Blog & News

This is an amazing piece of work......  it is tatted

http://venturinifamily.us/wp/index.php/lucy-concistre-venturini/tom-venturinis-great-aunt-final-closeup-3200-pixels-1024x512/

Sadly, the American Textile History Museum in Lowell MA has closed its doors.  They had made a concerted effort a few years ago to revive the museum and reached out to us.  We did a couple of demos there, but truthfully, there wasn't much traffic.  We also spent some time identifying some donated laces for them.

We live in a culture that has fundamentally changed.  The old model where families once went to a museum for an afternoon isn't common now.  We spend a lot of time online, be it on a computer, smart phone, or other device, and it is hard for a museum, particularly one like the American Textile History Museum, to compete with this level of stimulation. 

I wish the best for the staff as it closes.  This is always hard.  Where the collection and old machinery goes will be determined by their bylaws.  For the rest of us, whether we know it or not, a little bit of our cultural history has disappeared.

There is a new blog called "Let's Lace" that has been created by a New Zealand lacemaker. Posts include:

• A quick guide to resizing a lace pattern
• Ten tips for great prickings
• Things I wish I knew when I started making bobbin lace
• Ways to document lacemaking
• Let's talk Lace bobbins...Lace tools....Lace books
• and many more

You can find the blog at https://letslace.com/. For those of you on Facebook, there is also a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/letslace/?fref=nf

Jill

The first 44 of several thousand laces in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC went online this morning (http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/lace-collection); more will be added as they are approved.

If you scroll down, you will see thumbnails of each of the images. By clicking on 'expand' in upper right corner of each lace you get more information, and then to see more images and more information click in lower right 'view full record'. Clicking on the image will open a new window, where you can zoom in.

The first part of the collection to go online was the War Laces made in Belgium during WWI http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/world-war-one-laces

Enjoy!

Jill

I am sad to report that Jeanne Goodwin has passed away.  I knew her from NELG meetings as well as some demonstrations.  Despite her illness, she showed a strength of life that went beyond her condition.  I remember her as a positive person who did her best and frequently volunteered for NELG.

My greatest condolences go to her family.  She is a great loss, and I will always remember her well.

The Big E special theme this year is its Centennial.  There will be two awards per division, an adult and a youth.  Each exhibitor is limited to one special theme entry which needs to be  indicated on the entry.  So, if this interests you, it is time to get working on it. 

And, of course, please also get going on any lace entries for the Big E.

In light of the recent bombing, I had a brief contact this morning with Sr. Madeleine, who, as you may remember, is now studying in Brugge, Belgium. Her response:

Thanks I should  get a ditto pad. at least I know I have friends!!!! My tablet is dinging away.

I am safe thank God i was not traveling as I knew the departure lounge and that Starbucks very well drank many a coffee there waiting for check in or flight. Belgium is somewhat overwhelmed we are a little country and 20 dead and 100 injured is a lot. Ferrying the injured to Gent and Antwerp.

The famous fugitive mastermind from the paris attacks was caught a few days ago in Mollenbeek and is now in a Brugge prison not in the centrum Thank God and it is thought this is retaliation for that.

Anyway thanks for writing and share with anyone who asks about me.
Love
SM

I noticed a link to this blog article posted by Jane Viking Swanson this morning on lace-chat-digest.  While it deals with crochet and knitting, I think that those of us in the lace world will gain a smile from it. 

See:

http://blog.lionbrand.com/2016/01/06/franklin-habits-friendly-three-point-message-to-journalists-who-seek-to-write-about-knitting-and-crochet/?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=::+Read+the+rest+of+Frankiln's+message+to+journalists+::&utm_content=Your+6+Favorite+Patterns+Featuring+Popular+Made-in-America+Yarns!&utm_campaign=Weekly+Stitch+

This is just a reminder to anyone who might have need for a little assistance in order to attend Retreat, the IOLI convention and/or other lace event. We do have a modest fund available to help.  However, do get your application in as soon as possible, and please read the guidelines. We especially encourage those who might be interested in bringing back a skill or program that will benefit NELG members!

Bryce Wolf & Barbara Morrow, Scholarship Committee

If you go to www.philamuseum.org/collections and search for  "bobbin lace" you  should see  a lot of lace.