Here's more...

One of the ladies here knows Holly {van sciver}.  The lace lady next to me has shared 5 patterns with me which I intend to share when I return home.  She was delighted to think a pattern of hers would be done in the USA. She's using her grandmothers bobbins.

The lace makers and visitors seemed to be genuinely happy and surprised over the interest in the USA of something to do with  Belgian lace, interesting!

One day I went to a small lace art exhibition.  Again have pictures of lace done in rope, telephone wires, and ribbon. These are Kantcentrum teachers who turn lace into art, very creative and original - quite cool. Some have paintings behind them, like the ocean an then two are done in LCD with copper line, like gimp.

I started lace class yesterday. It is a 1/2 hour walk each way.  Jammed on my way home, no one at the fast food wifi cafe in the morning.  The walk is formidable as the french say meaning wonderful.  The walk home is like the indy500 avoiding or not the tourists. Perhaps the best pictures I took were the ones of the empty streets in the morning and same street at 5pm!

The lace class is in Flanders and there are 15 people.  There are  5 Dutch, 1 Chinese German, 1 HongKong Chinese, 2 French, 5 Flemish and 1 American sister hmmmmm{sitting with her lace pillow in a pear tree. - I couldn't resist}. Only the teacher speaks English and the French ladies are not too friendly. I nearly cried today but one of the teachers that I had met at the exposition came by and smiled and said "...courage it will come". Well I was not so sure. Fighting both the language and the lace barrier was a little serious.  I'm happier now at the end of the day. I'm definitely the slowest but I am getting there! Tomorrow, spittle and brutes and my search for ancient thread.

Ciao & doors close at 6:30 pm!
Love and lace blessings to all,
Sr M.