The Lacis Museum Newsletter
August 13th, 2009
Dear Friends of LMLT,

Visitors came by droves during the last week of the extraordinary exhibit “As the Century Turns.”  No longer could a visit be postponed. The gallery is virtually empty, the wax mannequins seemingly lost without their finery as they await their trip home.

The Bobbin Lace exhibit will soon be filling the Gallery with memories beyond many generations of families, reaching back to civilizations captured only through paintings of apparent fantasy.  All are welcome to the opening on Friday September 25 from 6: - 9:00 PM. The following day, Saturday. Sept. 26 is the Smithsonian sponsored, National Museum Day an event to which LMLT was invited. More info can be found at www.smithsonian.com.

Exhibits

To add dimension, understanding and to promote this craft we will be scheduling demonstrations and classes. We would love to hear from anyone who would be willing to commit to demonstrating bobbin lace, specifically on Saturdays, between September 26 and February 1. Please contact Erin at 510-843-7290 or erin@lacis.com.

Thoughts on this ubiquitous craft is conjured up when looking beyond the physical lace, which, because of its anonymity retains the quality of being magical without reference to the human hand. These unknown lace makers, captured by so many contemporary artists and photographers, hold on to the spirit of dedication and devotion beyond themselves, captured through the eyes of others. This human element can not be denied. A gallery of these images will be part of this exhibit to help understand the context of these laces. Founded on Royalty where
wealth and desire had no restraints, lace would evolve to a necessity of survival and eventually the purvey of the artist.

 

A moment of this history is captured in the following excerpt from “The Women’s Condition Amongst the 19th c. Flanders Lace makers” as written by Andre Mabille de Poncheville (1911)
“...For married women, lacemaking should only be seen as a means of earning an extra wage. In fact, as was normal, they would when needed take their part in the farm work. But they were busier than unmarried women because they had to do the housework, and it would have been shameful if they neglected this. Let us not forget that lace is only justifiable from social point of view if, by keeping the wife at home, it helps make it more pleasant and more stable. If, on the contrary, the wife were to neglect her duties for one more ell of lace, this result would not be achieved. Unfortunately many of these women, in their eagerness for extra pennies, would neglect their domestic duties. But most of them knew how to divide their time between their craft and their duties as wife and mother. They were only able to devote some 5 of 6 hours a day to lacemaking....”
 from La Dentelle Issue #1 1980.



 One of our Staff, Beth, is a dedicated lace maker, seduced into this craft while living in Cape Town South Africa in 1992, when she stumbled into a small lace museum where she put her hands on the bobbins of a demonstration pillow. Soon an active member of the Cape Lace Guild, bobbin lace became a second language, not just working the patterns of Torchon, Milanese, Schneeburger and others but comfortable enough to express her own designs within these disciplines. When asked why, she relates “my fascination comes in learning an art form with great sensory input - the feel..the sound..the visual delight of the interweaving threads and the satisfaction..as you remove the last pin.” Beth will be hosting the Bobbin Lace Group this Saturday fro 1 - 3:00.

 
Events

California’s Living Knitted Lace Treasures: a Tribute to Gracie Larsen and Marguerite Shimmons
These two ladies, who in very different ways, brought recognition and respect to lace knitting, recognizing it as an art form were celebrated earlier this year in an exhibit coinciding with the LMLT Retreat. Lisa Neidinger, a committed supporter of lace knitting and LMLT who did the research for this exhibit has completed the work for our exhibit gallery. Please visit http://lacismuseum.org/previous_exhibits.html to view her contribution. A collection of the knitted works of Marguerite Shimmons can be viewed at http://lacismuseum.org/new_acquisitions.html.

FORTHCOMING EVENT

Theresa Pulido and Locker Hooking
An unusual rug making technique that struck the curiosity of Kaethe many years ago is finally getting into main stream with the publication of “Hook, Loop & Lock” a book of fun projects that take looker hooking well beyond its rug connotations. LMLT will be hosting Theresa on Saturday, August 22, between 1 and 4:00 PM  where she will be demonstrating the charms of this technique which can serve the “green” movement well with its ability to turn virtually any fiber, including old garments and plastic bags into items ranging from baskets  to bracelets and even rugs . Should be fun. Her book is presently in stock
 
Classes

VICTORIAN CORSETRY by Carol Wood. Carol is again offering this popular class as a two-part workshop on Saturdays November 14 and 21. By working on this during the week you should be able to complete the project by class end. This will be a double-layer corset in coutil with the option of covering it in your choice fashion fabric. A finished corset is on display at the Museum.

SILK RIBBON EMBROIDERY by Mike Swan. Saturday August 22, 10:00 to 1:00 PM. This 3-hr class is sure to get you involved in a lifelong passion for embroidery through the extraordinary talents and enthusiasm of Mike Swan a 30 year member of the EGA and long time teacher. All materials are included in the class fee.

CLASSES BEING PLANNED

BOBBIN LACE by Lieve Jerger. From a family dedicated to lace making and known for her innovative approaches, she will share her enthusiasm in a program, early October. She incorporated her wire lace into the illustrations for a delightful tale “The Winged Tiger and The Lace Princess,” which will be available in its second edition. She writes of a bobbin lace class  “with wire for kids, mothers and kids age 7 and up, (boys accepted too).”

KNITTING
“Learn to knit for life” is the theme of this class by Amy Keefer. a long time teacher, supporter of an all men’s knitting club in lower Manhattan, and knitting designer. This will be a 5 session (week) class covering beginning 


 
Groups at LMLT

Meeting on the third Saturday of each month from 1 - 3, all are welcome to learn, share and encourage. If curiosity persists, we would encourage participation in the more formal bobbin lace classes by Maria Maria Jose Munoz. The monthly group will be hosted this month by Beth Lysten, Maria being on a deserved vacation., meet Beth through the in the Bobbin Lace section of this Newsletter. The group will meet  this coming Saturday, August 15.
 
Details on all groups are available on our website at http://lacismuseum.org/classes.html.

New in the Shop

HAAPSALU SALL, Haapsalu sall by Siiri Reimann and Aime Edasi  (OU05)
An astonishing book, according to Nancy Bush, who introduced it us...”in Estonian, but that doesn’t matter.”
A 3+ pound coffee table size it is a collection of charted patterns (English symbols) with photos going beyond catalog pages as they conjure imagery of Estonia itself.

ANNA - Summer 2009 from Burda.
Keeping their promise of a knitted lace pattern by Herbert Niebling, this issue includes an extraordinary full table cloth (223 rows) for the “ambitious needleworker.”  This issue also includes a simpler shawl in the Shetland tradition using  a super-fine-weight yarn. And for the other needlework folk,lots of cross-stitch, crochet, embroidery and an interesting huck project with the warm summer themes.
 
A-Z OF SILK RIBBON FLOWERS, by Ann Cox 
A long wait, but this marvelous book has finally arrived. Over 30 flowers are lovingly created by a master gardener-embroiderer who shares her passion and unique techniques through step-by-step photos in a hardcover presentation.

ABALONE TATTING SHUTTLE (TT41)
A new tatting shuttle of extraordinary workmanship is finally available. The shell selected for color and shape,  are all symmetrical and of uniform.

VINTAGE CUT-GLASS BEADS (GB69)
These vintage #14 micro beads have all the appearance of steel beads, measuring 21 beads/in. Package in lots of approximately 250 beads these will make a 12” strand. Perfect for doll accessories.
Closing Thoughts

August, a month of warm summer days and tree ripe fruit brings a continued personnel saddness as this is now the seventh August since Kaethe’s passing.

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