Blog & News

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipswich_lace

I have worked with Karen Thompson to create a new Wikipedia page for Ipswich lace. There was none at all, prior to this.

I was spurred to this by a current edit-a-thon https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Fashion. This meant that I could get some help with the editing features that I didn't know, and that it might get wider reach than if I just hacked on something on my own. People were super nice to help me out.

But I have looked at a lot of other lace-related pages because of this, and there are many that are quite sparse. If anyone has some suggestions and citations for your favorite lace, I'd be happy to use my new skills on some of that. It doesn't have to be now, it's just more visible during the edit-a-thon. 

Mary

This story was posted by Elena Kanagy-Loux to Instagram. Teen Vogue has a story on lace! And it's Elena's lace for a Columbia University special anniversary event for RBG.

It's a lovely story.

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/elena-kanagy-loux-ruth-bader-ginsburg-lace-collar

Hello local lacers--

If you were interested in picking up tips on the Ipswich lace history and structure, Karen Thompson will be running another class. 

Here's her Instagram announcement of that: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFKQWnjFGo5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I was pretty pleased with the way the first online workshop went. I wasn't sure sure it would work, since I'm relatively new to this, but I definitely made progress on Ipswich lace. I was worried that it would be a long time before we could do workshops again, but it ended up going well and possibly sooner than I would have had to wait for in person. 

Can anyone point me in the direction of a bobbin lace  heart pattern/book?

i would like to make some for Xmas presents.  Have been practicing lacemaking for 18 months now.  Worked through a Torchon book and currently working on Beds - just to give an idea of level of capability.

Thanks

She may have a post herself at some point, but I wanted to be sure to get this on to your calendars in case she doesn't have a login here.

Kara and I were in Jill's intro to bobbin lace class together, and I am in awe at what she is doing to take lace into the future. 

It says it will be on facebook and IOLI Zoom, but I don't have links for those.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDtVVZfMNhZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I have an alert set up for bobbin lace news, and usually it has not much more than the monthly meetings of local groups at a library.

I was surprised to see this piece about Dior come up. Lovely stuff. The story includes a video, I'm not sure I can embed it.

https://youtu.be/w3pK57hsAFM

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/dior-used-extremely-rare-technique-165446355.html

In this collection, for example, butterfly embellishments were made using Tombolo-style embroidery. Tombolo lace, which dates back to the 15th century, is created using a special, extremely meticulous technique, and is an important part of the region's heritage.

Alas, the Big E has announced that there will be no fair this year.  While it is so important for public health, we will miss it.  We hope that we will be able to go in 2021.  For more details see thebige.com.

Since I found out about the existence of Ipswich lace, I have been obsessed with it. I scour through museum archives to find examples. I've looked through Abigail Adams' letters to see what lace she bought (can't tell). Have searched colonial newspapers for ads (not clear).

My lace goals included skilling up enough to make quantities of it for my reenactor kit. Of course, now that workshops are cancelled, I thought that was unlikely. 

But after our meeting yesterday, I went to The Lace Museum to look for those IOLI pins we discussed, and saw their workshop list included Ipswich lace! I'm so pleased. Thanks for the pointer to whoever that was.

https://thelacemuseum.org/workshops.html#

For those who might not know the backstory on Ipswich lace, here's a nice item from the Smithsonian. It was written by Karen Thompson, who will offer the workshop.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/node/47313

The following link will provide you with all of the information about the competition. I hope some might find this of interest and enter.  Margaret Susans was NELG's first teacher of Flanders in the 1980's.

https://www.kantcentrum.eu/en/competition-flanders-lace

I was curious about what would happen to the Big E this year given how much has been cancelled due to the corona virus.  Here is an article about that topic from the Hartford Courant :

https://www.courant.com/coronavirus/hc-news-coronavirus-big-e-agricultural-fairs-20200515-4scdqlhhlvejbncho3oqc3gt4u-story.html

Given that they are not state supported, I hope that this virus settles down by mid-September since it will be a terrible hardship for them otherwise.  

In the mean time I plan to put together some lace for them to exhibit, assuming that it may go on as planned.  I hope that other NELG members will also do the same.