Official Newsletter   •   April 1, 2023

Contents in This Month's Issue




Greetings, Lacis friends




What an action-packed month April promises to be at Lacis Museum! We're BEYOND excited to present our first new exhibit since 2021...

Day's End: Personal Glamour Exposed

The celebratory opening event will be April 29. Current LMLT members have already been invited; if you don't want to miss out, get your own membership either in the shop in-person, over the phone, or online through our Etsy shop! It's $25 per year and you get so many benefits... not to mention our immense gratitude for your support.
    Not a member? Not to worry! You can see the exhibit, too. For the general public, following April 29, just contact us in advance of your visit to reserve a tour! It's $3.00 per person and tours require (2) or more persons. It's located in our upstairs gallery, but now that we have an elevator, it's accessible to all!


Come and step back in time with us. Let's explore what people have historically worn at home, in private, and to bed. There are dozens of swoon-worthy garments, bonnets, and even some beautiful coverlets to feast your eyes upon. We promise it'll give you a newfound appreciation for loungewear and pajamas through the ages!


FYI, there's still time—and space—for you to sign up for our 4-Day Clones Irish Crochet Lace Workshop with Mairé Treanor. It promises to be a fun and lively group. This will be the first year hosting this class since we've renovated our upstairs classroom space—now accessible by elevator, awash in natural light, and so spacious, too!



        


As some of you already know, we have some exciting brand-new class offerings on the menu for Spring!
    One is taught by superstar mending lady and tireless advocate for the planet... Julie Ann Brown! It's "Mindful Mending", and another is Catherine Scholar's "Beetlemania! The Art of Beetlewing Embroidery". Last but not least, we have a millinery class to entice you with: "The Gilded Age Tall Straw Hat", led by the perennial favorite, Lynn McMasters.




Our steadfast curator and Museum Director, Jules Kliot, continues to give the heartfelt final tours of Bird in the Textile Arts this past month. Here he is with longtime Lacis Museum friend Kathy Smith, plus Patricia Steadman and Sean Thurston—a group of avid historical costumers, as it happens. It was such a pleasure to share all these woven, embroidered, and lacy birds with you all. The exhibit closes in April, so be sure to book your tour before we say farewell to it forever!





Customer Projects

We love it when our talented Lacis visitors are working on a project and show us a photo, or even bring in the project itself! Inspiration abounds in this place, and that's in no small part thanks to you. Read our Customer of the Month section for even more amazing work done by our Lacis friends.

The amazing Hannah Kepner (standing on the right) knitted these shawls! They're Stephen West designs—we actually have a number of Lacis Museum friends who love his work ("Westknitters"), and faithfully participate in his Knit-a-Longs every year! (Hannah knitted the one on the left, helpfully shown by dear friend Elena Bary, in 2019, and the one on the right, which she herself holds, in 2020.) It's so nice when we meet new people who love his work. Kindred knitting spirits, woohoo!
    Hannah's been immersed in the fiber arts since she was practically a toddler. Her grandma taught her how to crochet, but she's a self-taught knitter. And her grandmother was a veritable fiber arts maven. Not only did she impart many skills to Hannah, along with a love of handicrafts, but Hannah also inherited her stash of yarn. We cannot imagine a more precious legacy to be entrusted with.





Alexis Berger, our favorite glassblowing jewelry-creator, came and visited us in March, bringing with her a veritable bevvy of powerful women artists, movers and shakers (like the beautiful, brilliant Angeliska, for one). They were treated to a joyful tour of The Bird in the Textile Arts exhibit, and their combined energies and personal styles were such fantastic inspiration!

   

You'll remember Alexis's skirt from back in December... not to mention her shockingly beautiful mana figa charms from back in May of 2022... but if not, and "mano figa" doesn't ring a bell, we highly recommend you read about world mano figa traditions first, and then go refresh your memory.
    As you can see, Alexis has been making great progress on her crochet skirt. She's been continually building on it, each uniquely patterned row of lace trim like the various geologic strata of her life. It's a garment that is also a living document, into which she pours her energies and memories. Like her experiences and body of art, it grows and grows, full of variety, full of surprises! We love to see it. Beautiful work as always, Alexis!



Upcoming Exhibit

Day's End: Personal Glamour Exposed

Tours are by appointment only


Our newest exhibit, Day's End: Personal Glamour Exposed, allows us to peek into the closets of history to reveal our most intimate items of clothing: the things never worn around strangers or out of the house. It is a joyful exploration of the gorgeous, often sensuous attire worn in private, like nightgowns, robes, and pajamas from the 1860s to the 1930s.
    Such garments represented the shedding of one's public life to transition into a personal world of comfort and glamour. These historical clothes were worn for the wearer's pleasure and sometimes included intricate details that only one's closest loved ones ever saw. An elegant nightgown, an essential part of a bride's trousseau, would have only been seen by her new husband.
    Nighttime apparel often featured inserts of the finest machine lace, hand embroidery, ribbons, shirring, pin tucks, ruffles—and sometimes the ultimate stamp of luxury, a custom monogram. And although these garments were available through catalogs and stores, many pieces were lovingly handmade at home, further confirming their cherished nature.
    Stroll through this dreamscape of our past... before sweatpants, yoga pants, and workplace pajamas... and into a world of sumptuous personal glamour—exposed.



Current Exhibit

The Bird in the Textile Arts

LAST CHANCE! This show will be closing this month!

Tours are by appointment only
Opening reception event | Images from the exhibit


Detail from "6 Fighting Birds on a Buddhist Shawl" [12441]


Our avian friends in literature and on canvas have long held a place of pride through all civilizations and all times.
    The bird captured in thread and textiles is more obscure and less defined. Depicted by a single thread, a bountiful palette of threads, a thread following a hook or threads flowing in harmony through the bobbins of lace, the bird is captured by the hands of the creator.
    This amazing presentation captures this spirit from Pre-Columbian Peru to the earliest of laces to a world of unbound wealth of thread, color and needle.

For Katherine Bond of Berkeley, the exhibit was, in her words, "Spectacular!" She was "speechless at the display of time, quality, variety and geography of the works."
    Visitor Virginia Davis was similarly floored, enthusing that it was "totally FABULOUS."
    Paula and Rob Patterson, who came to visit all the way from Colorado, said that, "As birders, we so appreciated this exhibit. Thank you!"
    Lacis Museum member Blair Van Tassel felt the same way: "Beyond amazing details," she agreed.



Currently on Exhibit in the Museum Shop

A Feast of Lace Doilies

These pieces from our collection are terrific examples of a number of different lacemaking techniques! Be sure to check out our display that contains these, and many more gorgeous doily specimens—it'll be in a display case on your left-hand side, almost the first thing you see when you come into the shop.








Currently on Exhibit in the Museum Shop

Aubusson Tapestry: "The Stag at Bay"




This Robert Four tapestry reproduces a segment of "The Stag at Bay" from the Netherlands.
The original dates back to the late 15th century, and it now resides at the Met Museum.
This copy, however, you can see at Lacis Museum, hanging above our shop floor!


The Aubusson tapestry-weaving tradition has continued almost unbroken since the 1300s, when its small weaving industry was first established. There was a hiatus in the 1700 and 1800s, but its 20th-century revival peaked in about 1911.
    The piece you'll see here at Lacis Museum dates from after the 1950s, but the methods used in its manufacture are extremely close to those of the artisans centuries ago. In fact, in 2019, Aubusson tapestries were declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.



Shown here is the entirety of "The Stag at Bay" at the Met Museum. It's part of a series — southern Netherlandish in origin — called "Incidents in a Stag Hunt".
    While the sequence includes Following the Stag's Trail, Rewarding the Hounds, A Hunting Party Leaving the Castle, Preparing to Undo the Stag in the Field, and A Hunter Returning to the Castle, all these pieces are much smaller. "Stag at Bay" seems to be not only the height of the drama, but the decorative focal point.
    You may remember our Textile Trivia piece on the Unicorn Tapestries back in April 2022 — but if you don't, and happen to find yourself falling in love with tapestries, we recommend checking it out.



Recently Sold in Our Etsy Shop

Let's find out where our vintage treasures ended up!



Yixin Xu is a PhD student from the Penn State University art history department researching textiles. She is a passionate collector of vintage clothing, and we were so happy to hear that she received this blouse we sent her just in time for her birthday!

        

Yixin was so kind as to describe her intentions to us, and shared these beautiful pictures. Our jaws hit the floor! What a vision! And her genius for fashion...!
    We are so ecstatic when you guys do stuff like that; we couldn't ask for a kinder gesture of appreciation from our Lacis Museum friends and customers! If historical costume is your thing, we recommend you follow Yixin on Instagram—she's @xyxrena and her brilliant sartorial stylings are sure to be an inspiration to you!






Currently Available in Our Etsy Shop






Historical Textile Trivia

Temari



To put it simply, temari are balls made of wrapped thread. It's a Japanese textile folk art associated with sacred and rarefied things: nobility and court maids, maternity and childrearing, good fortune and geometry... Think of them as toys, but elevated to a high art form. Not only that, but they're a highly auspicious gift.

Not too long ago, a Lacis Museum visitor came into the shop looking for some cotton thread with which to wrap a temari she was making. Though far from her first temari project, it was a pattern which was new to her, and we had great fun helping her pick out colored skeins of DMC cutwork thread (#16 weight) and build up a delicious palette of purples and greens. We hope it has turned out well!
    Temari have long been an object that had been of great fascination to us, and our new friend generously imparted what she herself had been taught about their history—a delightful and unforgettable revelation. Now we're eager to share with you some other little tidbits we have gathered together about this fascinating thousand-year-old tradition—but consider this a teaser, and keep your eye open for more to come...!









Did you know that at Lacis, we have everything you need to make your own temari balls, including how-to books? (Some great ones in English, but a lot of them in Japanese, too, if you can deal with that!)
    If you're pressed for time and just want to get to the good stuff (that is, wrapping/stitching the intricate surface pattern), we carry the handy styrofoam balls, including ones from Olympus that are already divided into 6, 8, or 12 segments. That'll make the job go by faster.
    But, if you want to do it in the most traditional, economical, ecologically friendly and resourceful way, we have SO MUCH vintage thread that's been donated to us by our supporters in the local fiber arts community! A handful of beads or random scraps from a grab bag sewn into a roughly spherical, cloth bag shape for your core (maybe with some bells inside for good measure?) will save you some time and give your ball a nice weight and sound. Wind that vintage thread—slowly, and with great care to create a perfect sphere—into a magical ball of beautiful color and mark it off with pins. Create your own unique design or draw from the hundreds of well-documented traditional patterns
.


Sooo many temari books at Lacis Museum...! Diana Vandervoort helped make the craft accessible to a broader English-speaking audience in the '80s with titles like Temari Treasures and Temari Adventures, both on the far left.





Call for Temari-Makers!



In the future, we'd love to put on a temari exhibit at Lacis Museum. Are you part of this world? We would be so honored to share your story, showcase your work, and finally bring some long-overdue attention to this incredible Japanese craft. Email us at info@lacismuseum.org.

ASM 34304

ASM 34302

ASM 29117

ASM 34035

ASM 34303

Feast your eyes on some of the gorgeous temari in the Lacis Museum permanent collection. The smallest on the bottom left (ASM 34305) measures 3" high, and the largest at the top right (ASM 34302) measures 4.5". And this largest one—the only one with a ceremonious tassel attached—along with ASM 29117, have bells inside. The others are silent, though their colors sing.



New Favorite Products & Publications at Lacis

Our staff picks their favorite fresh titles & tools

Don't forget, Lacis Museum Members receive 20% off of books purchased in our Museum shop



Erin Eggenburg's Mending Directory

FB06      $23

"Repair your well-loved clothes beautifully! An inspiring guide to eco-friendly and sustainable fashion, The Mending Directory offers 50 modern stitch patterns and sashiko visible mending designs to transform your favorite pieces from worn-out to wow! Perfect for both beginners and those with sewing experience, this guide will help you save money, building your sewing and stitching skills, and make stunning fashion statements. Each sashiko pattern is organized by skill level and feature a variety of styles for all kinds of wearables. From geometric grid-based patterns to charming nature-inspired designs, The Mending Directory has something for everyone and every item in need of TLC!"




Shea Henderson's School of Sewing

HA75      $40

"School of Sewing allows you to follow in the footsteps of a group of beginners who shared one goal — to learn to use their sewing machines. This book is an engaging, detailed lesson plan designed to guide you along that same journey, whether you are learning alone or as a group. It begins with easy-to-follow instructions for how to use a sewing machine and advice on buying fabric and tools and then progresses through 12 projects — one three-hour lesson a month, perfect for friends to learn together. Your own School of Sewing will be proud to show off or to gift these trendy projects, which include a pillowcase, zippered pouch, tote bag, and patchwork quilt, each with optional details for 'extra credit.'"




Seiko Nakano's Whitework Embroidery:
Designs & Accessories with a Modern Twist

SQ97      $29

"Learn four of the most popular types of traditional whitework embroidery — Schwalm, Ajour, Hedebo, and drawn threadwork. The projects here are easy to succeed with, including table linens, pouches, wearables, and more, and are designed to fit perfectly with today's sense of beauty. Includes a complete how-to stitch guide and full-size patterns."


Customer of the Month

Karen Tierney



This month we want to introduce you to one of the longtime pillars of the Lacis Museum family, Karen Tierney. She and our original founder, Kaethe Kliot, were dear friends. Decades ago, they bonded over their devotion to textiles. To this day, Karen considers Kaethe an important mentor in her life, and she fondly remembers Kathe's infectious enthusiasm for antique textiles, restoration, and bridal gowns. In fact, intent on honoring Kaethe's memory and wishes, Karen served on the board that stewards the Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles for many years.
    Kaethe's love of lace resulted in Lacis; Karen's vintage and antique textile restoration and bridal atelier, Studio Trousseau, is likewise a manifestation of her own passion.


Karen Tierney has been sewing her entire life.
    Even as a child, she would be constructing and stitching together full-blown ballgowns—not for her dolls to wear, but for herself.
    Her mother, a homemaker and not an experienced seamstress herself, could barely suppress her utter horror at Karen's willful creativity and courageous impulses. Karen would cut into beautiful fabrics, boldly experimenting and inventing her own patterns on the fly. As yet, the burgeoning young sewist and fashion designer knew no limits, and she had always been handy: it was no doubt the childlike receptivity to the "yes," before maturity and adulthood stamps such instincts out of us. But Karen has never lost that risk-taking mindset, and in fact strives to maintain and cultivate it, as a strength and a motivating factor in her work.

    

These incredible dresses of Karen's, believe it or not, are entirely new constructions — modern gowns based on specific historic references. From left to right respectively, we're looking at styles from 1810, 1868, and 1880.

While in school back in Michigan, Karen regularly participated in Winter Balls, so she spent many hours sewing sumptuous (and warm!) gowns of heavy, luxurious velvet materials in her youth.
    However, Karen's serious start in the world of fashion design started when she got into vintage ballroom dancing. She studied under dance historian Richard Powers of Stanford, and became a member of Academy of Danse Libre troupe. This black-and-white photograph shown right is Karen with Powers — it's from her first performance, demonstrating a Ragtime dance in Paris.
    If you're curious to learn more about this magical world of social dance, Powers authored Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living, for your further investigation.

Keeping it in the family: a wedding dress that Karen reconstructed for a contemporary bride. From left to right, it was worn by her client's grandmother in 1950, her mother in 1980, and finally by the client herself, in 2011.

Though it seems like a calling she was born to, Studio Trousseau is actually Karen's second career, and it was deeply motivated by a need to incorporate costume into her professional life.
    Because Karen was always involved in the applied arts—as branding designer for many years, running her own firm in SF—creative director at Adobe—adjunct professor at the Academy of Art University San Francisco—finally moving into the textile arts was a natural transition. She found that, philosophically, "graphic design lent skills to the craft. You have to consider line, color, proportion, texture, movement, structure... I consider what I do to be 'soft architecture.'"
    This makes so much sense to us. What also makes sense is that Karen's favorite types of projects include the really difficult creative challenges, like transforming antique and vintage gowns to accommodate different brides, restoring items almost beyond salvaging, and (of course) re-creating gowns from history, in all their glorious detail.
    For example, one such garment reproduced by Karen was depicted in 1855 painting by Frans-Xaver Winterhalter. It's the famous group portrait of Empress Eugénie and her ladies-in-waiting, and the dress in question is the one that appears on the far right—the gray-lavender and black lace. In fact, it was Kaethe who sourced the black lace for the project—when she found the material, she brought it immediately to Karen's attention, urging her to use it, as it was such an irresistibly perfect match.

   

Just look at these stunning before-and-after photos! This is truly a craft akin to sorcery: Karen can transform badly damaged items back into their most resplendent state of perfection.

We're excited to report that Karen will very soon be putting on a fashion show! It'll be at the Pardee mansion in Oakland on April 30. Its focus will include restored gowns and historically-inspired gowns, and it'll showcase everything from a 1810-style fantasy gown to something from 1969 (such "a difficult period in fashion," Karen admitted, though she ultimately managed to transform it into a beautiful piece).
    Movingly, Karen is being temporarily reunited with items she has worked on in the past, coming in from Montana, Oregon, Maine... things she hasn't seen in many years! As inaugural fashion shows go, it's sure to be a lovely culmination of her ouvre, and the beginning of a new chapter for Studio Trousseau. If you're interested in bridal fashion and gorgeous gowns with history, we urge you to get a ticket and see this show for yourself!

This particular gown that Karen restored was worn for five generations of New Bedford brides—the first in 1884, the most recent in 2007—and was even made the subject of a documentary film.



Classes at Lacis

There are so many things to learn at Lacis!


Interested in taking a class? You can drop off your completed registration form in person during business hours, email it to us, or simply give us a call to enroll!





Call for Instructors!



Do you have a passion for...

Preserving your cultural textile arts heritage?
For cultivating and educating the textile arts community?
For spreading the love of needle, bobbin and thread?


Do you happen to teach lacemaking (bobbin lace, needle tatting, crochet or knitted lace, etc.) or historical costuming and hatmaking skills? Perhaps you've already led similar workshops, or have designed an interesting textile arts workshop that would complement these fields.
    If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear about it. Fill out an Prospective Instructor form and email it back to us at info@lacismuseum.org!



Upcoming Classes



         Clones Irish Crochet: A 4-Day Workshop
         with Máire Treanor

         Wednesday-Saturday, April 12-15, 2023 — 10 AM to 5 PM
           $300.00 for all 4 days (or $200.00 for any 2 days)



Máire is excited to return to Lacis once again!
     Lacis is once again pleased to announce the return of Máire Treanor, master of Irish Crochet, for a 4-day in-person workshop of Clones Irish Crochet.
     In the first two days, newcomers will work on Clones lace jewelry, learning the basic stitches of Irish Clones lace, before progressing to traditional motifs of wild rose, shamrocks, vine leaves, grapes, and other motifs familiar in Irish Crochet, which use packing cord, as well as the unique Clones knot filling stitch and edging. Returning students are invited to bring a project on which they have been working, getting advice and help on finishing it.
     Students will discuss how to read antique Irish Crochet patterns and the international charts used in Ukrainian, Russian and Japanese books, with samples of garments in Modern Irish Crochet.
     Prerequisites: For this captivating workshop series, students should be familiar with the basic crochet stitches of chain, single crochet, and double crochet in yarn. During this special workshop, Máire encourages students to work at their own pace, with individual help and encouragement.




         Beginning Tatting
         with Kevin Baum

          Saturday, April 22 — 12:30 to 4:00 PM
           $45



Have you admired tatting and wondered if you could be able to tat? Tatting is surprisingly easy to do, despite its seeming intricacy. Only a few stitches need to be mastered to create beautiful tatted works of art. These beginner classes will get you on track for shuttle tatting by teaching you the tools and techniques.
    You will concentrate on learning the double stitch, which all shuttle tatting is based on. Once the double stitch has been mastered, you will learn to make rings and picots, and then how to connect rings through picots. The goal of these classes is to create, with practice, a simple edging of connected rings and picots.




         Beetlemania! The Art of Beetle Wing Embroidery
         with Catherine Scholar

          Saturday, April 29 — 12:30 to 4:30 PM
           $40 + $40 kit fee (payable to instructor)



Beetle wing embroidery, made with glittering gold work embellished with the wing casings of the Jewel Beetle, is an ancient craft technique practiced traditionally in Thailand, Myanmar, India, China, and Japan. It was popular through most of the 19th century and into the 1920s. Notable beetle wing garments include Lady Curzon's peacock dress (1903) and a costume dress worn by the actress Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth, depicted in the painting Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth (1889).
     In this class, you will use couched cording techniques to make two simple motifs and learn to shape and apply the wings.
     Prerequisites: Basic hand-sewing skills.




         A Flower Mandala: A Surface Embroidery Class
         with Laura Tandeske

          Saturday, May 6 — 12:30 to 4 PM
           $45 + $5 kit fee (payable to instructor)



This will be a fun and interactive surface embroidery course that is perfect for both the first-time embroiderer or the experienced embroiderer looking for a refresher. We will learn the Woven Wheel, French Knot, Buttonhole, Lazy Daisy, and the Chain stitches. You will learn techniques and tips that you just can't get from books!




         A Millinery Class: The Gilded Age Tall Straw Hat
         with Lynn McMasters

          Saturday, May 13 — 12:00 to 5 PM
           $60 + $20 kit fee (payable to instructor)



This workshop will allow you to create a millinery confection for your stylish Gilded Age outfit! We will start with a short lecture on what is possible with plaited straw hats and reshaping them. Students will choose the hat shape they want and make a rough sketch of their hat. You will then create hat blocks out of heavy cardboard, use the hat block to shape the hat, size/stiffen the hat and allow to dry. After the lunch break, students will explore how to decorate their hat. This could include covering the under brim with fabric, as well as creating a hatband and tacking on decorations—flowers, feathers, etc. There will also be a demo how to line the hats or how to add wide petersham sweatband inside the hat.




         A Sampler Class: Mindful Mending
         with Julie Ann Brown

          Saturday, May 20 — 12:00 to 5 PM
           $55 + $20 kit fee (payable to instructor)



Dare to repair your own clothes and never throw them out again! In this class, you will make a mending sampler to take home featuring a variety of stitches to fix tears, holes and other damage. You will gain the confidence to tackle your own mending pile by mixing and matching these stitches to your heart's content. The only rule in mending is to make the garment last as long as possible.




         A Ribbon Class: The Sunburst Cockade
         with Patrice Krems

          Saturday, June 24 — 12:30 to 5 PM
           $55 + $20 kit fee (payable to instructor)



You will be most familiar with the Sunburst Rosette Cockades on military tricorne hats in the Revolutionary War and cloche hats and dresses in the 1920s. The Sunburst Rosette Cockade is a vintage-style favorite that can be modified in countless different ways and give you every opportunity to display or wear your ingenuity.
    Among the techniques you will learn is how to make beaded stamens. This vintage style cockade can be also be transformed into delightful dangling flowers twirling like whimsical ballerinas from the ends of the gimp stems.
    The cockade flowers look best made out of French wired ombré ribbon, while the Sunburst Rosette Cockade is traditionally made out of grosgrain ribbon. The sample in the picture is also made from French wired ombré ribbon.





         A Ribbon Class: Delightful Daffodils
         with Patrice Krems

         Saturday, July 15, 2023 — 12:30 to 5 PM
           $55 + $20 kit fee (payable to instructor)



Spring will be in the air as you make a delightful pleated daffodil out of French wired ribbon!
    You will learn how to transform flat ribbons into a three-dimensional ruffled confection. If there is time, you will learn how to make a beaded tassel cascading from the end of the calyx.
    Depending on whether you decide to make the Small or Large Daffodil, this versatile flower pattern can be finished to turn your daffodil into a brooch, pin cushion, a hat decoration or even a drip catcher sitting jauntily on the spout of a teapot!




Last Month's Classes



         Bust(le) A Move: Constructing A Bustle-Era Skirt
         with Catherine Scholar












Textile Arts Calendar

What to Watch, See, & Do




The San Francisco School of Needlework and Design will be hosting a Textile Tell-All on Saturday, April 29! Join them for an educational and interactive day to learn about your needlework pieces, family heirlooms, and personal textile treasures! They'll also be hosting presentations on a variety of textile topics. Hear from experts in antique tools, lace, needlepoint samplers, fashion and costume, conservation, and appraising.



•  

Saturday, April 1    Jane Austen Regency Ball
Join us for an elegant assembly ball set in the world of Jane Austen. Greenwich Mean Time, capital in their country dances, will play English country dances popular in the time of Jane Austen as well as some earlier country dance classics and a number of exquisite early 19th waltzes and waltz country dances. And, of course, we will dance the wildly popular Congress of Vienna Waltz and Sir Roger de Coverley.
    Don't know a hey for four from an allemande? Never fear! There will be a pre-ball workshop in Regency country dance from 7 to 8pm, and all country dances will be briefly taught and called.
    Late 18th century, early 19th century Regency (1811-1820) or Romantic era costume is admired, but not required, and modern evening dress is a perfectly acceptable alternative to period costume. Costumes and characters from both Jane Austen's novels and films and the popular T.V. series "Bridgerton" are very welcome.


•  

Sunday, April 16    Costumer's Bazaar
After a couple of years, the Costumer's Bazaar is BACK! Are you looking for fabulous fabrics, trims or patterns? Maybe you're interested in some great new or used costume items? If the answer to any of the above is "yes", you MUST join us at the GBACG Bazaar and shop for your next great set of gloves, or a hat, or a whole outfit for our 2023 events.


Textile Arts Council

•  

Saturday, April 15    The California Art Quilt Revolution: From the Summer of Love to the New Millennium
This presentation will trace the development of the art quilt in California, from the late 1960s through the third decade of the 21st century, and reflect on the future of the art form.
    The American studio art quilt movement that emerged in the last quarter of the twentieth century had its primary origins in California and Ohio, and to a lesser degree, Massachusetts. The decades leading up to the emergence of art quilts in the 1960s portray a complex picture involving the intersection of art, craft, universities and the traditional American quilt. Three national cultural developments resulted in the reevaluation of quilts as a suitable art medium and increased artists' awareness of quilts: the art museum's legitimization of the quilt as art, the junction of art and craft at the university level, and social, political and fashion trends that brought quilts to national prominence. Compelling personal motivations also played a significant role in an individual's choice to combine art practice with quilt making.





•  

Sunday, April 16    A Finnish Lacemaker Speaks
Lace artist Tarmo Thorström tells his story in lace and time, which includes not only thin thread laceworks but also ropes, tar, lasers, graffiti and much more. Tarmo, master craftsman and university lecturer, is from Rauma, the lace capitol of Finland.





Join Our Museum


About Us

The Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. We are a unique legacy museum located in Berkeley, California. We host a wide range of hands-on workshops, several galleries of rotating exhibits, and our Museum Shop carries an extensive supply of vintage goods, craft- and costume-related books, and needlework supplies.
     Our purpose is to:

  •   Preserve lace and textiles of all cultures from all periods
  •   Provide a resource center for research and documentation of these objects
  •   Educate and disseminate knowledge of lace and textiles

We appreciate your patronage!

     For just $25.00, you can become an official, card-carrying Lacis Museum Member for a year—and enjoy exclusive benefits! Get your membership via our Etsy shop, or alternatively, contact us in a number of other ways to join this vitally important circle of Lacis friends. We thank you for your support!

  •   10% discount at our Etsy shop for purchases over $50
  •   20% off books purchased at the Lacis Museum shop
  •   Free museum admission for you and up to (4) guests
  •   Special invitation to show openings
  •   Class discounts

A Message from Our Director


To complete the saga of Rebecca Jones, the following was received on inquiry from her solicitor:

Thanks for your emails and sorry for my delay in getting back to you.
    Unfortunately, I don't have any further information about the life of Ms Jones. Murdoch Clarke was only instructed in relation to the Will and now Estate Administration with no real details or information provided about Ms Jones, personally.
    Ms Jones provided instructions that there was to be no notices in papers, funeral ceremony or any obituary written.
    Sorry I couldn't be of further assistance.

To me and the many thousands who found inspiration, satisfaction and joy through her book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF TATTING, she was bigger than life. I wish I understood.
     The link here, was received from Judith Connors, author of several books on tatting, published by Lacis, on learning of her passing.

Here I want to look forward to April and what will follow, Patty, one of our special Staff members has retired, as of the end of March. As a dedicated textile enthusiast, her knowledge and skills with sewing, embroidery and costume as well as her patience with brides and their entourage will be missed. Hopefully all our Friends will come and introduce themselves to two potential new members of Staff, Kate and Elise, both long time enthusiasts of LMLT and who we are.
    With the BIRD IN THE TEXTILE ARTS schedule to close at end of April, I reflect on the many visitors that came, became friends and reassured me that our Museum is really a special place, like no other. The gratifying notes left in our Guest Book have secured these memories, all welcome to browse through them.
    April 2023, will be like no other moment in the history of not just LMLT but the society that facilitated the creation of LMLT. A society assuring personal freedom and equal justice, that was taken for granted as a guarantee, is suddenly the humpty dumpty on the wall.

Finally, I wish a happy Passover and Easter holiday to all.


     —Jules Kliot, Director




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Newsletter written and edited by Christine Krause.
Please email any comments or corrections you may have to: info@lacismuseum.org.


The Lacis Museum of Lace & Textiles
2982 Adeline St.
Berkeley, CA 94703