Contents in This Month's Issue
In November we were blessed at Lacis Museum with an abundance of heartwarming visits. For that, we are immensely thankful.
To kick things off, Chung Leong Li paid us a special visit... all the way from Australia! A cartographer and academic researcher from University of Melbourne, Chung is a passionate textile arts devotee and a longtime Lacis friend-from-afar. We were so pleased to show him around! He was dazzled by our space and selection of supplies, and WE were dazzled by the precious gift he honored us with.
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Not long after, legendary expert and lace merchant Elizabeth Kurella herself flew out to visit us from Indiana. Jules Kliot was her first mentor in the art and science of identifying lace. Over the decades she has authored a number of books we at Lacis Museum find absolutely critical in our day-to-day operations. |
For example, Elizabeth's Guide to Lace and Linens is our go-to for identifying the most obscure and exquisite antique styles of lace, and we find her thoughtful instructional manual Anybody Can Mend Lace and Linens extremely useful too, as you can well imagine.
Then, a generous invitation from our friends at the The Lace Museum brought several Lacis Museum staff to their wonderful new facilities in Fremont.
There, we learned about the art of mending lace from Elizabeth in a very enlightening seminar! Imagine our elation when we found our newfound friend Chung would also be attending. We all enjoyed her presentation enormously, and bonded by practicing our lace mending techniques together. We owe a tremendous thanks to The Lace Museum for helping bring Elizabeth out here to California, and hosting us so warmly. What a splendid experience it was!
Let's make 2024 the most AMAZING year, full of hands-on learning and crafting with your community!
Giving memories and skills to last a lifetime is SO much more meaningful than material things that end up as clutter and are ultimately discarded. A registration for a special embroidery class or lacemaking workshop is the perfect way to surprise your loved ones who are looking to try something new in the world of textile arts.
And remember, a year's Museum Membership is another wonderful gift to give. Members receive 10% classes, free admission into our exhibits, 20% off our new books, and more. On top of that, they'll get the satisfaction of supporting a unique institution that has been in Berkeley since 1965!
One of our most exciting offerings that's coming up in January is a workshop on Armenian Needlelace, led by our very own Elise Youssoufian.
What is Armenian needlelace, you ask? A meditation? An amulet? A portal? An ornament? Explore the fundamentals of Armenian needlelace and experience this ancient art first-hand.
No prior needlework experience is required, and all are welcome — but the workshop is limited to 7 students, and filling up fast!
Elise, as you might remember from earlier this year, is a poet, weaver, scholar, and singer. Right now, in addition to being a treasured Lacis Museum staff member and student of Aikido, she's working on her PhD in Women's Spirituality. We are BEYOND thrilled — and honored! — that she'll be taking the time to teach this workshop at Lacis Museum.
In support of her people, Elise will be generously donating a portion of the proceeds from this workshop to Kooyrigs, an organization doing critical work right now for displaced Armenians in need. Follow them on IG — they're @kooyrigs. For more info on Armenian struggles and ways to help, visit artsakhsos.com.
Another class we're positively squirming with glee about is Catherine Scholar's The New Woman: Walking Skirts 1890-1905.
It's a two-session workshop, and while it doesn't start until March, if you're interested in joining, you'll need to start thinking about the fantastic skirt you're going to create sooner than later!
These late Victorian walking skirts are going to be constructed from wool cloth, using period materials and methods wherever possible. The finished product is going to be ideal for museum docents, Victorian sports and casual wear, and historybounding.
In short, we have everything happening from quilting, tatting, and sashiko stitching to bobbin lace, surface embroidery, and Irish crochet lace.
If you're interested in picking up new skills, or working on new ones, you'll be in great company, because the folks who return to Lacis Museum again and again for classes are among friendliest, most talented we've ever met!
Keep your eyes peeled, too, for an annoucement coming soon about a very special 4-day workshop in March called... drumroll, please... Embroidery Magic. Stay tuned!
Thank you so much to all who attended this month's opening of Transcending Fashion: The Lace Accessory!
Longtime member Suzanne Gibson, thank you so much for making the long trek here. Our fabulous embroidery instructor Laura Tandeski, we always appreciate your support and infectious love of handwork. Kathy Fitz-Smith, costumer and vintage clothing collector extraordinaire, we loved seeing you and your fabulous Irish crochet lace blouse! Blair Van Tassel, as always, your graceful presence brings so much warmth and light. Paul Bertolli, thank you for generously providing your signature handcrafted reception charcuterie meats from Fra' Mani for our event! Martha Emmanouilides, Jane Alexiadis, Cecilia Stolzer, Ludmila Kisselva, Ted and Kara Monkowski, Sharon and Mark Sherman, Bob Johnson, Denise Sangster, Andre Gomez, Edie and Andy Brown, and everyone else who braved the rain that night to see us — thank you.
It was a pleasure to see you all. This lace exhibition is a tribute to the original purpose of Lacis Museum. Our mission is to share the beauty and history of lace with the world, and preserve it for future generations. Your appreciation and patronage makes it possible.
Hilja New, a quilter, came into Lacis this past month with a friend, and an armload of books: A Lace Guide for Makers and Collectors (1920), Lace & Lace Making (1953), Italian Lace Designs (1993) — which we used to sell, before it was discontinued — and The Love of Lace (1992) — which we still carry and love.
Hilja donated this wonderful collection of lace books on behalf of Christine Johnson, her friend, who was an avid crocheter of doilies. Christine passed away this summer. She lived in Concord; she and Hilya would come and visit Lacis together.
Christine lived an extraordinary life, and we are so honored that the two of them made fond memories here. We received these books with a full and grateful heart.
Thank you, Hilja, for coming and delivering them to us, and for sharing the story of your friendship. We are gratified beyond measure when friends come to visit Lacis together: creative people are drawn to each other, and it forms an extraordinary bond. To find that we are a favorite rendezvous point for such kindred spirits is a tremendous privilege, and reassures us that Lacis Museum is an irreplaceable part of the textile arts community in the East Bay Area.
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.
Remember physicist Elaine DiMasi from a couple years ago, when she cross-stitched this incredible haunted house image on a garment?
Well, she began on this separate cross-stitch journey inspired by the video game Environmental Station Alpha all the way back in 2019. It was a process, as some projects turn out to be, and she only started working on it in earnest in July 2021... but now, she's finally finished it. And it's amazing!
As Elaine herself pointed out, this is basically a direct screenshot from the game's splash screen, which was already rendered in quite simplified pixel art. That made it very easy to replicate in the cross-stitch medium! But still...! We're totally in awe. Even the interior looks amazing.
Fabulous work as always, Elaine!! And thanks for letting us share your customized clothes with all our Lacis friends once more.
Meanwhile, the brilliant Cassidy Wright created this absolutely fabulous lampshade!
We are massively impressed, and LOVE their decorating taste. It looks warm, eclectic, like a very cool vintage grandma's cottage, romantic and unique. All the trims, they noted, came from Lacis — except for the beaded fringe. We think all the elements on this lampshade complement each together in the most beautiful way. This combination of pastel tones has us swooning. Cassidy, you're a genius.
As befits her gentle soul, Lacis friend Barbara Brustman has a similarly refined decorating aesthetic, with a delicate, subdued color palette, distinctly minimalist and Scandinavian in mood.
Just look at the wonderful little vignettes she creates using Lacis's vintage florals and foliage! Makes sense that Barbara ran an art gallery with her husband in the Great Lakes region for many years, and even illustrated a beautiful book about her beloved dog, Beau. Thank you so much for sharing your inspiring interior design moments with us, Barbara! We love what you do with a muted dove gray, soft velvet textures and shadows — opening up all their possibilities.
Accessories define us and set us apart from others in the world of fashion.
The typical accessories such as necklaces, bracelets, purses, and shoes make us unique. The collar and handkerchief, once only functional items, have become fashion statements that reflect our personal identity and message. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg exemplified this purpose when she wore lace collars and jabots on her black robe and utilized a sartorial strategy that powerful women have practiced throughout history.
From the Middle Ages to the present day, collars have been a significant part of fashion.
The great ruff, a collar worn in the Renaissance, was the most outlandish statement of costume. Over time, collars evolved into many related objects of adornment that made timeless statements about our personality.
The bertha, jabot, appendage on the bonnet and headscarf, and tie were all supports for various sartorial statements.
Initially, the handkerchief was tied to physical needs such as wiping sweat from the brow. However, it has evolved into a coveted luxury item that is held in hand and displayed publicly. Lace and needlework have become the perfect medium for these ultimate accessories, showcasing the highest level of execution.
This new LMLT exhibit will display beautiful examples of collars and handkerchiefs from the 17th—20th century featuring various lace and embroidery techniques. Email or call us to book your appointment. Tours are $3 per person, with a special discounted rate for textile arts clubs and excursions with local organizations. For Lacis Museum Members and up to 4 of their friends, admission is free!
Our ongoing exhibit upstairs, 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.
We've received so many rave reviews from our visitors, writing in our guest book and thoughtfully sending us notes in the post — thank you very kindly!
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.
Dear Lacis Museum Newsletter Subscribers,
One of our most important missions at Lacis Museum is to keep the everyday treasures of the past, particularly textiles, in good repair and in use.
They were made with such care and love by our forebears, we want to see them continue in their purpose. Imagine, some of them have seen a century of consistent love and appreciation! We have heard report that in Japan, there is a very special, very complex notion of animism, tsukumogami.Broadly defined, we understand it to mean that immensely useful, lovingly crafted items, such as tools, become alive after a hundred years, occupied by a spirit. Certain shrines conduct religious rituals to retire old pins, needles, calligraphy brushes... Think of it as an adult version of the Velveteen Rabbit story — and just as sacred.
Our Etsy shop helps us re-circulate the items bestowed on us by all our Lacis Museum friends.
We love hearing all your stories about how you use and repurpose our uniques items, with so much reverence and creativity. Your fierce advocacy for the planet and the workers of the world inspires us to be more conscious about our habits of consumption in fashion, giving us an appreciation for the craftsmanship and materials of vintage goods.
So, as we all say farewell to 2023 together, gathering with friends and family, keeping cozy and warm, and thinking about all that's happened — we just wanted to say — thank you.
We're tremendously grateful for your support! Your commitment to shopping small, local, and vintage this Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year will have a big impact in your community.
Please enjoy the promotional code HOLIDAYJOY to receive 20% off any purchase of our unique vintage textiles, home goods, and fashion accessories. We're making this discount exclusively available to you, our very special Newsletter Subscribers, and it's active from December 8th to December 17.
We hope it brings you — you guessed it! — some well-deserved holiday joy!
Have a beautiful holiday season!
Don't forget, Lacis Museum Members receive 20% off of books purchased in our Museum shop
We're so excited to now carry Fig Leaf Patterns for all you historical costumers!
There's plenty of fun to be had for our Regency and Victorian fans alike — not just one, but TWO Spencers — and some nice versatile undergarments as well, like a corded petticoat, shift with a drawstring neckline, and a couple of soft, easy-to-wear corsets. These versatile foundation garments will come in handy across many eras in fashion.
Fig Leaf Patterns is the brainchild of Mackenzie Anderson Sholtz, who has loved pattern making even from childhood. Let us tell you more about her!
An irrepressibly creative soul, she conjured a vest out of wallpaper while still in her earliest schooldays. By continuing to costume for play, theater, and historic dancing, she kept that ardent flame alive.
Ultimately Mackenzie would attend Vassar College and earn her BA in Medieval Studies; later, a Certificate of Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco would follow.
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For a decade Mackenzie was an intrepid San Francisco garment industry insider, in all its diversity, doing everything professionally from tambour beading for evening wear to cutting, grading, pattern drafting, and design. |
Now located in South Carolina, Mackenzie followed her passion and founded the company she now runs, developing high-quality, easy-to-follow patterns based on original period garments housed in museums and private collections, mainly circa the 18th and 19th century.
We'll be stocking her...
• "Italian" Style Gown c. 1780s (shown right)
• Early Drawstring Spencer 1796-1802 (below center)
• Princess Seam Soft Corset 1810-1830 (shown above)
• Corded Petticoat c. 1845-'60
• Bib Front Gown c. 1811-1825
• Velvet Spencer c. 1818 (above right)
• Cotton Spencer or Dress c. 1800-1819 (below left)
• Short Sleeved Front Opening Dress c. 1810 (below right)
• Spencer with Drawstring Front c. 1795-1800
We hope you enjoy using Fig Leaf Patterns, and can't wait to see what you make!
Joyce Hulbert is one of that precious number we are gratified to count among our stalwart Lacis Museum friends... A fine art conservator and textile artist herself, she has a well-developed philosophy behind her practice:
"Conservation allows a seamless dialog between the deep historical lineage of art and cloth with the art of today—the act of making akin to the act of conserving."
No wonder we feel so much simpatico. And we have the utmost respect for her as one of the pre-eminent conservation professionals in the SF Bay Area — she, of all people, has an intimate and deep understanding that we are only temporary custodians of ancient and historic works. Our work is to preserve it for the increased scope of understanding of future generations.
Joyce has been working on a fascinating series of pieces she calls Interstitial — pictured here. We're obsessed with nets at Lacis, as you can imagine, since lace has its origins in fishermen's careful mending. Her exploration is based on a set of historic fishing nets, and Joyce dives into their structure and the shadows they create in various dimensions. For her, there is a Zenlike contemplation in studying their spatial realms — and we absolutely see the link. Mysterious koans live in those negative spaces, the absent and the liminal.
5 Weekends from Nov 18 - Dec 17, 2023
Visit London at the historic Cow Palace Exhibition Halls! Enter the winding lanes of Victorian London and immerse yourself in a world of music halls, theatres, pubs, dance parties, and charming shops overflowing with hand-made holiday treasures. Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty foods fill the air. Discover holiday revelry in this lamp-lit city brimming with hundreds of lively and colorful characters from the imagination of Charles Dickens, the pages of history, and the sometimes saucy world of the Victorian stage.
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Our friends at the Camron-Stanford House by the shores of Lake Merritt are going to be busy spreading some holiday cheer!
Make beautiful holiday memories and take part in transforming the historic mansion into a dazzling winter wonderland alongside their dedicated staff and team of volunteers.
1418 Lakeside Dr. Oakland, CA 94612
Saturday, December 9th from 10am-1pm
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
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
A time to reflect on the things that remain in memory from 2023. The most gratifying is the special relationship with my two daughters (twins) Storrie and Aleso who have surely bonded with LMLT and their dad in sharing the passion passed down from their Mom for all things lace and textiles. The current exhibit would never have happened without their enthusiasm and physical support in bringing this amazing current exhibition Transcending Fashion to fruition.
I must also reflect on a special visit by Elizabeth Kurella, a recognized authority on lace (one of her many books GUIDE TO LACE AND LINENS has become the classic reference for lace identification), who extolled the exhibit and expressed such gratitude to me personally, for starting her on her lace path, by a presentation she attended by me in the early 1980s.
And always honored by a visit by Nicole Mullen (Curator, SFO Airport Museum) who came specifically to see this new exhibit, reinforcing her own passion for lace. A friend of LMLT, we have collaborated with her on many SFO exhibits over the years.
—Jules Kliot, Director
Newsletter written and edited by Christine Krause.
Any inaccuracies or errors are her own. Please email any comments, corrections or updates you may have to: info@lacismuseum.org.
The Lacis Museum of Lace & Textiles
2982 Adeline St.
Berkeley, CA 94703