls, or a wedding? Bring
in a sketch or photo of the Victorian gown of your dreams and construct
it under the guidance of a trained costumer. In this 3-session class,
you will customize a gown from the Victorian era of your choosing from
the widest of hoops to the tallest of bustles. Upon consultation with
the instructor, you will decide which patterns to use, how to alter
them to fit, what fabrics will work best, and the necessary
undergarments. In order to make good progress, you should already have
at least a corset of your chosen era that fits you and it is
beneficial, although not necessary, to have all other underpinnings
finished before class begins (such as hoop/bustle, bum pads, chemise,
etc.). The instructor will help you to custom fit your mocked up bodice
to achieve the best fit. We will then work out hemming a skirt over
many under-constructions as well as costuming short-cuts for things
like alterations, hidden pockets, moving in a hoop or bustle (how to
use the “loo” in a hoop!) etc. You can expect to either
finish your gown completely or be well on the way, depending on your
skill level and how much time you devote to your project outside of
class.
BOBBIN LACE IN FINE WIRE with Kim Davis, April 11 and 18
This class is for wire lace beginners as well as advanced students.
Basic bobbin lace skills are necessary. Students new to wire lace will
begin with plaiting in wire and progress to more difficult techniques.
Intermediate students will learn basic groundwork, sewings, adding
beads, and use of gimps and metal ribbon for special effects. Advanced
students will work a guipure pattern with leaves, plaits and cloth
stitch to produce a brooch or pendant.
Wire bobbins will be available in class for students to borrow upon
request. A class kit will be supplied in class with wire and other
necessary tools. This two-day class will include discussion and handout
about choosing appropriate bobbins, tools, and wire for projects.
STRAW HAT MAKING with Jacqueline Palacios, April 4 and 11
Make your own spring hat with a light weight parasisal straw hood in
time for Easter! We will block the hat the first day and decorate the
second day of the class, so bring any decorative trimmings, such as
feathers, ribbons, flowers, etc! The sky is the limit!
HOW TO MAKE AND DECORATE BUSTLE ERA AND LATE VICTORIAN STRAW HATS with
Lynn McMasters, June 13 and 20
In the first session students will learn how to sew straw plait (braid)
together on a sewing machine to make one of 5 slightly different hats.
At the end of this session Lynn will help students come up with a
design and materials list for finishing up their hats. In the second
session she will teach the different techniques needed to decorate
their hats, covering such things as adding silk flowers over a large
area of the hat without adding glue to the hat, dealing with feathers
(how to join and curl them and how to add them to your hat), how to use
netting on hats to add fill, and how to use fine wire to make ribbon
loops.
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 at
LMLT |
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 the first Saturday of every
month from 1 to 3 in the museum shop. In view of the large attendance
the group now draws, the group will now be meeting in the second floor
exhibit space, so there will be ample room for everyone, along with all
the show-and-tell projects. Our next meeting will be April 4. Be sure
to allow extra time to take in our new exhibit!
BOBBIN LACE GROUP
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. (And be sure to check out the new Ravelry group for Bobbin Lace
Lovers. If you’re not yet a Raveller, you’re missing out on
one of the best things to happen to the fiber arts since the spindle!
Check it out at www.ravelry.com and join in the fun today.)
Details on all groups are available on our website at
http://lacismuseum.org/classes.html.
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New in the Shop |
Just
received is a magnificent work entitled ENGLISH EMBROIDERY FROM THE
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, 1580 – 1700: ’TWIXT ART AND
NATURE. This beautiful volume centers on the Met’s collection of
embroideries from the late Tudor and Stuart periods. Over eighty works
are presented in illuminating text and color illustrations, including
details that allow the reader to appreciate the beauty of the fibers
and the intricacy of the stitchery. A series of scholarly essays place
the samplers, garments, accessories, and decorative objects and
hangings in historical context, with special attention to the role of
women in the production of decorative arts, and the role of needlework
in women’s education. Blackwork, goldwork, redwork, crewel and
stumpwork, supplemented by the pattern manuals used by seventeenth
century
embroiderers, make this a feast for the eyes and a source of
inspiration for modern needleworkers.
Our newest sewing aid is now available for you to try out in the shop.
A non-magnetic, magnet-attracting sheet, it’s rather like a sheet
of steel that is light weight and can be rolled up for carrying and
storage. The large 24" x 30" sheet comes with magnetic strips and 3
light-weight magnets that take the place of the heavy weights used in
laying out patterns. The small 12" x 15" sheet comes with 12" magnetic
strips for following stitchery, knitting and filet crochet charts. The
sheets have a white, easy-to-clean vinyl surface and can be cut with a
scissors to any custom size.
Good news for fans of OMAS STRICKGEHEIMNISSE! I have finished
translating the symbols for this wonderful compendium and have written
up a
leaflet that is available for purchase on our website or in the shop. I
combed through all the patterns to catch the symbols that weren’t
included in the list at the front of the book, and test knitted each
stitch to make sure the directions were correct and clear, so I feel
fairly confident that this leaflet will be helpful. (If you catch an
error, please let me know so that I can correct it for future editions
and post errors to our website.) The symbols used in this book are not
the ones usually used, and the stitches themselves can be quite
tricksie, so I learned a great deal working my way through the
patterns, but it was well worth the time. Working on this project
helped me to understand the path that led to the intricacies of
“Kunststricken.” I always wondered how Christine Duchrow
and the other German knitters developed all the twists and turns that
make art knitting such an exciting adventure, and these patterns
suggest that they learned them at their omas’ knees. I hope this
leaflet will be helpful to all of you who own or want to purchase this
wonderful book. There’s enough between its covers to keep your
fingers busy for a good long time!
For those dedicated to the finest of silk threads for embroidery or
braiding, we now stock the full 121 color line of Fujix Tire twisted
filament silk buttonhole weight thread packaged on 20 meter cards. This
thread provides a welcome addition to the popular Kanagawa 1000 denier
silk thread.
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Closing Thoughts |
Best
wishes for a lovely spring weekend to all our readers!
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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