The Lacis Museum Newsletter

May 20th, 2010
Dear Friends of LMLT,

This Week

One of our founding Board Members, Martha Sherick Shen, who understood the role that LMLT would play in disseminating an understanding of lace was to understand the hands of the lace maker, the theme of our recent Exhibit of Bobbin Lace. Returning from a trip to England, she writes:
There was a stained glass window that had been replaced in Westminster Abbey after the devastation of WWII at the bottom it said right in the glass:  “The workmanship of their hands is their prayer.” I understand more deeply. .
 
Events

NIGHT AND DAY - THE WORLD OF THE TWENTIES This exhibit explores the spirit of this period through the garments and accessories, some touched by the ribbon embroidered flowers and beadwork from Paris, others from the day dress pages of the Sears and Roebuck catalog,
Witness the memories as you step through the looking glass of near 100 years ago. For a taste of the exhibit visit a Slide Show.
Incorporated into the exhibit are Ellen Thompson’s contemporary wax-headed articulated dolls which she again generously lent to LMLT for this exhibit. These lovingly restored pieces impart an air of life-like movement  along with a bit of glamour from the age itself.

CHILDREN’S CLOTHES: The ‘20s
Compared to the two decades previous children’s wear changed dramatically in the 1920s. The formality in children’s clothes melted away and comfort and durability took over. Like adult clothes of the period, children’s clothes benefited with the changing silhouettes and fashionable styles. Small children and babies benefited enormously, now they had clothes that were designed for play. Many clothes for small children were made at home, often beautifully embroidered. Babies now had rompers for moving around. Very little girls wore short waist less dresses that often had matching bloomers. These outfits were similar to the wash suits for small boys. Wash suits were made up of shirt and shorts that buttoned together. At the beginning of the twenties, older girls were wearing white lacey dresses for well-dressed occasions, but by the middle in the decade they were wearing miniature versions of women’s dresses. Older boys wore miniature versions of male clothes with an emphasis on durability and freedom of movement.

 

EMBROIDERY: The Extraordinary of Needle and Spirit. September 25, 2010 - February 1, 2011
The Fall textile exhibit will depart from the previous Lace themes and present an overview of Needlework from the Museum’s Embroidery collection. Encompassing virtually every culture and age, the needle would secure the symbols of tradition as well as the freedom and spirituality of the individual, the needle garnering  an emotional appeal unique to embroidery.
 
Classes

May 21 and May 28
[Note: due to a family loss this class has been postponed one week]

MAKE A BOBBIN LACE BOX with Beth Lysten. Held on 2 consecutive Friday evenings from 6:00-9:00, this class is open to anyone who has basic skills in bobbin lace. If you are not sure, come to the monthly bobbin lace group on the third Saturday of each month from 1:00 - 3:00 where you can receive some basic information.  For centuries, Torchon Lace has been the basis technique of bobbin lace due to its simplicity. It is used in most folk costume and general trimmings. In this class you will make a small box for treasures using color threads.  Class fee is $70.00.



June 5

A CLASS IN STRAW WORK with Nan Rohan. A one day workshop where you will learn to manipulate this ubiquitous fiber that enchanted the earliest of man.

   

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 focus on technique, the secrets of hand and thread manipulation not found in on the written page. Projects 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. A rare event. LMLT is honored to have her presence. Workshop fee is $250.00



The Second Edition of Maire’s popular “Clones Lace” is now available (May 26th). This is the story of Irish Crochet and its unique interpretation by the Clones lacemakers. The secrets unfold through detailed instructions, traditional motifs and patterns with the temptation to be challenged by the creative aspects of this Irish lace.

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 offered by LMLT.  The group will next meet on Saturday, June 19th 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 this Saturday, June 12



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

New in the Shop

NUOVA S1 LACE BOOKS: An extraordinary collection of Italian lace books covering such diverse areas as Bobbin Lace, Macrame, Tatting, Punto Antico, and Amilia Ars. 

MERLETTI E RICAMI ITALIANI 2005 [Italian Laces and Embroideries]. (EN20). Celebrating Italian needlework, a biennial event, the “International Forum of Lace and Embroidery” is held to encourage and explore studies in traditional and modern expressions. This volume accompanied the 2005 event. With both Italian and English text this is an extraordinary resource for lace historians. This event focused on 15th and 16th c. pattern books and how they influence today’s artists. As a lexicon, it defines the subtleties of the many techniques, including stitch diagrams, and an approach to classification.

DISEGNI PER MERLETTI, Ostaus, Paganino, Vavassore, Vinciolo (EN13). A collection of five 16th century pattern books for lace and embroidery serving the makers of bobbin lace, needle lace and filet.

LIBRO DELLE LETTERE, Liliana Babbi Cappelletti (EN19). An amazing collection of 3415 classic monograms and letters for embroidery on 688 pages by a most talented embroiderer.

TATTING LACE [4841], Sumi Fujishige (JK83). This latest book from Japanese tatter, takes tatting to new dimensions both literally and figuratively. Definitely not for the faint.

Closing Thoughts

Entering new seasons and new challenges facing the freedoms we can no longer take for granted, let the supporting constant to survive be the makers hands in communicating what makes us individuals. 


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