Blog & News

The following email was sent to us by the Director of Public Events at Old Sturbridge Village:

 

I just wanted to take a moment to send all of you a big thank you for our inaugural Craft: Beer and Trades at Old Sturbridge Village.  I just came from a wrap up meeting with our upper management and they asked me to pass along their thanks as well.  From all standpoints we considered the event a great success and hope you enjoyed being a part of it as much we enjoyed hosting it.  I heard nothing but positive comments from our guests regarding the event and a large percentage made it a point to tell me that we need to do this again,  Our social media has been on fire about the event as well and we certainly seem to have hit a chord that resonated with our guests. So with that being said I am pleased to tell you that we plan on offering and expanding  this event in 2016.  I will be in touch  with invitations early in the year but for now please save the date of September  10 & 11 for our second annual Craft event.   Again , I can’t thank you enough for helping us make this unique event so special.  I couldn’t have done it without you.

 

At Plimoth Plantation this past weekend we encountered the people who made all the re-enactor's clothing by hand. They had some wonderful resource books that also included pictures and prickings for accompanying lace patterns.

I found the books on the website: theschoolofhistoricaldress.org.uk. There are 4 of them titled Patterns of Fashion 1-4. They are available on Amazon.com for $20 to $30 each.

Through the Lace Digest, I found yet another source for antique patterns that can be downloaded.  I won't vouch that it is a perfect site since the first one I clicked on seemed to have a password for unknown reason.  What is particularly interesting about this site is that in addition to English language publications a lot of the books are in French and German as well as a smattering of other languages.  The site is antiquepatternlibrary.org .

Just checked the Big E website for Competitions, Creative Arts Division 4 - Lace...........  taking a deep breath!.......  there is the drum roll and the suspense..........  http://www.thebige.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/004laceres.pdf   to find out who's who this Year.  Hope to see some of you there and demonstrating how we make beautiful lace!

Here is the latest information our regular meeting and bobbin lace demonstration at Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) in September .

Demonstrating:  The event runs from 9:30 to 5:00 on both Saturday and Sunday.  Participants can drive right up to the demonstration location to drop off equipment from 8:30am to 9:15am, otherwise carts and some helpers will be available to help transport equipment.  Park in the main lot and enter through either the security area or the main entrance, whichever is easier.  Lighting and some access to electric outlets will be available.  I will be on site Saturday morning to assist as needed.

Regular monthly meeting:  The regular monthly meeting will be held on site at OSV (near our demonstration area).  People who are not demonstrating but wish to attend the meeting should go to the main entrance between 10:30 and 10:50 (the meeting will start at 11:00).  Let the greeter know that you are with NELG and they should let your though without charge.  I will be at the main entrance during the time listed above to assist as needed.

 

I saw this reference via lace digest this morning.  Sea silk comes from clams.  It is an ancient fiber that is nearly nonexistent now.  The BBC has a good piece on it.  See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33691781

http://thelacemakers.co.uk/

Great 3 +/- minute video on Lace.

A recent post from Arachne that might be of interest:

LaceNews (Laurie Waters' fabulous blog) has an extensive website on Pinterest with links to over 1700 websites about lace, all carefully cataloged. Very easy for a beginner to use. This was a major effort with a number of people helping out. Entries also list links to Facebook pages, Twitter sites, etc., so everything about a resource is all contained in one pin: https://www.pinterest.com/LaceNews/

Jill

If you would like to have your Big E entries delivered to Springfield, please get them to me by Sunday, August 30.  I will be happy to take them and pick them up as well at the end of the fair.  Please call or email to let me know if you are interested, so I can know when to expect you!

Bryce

Posted by Karen Hansen Thompson on Bobbin Lace Makers Facebook page is the link to her blog: http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/delicate-war-laces-world-war-I and a link to the collection: http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/world-war-one-laces

Thought those not on fb with the group might enjoy