Monthly Newsletter • January 2024
Lacis Museum of Lace & Textiles
Monthly Newsletter • January 2024
Lacis Museum of Lace & Textiles
A Letter To Our Friends
Lacis Museum visitors, thanks for all your support through 2023! We're so looking forward to sharing 2024 with you, because this amazingly creative community leaves us in awe every day.
In fact, this year will mark the 20th anniversary of our nonprofit organization. That's 20 years of seeing knitters, crocheters, lacemakers, milliners, sewists, costumers, fashion designers, book artists — and so much more! — students, professionals, passionate practicioners — executing their artistic dreams into reality.
20 years of sharing our extensive permanent collection holdings with you through our exhibits — 20 years of passion, comraderie, preservation of textiles; of learning, of teaching, of growing together.
But what transpired for us just this past year, in 2023? Here are some of the major highlights.
In January, we unveiled the stunning mural Doran Dada painted on our warehouse and offices down on Ashby.
We bid a fond farewell to our The Bird in the Textile Arts exhibit...
...and said hello to Day's End: Personal Glamour Exposed!
In July and August, the San Francisco School of Needle Arts and Design brought the spectacular embroidered blouses of Ukrainian artist Lesia Pona to Lacis Museum. Their exhibition, Threads of Life: Traditional Embroidery of Ukraine showcased a "robust variety of needlework practiced in Ukrainian folk embroidery."
Through Pona's embroidered blouses and samplers whose stitches highlighted selected regional styles, the story of the craftsmanship, perseverance, and resilience of the Ukrainian people unfolded before our eyes. We were so fortunate to, through the phenomenal work of SFSNAD, be able to host her work and share its splendor with you all.
We had a costumed Halloween book signing with a 19th century mourning theme! Award-winning journalist and author Julia Park Tracey regaled us with her adventures in genealogy and Civil War-era American history, and illuminated for us the dark world of the Orphan Train "welfare" movement.
In November, we opened our latest exhibit, Transcending Fashion: The Lace Accessory...
...and we also had a lovely visit with the legendary Lady of Lace herself, Elizabeth Kurella, after which we in turn visited our friends down at The Lace Museum in Fremont, where we enjoyed Elizabeth's wonderful lace repair workshop. It was enormously illuminating, and a joyful gathering.
For all you lace-lovers out there, if you haven't gotten a chance to visit The Lace Museum, we highly recommend it! When it comes to lace, they really know their stuff, and for all their good work in the textile arts and lacemaking community, their excellent new facilities are much deserved. They are an absolute treasure of the Bay Area.
Our generous supporters made the most astonishing donations to our organization. Many of those items, we were able to put in the hands of those who would appreciate them, and put them to good use; other precious items were incorporated into our permanent collection, and we hope to exhibit them in the future.
From our friends at SFSNAD, who have pioneered countless programs and world-class textile arts classes, organizing lectures and stitch-ins and workshops, we received an immensely valuable array of textile arts equipment and books that will deeply enrich the experience of so many of our Lacis Museum students. For that we are tremendously grateful, and extend our heartfelt thanks.
All year long, we hosted amazing classes! Our teachers are masterful instructors, full of warmth and brilliance. Our students are eager, friendly, motivated. It's a perfect storm of arts in our community, generating that fabulous energy that results in beautifully crafted wonders, builds friendships, transmitting not just techniques, but the wisdom of the ages.
And our visitors shared with us the incredible projects they were working on! You guys frequently do the most remarkable and wondrous things with our various textile treasures and tools. The examples shown below are but the very tip of the iceberg. Every day, we were blessed with the joy of seeing your sparkling creativity and talent. It's one of the biggest perks of serving you here.
It's an honor to be among you, every day that our doors are open, at the center of all this special activity. The staff at Lacis Museum sends you all their warmest regards. Thank you for visiting us, and being part of this creative community.
Here's to 2024 — and 20 more years of textile arts!
Customer Projects
Kim Milai and her daughter discovered Lacis Museum one happy weekend... and we happily discovered her embroidered art.
It was only after a very long hiatus that, a few years ago, Kim chanced to pick up embroidery again. She felt moved to reimagine children's book illustrations from the 1920s and 30s in her own medium of needle, cloth and thread, and simply could not resist the impulse. You know how that goes sometimes.
We are so glad that Kim ultimately followed her heart, and also that she generously shared these images with us. We're just in awe of her attention to detail, her sensitive and faithful renderings. And of course, as lovers of Ida Rentoul Outhwaite and her work, we were elated to find such a kindred spirit.
If you like what you see here, you should follow Kim on Instagram — @dinobone.creations.
Customer Projects
Lacis Museum's former Fearless Leader, the great costumer Kij Greenwood, stopped by to pay us a little visit — and to stock up on supplies, of course.
We discovered she'll be returning to one of her favorite steampunk-themed conventions this coming April: Clockwork Alchemy! Longtime readers of our newsletter may recall that they named her Fashion Guest of Honor back in 2020, and her fashion show there was absolutely epic.
For this year, Kij has been busy concocting a brand-new ensemble — a fantastical 1740s-inspired number. She won't reveal what it will look like yet — that's top-secret — but this year's theme is going to be Aetheric Ocean, so you can use your imagination. We'll be sure to update you in May with some photos, and you can see if you were anywhere close.
One thing about the outfit can be disclosed, though: it's going to feature this splendid metallic-blue embroidered decoration on its pocket-flaps!
Now, at a glance you might think it's done using a tambour hook, but in fact, Kij first created the braid separately, using the Japanese kumihimo techniques she's been practicing lately. She then painstakingly pinned and stitched it into this intricate design, onto a ground of tulle net. After that, she'll trim away the extra and apply the appliqué directly onto the garment. As any experienced sewist will tell you, it's far easier to embroider a piece before it's been sewn together.
Learn from Kij's example: planning and preparing the decorative elements are a crucial step that the wise do not take lightly! Also, if you wish to create a custom masterpiece from scratch, totally bespoke for a special occasion taking place in April, you'd best start working on it approximately six months in advance.
Notable Donations
Bay Area artist Lorna Strotz made a remarkable donation of antique lace pieces to Lacis this December, which happened to include an absolutely marvelous framed set of Victorian buttons. These really took our breath away!
Set into a wooden shadowbox, and offset by a warm, russet-toned background, which perfectly compliments the decorative typographic design that reads Nouvelle Mode at the top, they remain beautifully preserved, in perfect condition.
This delightful piece came to Lorna from a prolific button collector who sold vintage and antique buttons individually — but of course, when fate presented her with such a pristine set, still sewn on their original card, she would preserve them with the utmost care and respect. Now they have found their way to Lacis Museum, where we will all behold them with awe for many more years to come!
Lorna — whose art is primarily watercolor and encaustic media — discovered Lacis via her daughter, Kirsten, a talented quilter based out of Oakland who came to us for thread. For quilting inspiration, you should read the blog See How We Sew she keeps with her friends!
Notable Donations
We were amazed when a generous donor handed us a box with her wedding gown in it, from the '60s.
The same donor — the bride pictured here — actually sewed it herself, and it's an incredible work of art, AND we were provided a photograph of her in it on her wedding day.
"I was 20 when I made this dress," the donor, Kathie Altes, wrote to us. "I felt so glamorous and happy on my wedding day. I am still married to the same man 58 years later. I hope whoever ends up with it will feel as special as I did on that day. It was a labor of love."
Just look at how absolutely, stunningly gorgeous...! We were speechless. She looks like an even more beautiful version of Jacqueline Kennedy, if it's possible. And the dress itself, of course, is a consummate look for the decade — the neckline has us swooning. The ultra-modern 3/4 sleeve length. That cirrus cloud of tulle shoulder-length veiling. Gosh.
Kathie was an experienced seamstress, even at a young age. "I sewed all my own clothes in high school and after I graduated went to work in a yardage shop part time while going to junior college in Santa Rosa." And she knows — as many of us do — about the logistical problems of working in a confined space. "My family lived in a single wide trailer during this time and I made this wedding dress there. I don't know how my mom put up with all the debris from that project. Actually, I had to cut it out in the recreation hall at the trailer park." We applaud Kathie's creative ambition and determination! It resulted in such a priceless treasure.
To the donor, Kathie Altes: Thank you. We are honored to become the next stewards of this magnificent creation. Your wedding gown is going to be loved and appreciated well into the next generation, and with any luck, the ones that follow it, as well!
Currently on Exhibition at Lacis Museum
Available for viewing by appointment
Transcending Fashion: The Lace Accessory
Accessories define us and set us apart from others in the world of fashion.
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.
We invite you to experience a tour highlighting the stunning artistry of European lace collars and handkerchiefs, and their use as a means of expression, with pieces from the 17th century to the early 20th.
Available for viewing by appointment
Day's End: Personal Glamour Exposed
Ongoing until April, Day's End is a joyful exploration of the sensuous and gorgeous things we wear in private, such as nightgowns, robes, and pajamas. It celebrates our most intimate items of clothing: the things never worn around strangers or out of the house.
On display at our main entrance
Aubusson Tapestry: The Stag At Bay
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.
Is your interest piqued yet? Read more about the fascinating history of the The Stag at Bay tapestry in our June 2023 newsletter. And see it in person in our museum shop — it stands sentinel over the portal between our first and second rooms.
On display at our main entrance
Temari: A Toy Transcends to Textile Art
To put it simply, temari are balls made of wrapped thread. They're traditional Japanese playthings for nobility — a toy for children — and particularly a gift for a male child.
But they're so much more than that. Now, they're considered a highly auspicious gift, a rare and fabulously ornate textile art form. They carry with them an association with sacred and rarefied things: nobility and court maids, maternity and childrearing, good fortune and geometry...
As you come in through our doors, be sure to take a glance to your left. Inside the glass display case, we have arrayed a number of these prized temari. And if your curiousity is aroused, you can read more about temari in our April 2023 newsletter. And if you can't get around to Berkeley to see these jewel-like wonders, don't worry, we have pictures online.
Recently Sold in Our Etsy Shop
A Scottish Tam goes to France!
We were thrilled to ship off this woolly wonder as a Christmas gift to Paris, France. That's what confirmed for us that it was a truly classic fashion staple — because as everybody knows, Parisians have immaculate taste.
Some textile trivia for you: "Tam" is short for "tam o'shanter" — Tam O'Shanter being a comic hero character in a 1790 Robert Burns poem. This is a hat native to Scotland that you'd first knit, then stretch on a wooden block in the shape of a disc, and finally felt. It looks like Scottish hats generally shaped like (round, slouchy, with a brim that fits snug around the head) this are "bonnets" — for your visual delight, here are a few moments from Outlander featuring Highland warlord Dougal MacKenzie in his own signature gray wool bonnet.
New products and publications
Iris Neibach's latest tatting book is out!
We envy tatting author Iris Neibach, as we do all those continental European polyglots.
Based in Prato, Italy, and obviously fluent in Italian, Iris gives her whole heart when teaching German — her mother tongue — and is a great lover of English literature (with Pearl S. Buck being a notable favorite).
But Iris's other great love is tatting. And because of her linguistic proclivities, her books are in Italian, German and English, all on the same page, which is always fascinating to see. This latest title, for example, is "Flowers and Leaves / Blumen und Blätter / Fioi e foglie," which reads like a perfectly self-contained little poem. "Blumen und Blätter" may also be a literary reference to an 1816 work by the same name Friedrich Wilhelm Riemer, a scholar who worked with Goethe.
Customer of the Month
James Downs
"Having a Peach of a Time"
Our friend Karen Tierney introduced us to a gentleman this past month whose work absolutely blew our minds.
James is one of the more unusual kinds of artists we encounter here at Lacis Museum. His background isn't what you'd normally expect from someone walking through our doors (though you really never know!).
"I'm taking advantage of a military program that allows active-duty service members to take up to 36 months off from active duty to pursue personal and professional goals," he told us. "The Navy awarded me 31 months to step away from my naval career and pursue whatever I chose. I set my heart and mind on a higher education degree while I still have the mental dexterity, time, and energy to earn it." Thus, James is using his Post 9/11 GI Bill to pursue an MF as a full-time graduate student at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Kudos to him!
1910s woman, Sarah; 1920s boot black; 1920s porter boy
James's medium is photography, but the connection that drew him to Lacis was his particular subject matter: people in true vintage garb.
James was raised in Arkansas, and reports that, "During my formative years it was a common occurrence to look at old photographs growing up. Generally, the emphasis was on paying attention to historical figures in addition to occasional photos of my ancestors.
"Part of my trying to pay attention and understand who I was looking at included looking at the clothes that people wore." Not only that, but in his family, reenactments and living history events were a favorite form of recreation during vacations.
Salvation army volunteer; WWI US sailor; WWII fighter pilot
For a curious and inquiring mind such as James's, there were still many mysteries, however.
"We can only glean so much about what we are looking at when the images are in black and white and often not very sharp. I had questions, and museum displays, literature, and inductive reasoning would fill in the blanks for me as much as possible."
Because of the reenactment activities, James certainly gained a deep appreciation for time-saving modern conveniences — "Though exhausting, I would say overall the experience was very educational and enlightening," he allowed — but he felt strongly that "there was a lot left to be desired when it came to feeling a little more connected to the past."
1920s prison inmate; 1930s coal miner; 1950s nurse
His work, we feel, helps to bridge that gap so beautifully. What you see here is the result of over a year's work on his thesis project. He has another nine months' of work left to go. And we can't wait to see what else lies in store. Thank you so much, James, for sharing your exceptional work with us. Your undertaking is one that resonates with us all!
If you're equally impressed and moved by James's project, read on — there's an opportunity for you to participate!
Classes @ Lacis Museum
Learn how to embroider, make lace, sew costumes...!
Do your New Year's resolutions include spending more time making and learning, and less consuming and — dare we say it — doomscrolling?
Your mind and your hands can be put to MUCH better use. Allow us to make a suggestion, if that is your endeavor: take a class at Lacis!
We have an extensive series of workshops planned with Laura Tandeske for those of you looking to learn embroidery in 2024, plus an Armenian Needlelace workshop this month (the Saturday session has already sold out, so act fast if you want to be involved in the Thursday session...!); not to mention some cool shuttle tatting classes with Kevin Baum.
We're very excited to be offering a new crazy quilting workshop with the great Pattie Klimek!
It's a two-parter, with the first session coming up soon — January 20 — and we need a few more signups to make it happen, so if you've been wondering about quilting for yourself, now's the time to act.
What's "crazy quilting," you ask? We'll let Pattie herself tell you in her own words.
"Judith Baker Montano, the queen of the modern crazy quilt, says that a crazy quilt is a quilt that is tied, not quilted, and the seams are always embroidered. But of course it is more than that. A crazy quilt is also a snapshot of history.
"If you look at antique crazy quilts, you will see embroidered pictures that reflect important events of the time such as World War I and II, the arrival of Halley's Comet (1910 and 1986), or Lindberg's flight across the Atlantic Ocean (1927). There are also tributes to assassinated presidents Abraham Lincoln and James Garfield. Actually, these embroideries help quilt appraisers establish the date the quilts were made.
"Even now we can make a crazy quilt an historical record. What symbols can be embroidered that would reflect your personal history? Did you lose someone to the Corona Virus? What about the wildfires of 2022? The Bay Area suffered a devastating earthquake in 1989, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014, and January 6 is the anniversary of an attempted takeover of the United States government. All these events can be recorded on a quilt.
"Or, if you want to emulate the crazy quilts of the past, you can embroider the good luck symbols from the turn of the 20th Century such as horseshoes, spider webs, and four leaf clovers. Victorian quiltmakers used flowers as secret codes. Lilies of the Valley were symbols of death, red roses indicated unfulfilled passions, and daisies communicated the maker's innocence or virginity.
"There are so many choices you can make and all these choices will give your crazy quilt your own personal stamp and leave a bit of history behind for your family and friends."
Hand quilter, hand piecer, hand embroiderers, sashiko lovers, sign up for Pattie's newsletter The Joy of Handwork and connect with an award-winning art quilter.
Also, the perfect opportunity for you to document your own life and times in a crazy quilt is coming up soon: Pattie's going to be teaching a 2-part Crazy Quilt Workshop at Lacis Museum on Jan. 20 & Feb. 3!
There are a plethora of great new class offerings at Lacis Museum this year.
For one thing, we have a sashiko class coming up quick with Jade Falcon, as well as a beginning bobbin lace class once more, after a long hiatus, thanks to one of our newest instructors, Summer Ota!
In March, costume historian Catherine Scholar will be leading an exciting (and quite serious) 2-part workshop called The New Woman: Walking Skirts 1890-1905, and come April, we'll be celebrating Spring with our annual 4-day Clones Irish crochet lace workshop with Máire Treanor.
In our opinion, our friendly, creative students and our kind, wise coterie of instructors are the absolute best part of hanging out at Lacis Museum.
Want to spend a memorable afternoon learning a new skill, or practicing one you already love? Making new friends in your community, basking in the warmth of learning and light? Consider taking a class! Many of our workshops are appropriate for those at any experience level — check out the general schedule, as well as this list of Laura Tandeske's embroidery workshops. We can't wait to see you there!
Textile Arts Calendar
Special events in the Bay Area and beyond
January 6 - February 24: Bryan Keith Thomas: Tufted Cotton
Bryan Keith Thomas is a longtime Lacis Museum friend and a Professor of Fine Art at CCA. In the early 2000s he was awarded the White House Honor as First Lady Laura Bush's guest for his work within the D.C. Art in Embassies Program.
Thomas's incredible artwork — ranging from gorgeously abstract to deeply moving figurative paintings, sculptures born of amalgamations of Victorian found objects, encrusted with texture, textiles, shells, pearls — will haunt your dreams. And if you see a tassel in one of Thomas's pieces, it's quite possible he sourced it from Lacis's extensive selection of antique deadstock from the '20s.
His oeuvre celebrates the Black experience through its historic symbols: cotton, roses, Church fans, Holy Bibles, and the African and African American image.
This solo exhibition at Anglim/Trimble in San Francisco is going to be deeply immersive, inviting touch, invoking memory.
"Forever Free," 2022 - Victorian mourning pins, Tennessee cotton, heirloom bags, antique silk tassels, paper flowers, rolling pin, antique hand fan, mother of pearl, acrylic, and oil on wood.
Sunday, January 21: Open House
The GBACG is throwing their annual party, which will be virtual once again this year. It's the perfect opportunity for newcomers to learn about the Guild — and for the the usual suspects to reconnect. Get a sneak preview at what's in store for the GBACG in 2024!
Saturday, February 3: "Mystery in the Ballroom" Dance Party
Join us for a swinging 1930s party, inspired by the Golden Age of mystery fiction and the mysteries of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey, Raymond Chandler, and Dashiel Hammett. Sara and Swingtime will play the latest American tunes for your dancing pleasure and, yes, they play waltzes as beautifully as they play Swing!
Saturday, February 27: Pleater Board Workshop
In this one-day workshop, students will learn to make a reusable, no-sew pleater board that is steam-friendly and creates perfectly even pleats every time. The class begins with a summary of pleat styles, applicable to both period and modern eras. Attendees will build a 17" x 17" pleater board in this virtual session in real time with a live teacher and review how to use it, including various pleating techniques (time permitting).
Saturday, January 20: Make an Edwardian Wire Frame Hat
In this live, online workshop students will create an Edwardian hat that can be worn either tilted back halo-style or perched atop the head for a spectacular Edwardian silhouette. Based on an original hat in the teacher's collection dated 1900-1906, the style is 3-dimensionally shaped and flared rather than a simple round platter. It is very lightweight, sits easily on the head and fastens neatly with a hatpin.
Students will structure and shape a frame of millinery wire, covering it with trim and tucked netting, finishing with a bandeau and fitted lining. Period style and trim options will be discussed.
A Message from our Director
We enter 2024, the most precipitous year in all aspects of our being, our lives, our world, our country and our Museum. LMLT celebrates its 20th year, digesting how far we have come. Twenty years ago it was just a dream that I could keep the world, if not the spirit, of Kaethe alive by establishing a museum which would have a life beyond that of any mortal. Over the 20 years, the dream has survived, supported by the energies of enthusiastic staff, children and customers who still reference Kaethe and the pre-museum days.
Beyond the Museum, it is the disintegration of our mores, our beliefs and our language that is challenged. No longer can it be assumed that all will be alright and that survival is certain.
For some special individuals, 2024 will be their personal challenge. If there is a prayer, let it ring out for Zoya Parkansky, our extraordinary teacher (tambour embroidery), and Doran Dada who emblazed part of himself with a mural of eternity on our building.
— Jules Kliot
A letter to our friends