We started the new year well by learning how to make crochet flowers with Moira Bunting’s help. I have not crocheted for over 40 years but with some guidance managed a couple of pretty flowers from silk variegated thread.. This type of evening goes down well with our members as they can chat while they learn something new and the home the results of their labours, all followed by tea/coffee and homemade biscuits. Thank you Moira for a lovely evening
There’s still time to come and see the beautiful lace made our late President, Patricia Bury. The craft fair is open today and Sunday 8th May. There is something for everyone to see, and if you have ever wished for an opportunity to ‘have a go’ at lacemaking, please ask one of our demonstrators to show you how on our ‘have a go’ lace pillow at Living Crafts.
I am so grateful to Jane Fullman for setting the 2021 Lace challenge and by doing so for introducing me to so many wonderful lacemakers and of course, to Instagram.
It was not easy at first but I have learn a little more each day. Having a granddaughter to suggest which app to use for my photos was a great help.
I have gained so much by taking part in the challenge and hope that I have also added something to it with my regular posts. Seeing what some of the worlds most eminent crafts people have posted for each word, was inspirational. I have met up with old friends and now follow other new friends across the world, hearing about their lace projects past and present. It has been amazing to see what paths some lacemakers are following and how others make their living from lace, but always with the same shared passion. Jenny Davies
I wish each and every one of you happy lacemaking in 2021.
#jane.fullman_bobbinandwire
#jenniferannette50
#lacechallenge_2021
We are are happy to say that we have received an invitation to put on a display of Lace at Living Crafts, Hatfield, on behalf of the Alban Lacemakers. Please put Thursday 7th to Sunday the 10th of May in your diaries. We will have members and friends demonstrating throughout the four days of the fair. If you come you will find us in the Maple tent, please say hello and mention this website. The theme for this year will be ‘circular lace’ and following on from the popularity of last year, we shall have two ‘have a go pillows’ on our stand, for those who wish to try their hand at lacemaking.
Tricia Thompson gave a wonderful talk in September, illustrated with slides, and took us back to Roman times to show us how footwear had changed (or not) over the years. We laughed at the colourful shoes the men were wearing and some members said they would be happy to wear them now, as I would the leather sandals. We heard of many superstitions associated with shoes, where you keep them and which you should put on first, making several members worried about their underbid storage. A definite no-no. We saw for ourselves that very fashion comes back in it’s own time and that shoes have always been a sign of status. I just wish I had realised this before I went to the meeting in my trainers.
We were so happy to see all our members and their friends at the first meeting we held after the summer break. The museum brought along a variety of things to sell from their shop to compliment the wonderful talk they gave on the history of the museum. We heard about the flax used to make the lace from Marion Swindells and how disease had wiped out the finer strains of the plant. Marion told of lace tokens and why they were minted and the lace tells the lacemakers would chant to pass the time. We learnt that an Ell was not the same measurement in Scotland as it was in England or France and that William Cowley made parchment for the lacemakers back in the 1860s and that they are still producing parchment in Olney today for various of uses. All of this while Marion showed us slides, telling us many things about the social history of the lacemaker in Buckinghamshire. Chairman Paul Collins followed by giving us a quick jaunt through some photos of staff in period costume and of the A list celebrities visiting the museum. It was a very popular talk and went down well with our members.
When Sara Impey came to talk to us about Coggeshall Tambour Lacehttp://www.coggeshallmuseum.org.uk last year and mentioned that she also did a talk on quilting I never imagined the amazing quilts she would bring to show us this month.
Sara originally trained as a newspaper journalist and every inch of her quilts echoes her love of words. The quilts were imaginative, amusing and so well stitched, many with social comments written in the lettering. Sara, a textile artist, produces such modern interesting pieces of work which were appreciated by everyone present at our evening meeting.
Jane and Alan Lewis brought a selection of their turned wooden items for us to buy to mount our lace. With spangles, decorated pins and many other wooden tools to choose from, which made for a pleasant evening.
The next three days were fantastic! There were so many visitors to Living Crafts, held in the grounds of Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, and most of the people who looked at our lace display wanted to try their hand at bobbin lace with a little help from our demonstrators. Over the four days of the craft fair we helped in excess of 175 people discover how to make the basic bobbin lace stitches on our ‘Have a Go’ pillows. As the weather warmed up so the number of visitors seemed to increase over the weekend; the country fair atmosphere was enjoyed by all.
Yesterday we arrived later in the day than usual, to put up the display at Living Crafts, as the weather was so dreadful when we were about to leave home. Most people had stuck to their usual timing and had almost finished their displays when we got there, and left while we were putting the finishing touches to ours. We were so glad we were there late. The sky darkened and the wind increased in strength and the display boards throughout the tent began rocking and banging against the marquee walls. We quickly removed the last of our fans and looked on in horror at the hail stones, blown under the ceiling, melting on the tables where the boards had stood!
Today was a little better. It was cold and we had some heavy showers but we all enjoyed making lace together and were happy to have such a huge amount of interest shown in our lacemaking. The ‘Have a Go’ pillows were a huge success and we were able to hand out details of lace classes around the area and put people from further away in touch with the Lace Guild.