I don't mean that there is no room for the far out artistic in lace making, and that we should stick to only traditional lace making. But the conversation started with talking about having lost another well known lacemaker. I don't know if she was also a designer of patterns and/or a teacher, but if we encourage young people to go into the 'art' of lacemaking, without encouraging some of them to become teachers and/or designers, the art/craft will die out, we do need teachers and designers. Not all of us can learn everything there is to know with just watching youtube and then designing our own patterns. Not everyone is capable of doing that. Sure, there is nothing wrong with anyone going out and doing their own thing in any craft, but if everyone does that there eventually won't be anything to teach beginners, and you still need to start out with the basics. Instructions need to be continually updated, mainly because concepts and language change. Ever looked at any of the antique instruction books? If you have never done something before, it is virtually impossible to figure things out from these books, word meanings change, the assumptions of people knowing certain things change. And if we no longer have teachers or books to teach the basics, people will forget. I am not saying that people can't come up with new designs, they don't have to stay with the 'tried and true' laces. What we need is more people like Ulrike Voelcker or Komiko Nakazaki. They study all kinds of laces, write instruction books on them, teach and come up with new designs. Sure not all can be like them, but..... We also need to encourage young people to 'just make lace' for the fun of it, but the more traditional type, not the stuff made with ropes, or cables, or .... They are the ones who will be buying the new books and patterns. I really wonder if the stuff make with odd materials can really be called 'lace', but should be said that it is 'lacy' or 'lace like'. You don't call a sweater knitted with a lace pattern 'lace', you call it a lacy sweater. And most of the 'art' type items don't get sold, they may be displayed, but if they are well done, they are too expensive for people to buy. I'll never forget the time I crocheted a dress for a co-worker back in 1970. At the time I charged her $25 for the labour, which she was fine with. i gave it to her at work, and of course got asked how much I charged. When I told them how much they were aghast at how much I 'dared' to charge, until I told them that I had kept track of my hours, I made about $0.30 per hour, and I wondered if anyone there would have worked for that. At the time minimum wage was $1.50. I think to keep our art/craft alive we need to encourage people to become teachers/authors/designers, not just produce 'art'.
*Marianne* Marianne Gallant Vernon, BC Canada m...@shaw.ca http://threadsnminis.blogspot.ca, https://www.facebook.com/GallantCreation/ On 23/07/2016 7:03 PM, Brian Lemin wrote: > Dear All, > > > > With "mock" fear and trepidation I dare to enter into a contribution > regarding your beloved hobby. (I consider myself just a hanger on!) > > > > My contribution is to certainly encourage younger people into your lace > making skill; but to limit it to what I would call "traditional" lace making > rather than "artistic" lace making is missing a valuable and creative aspect > to your hobby. > > > > The nearest I get to using thread is my comparative new entry into machine > patchwork quilting. Jean (my wife) has been a traditional patch worker for > many years and we have always supported each other in our hobby pursuits, > but after I made 2 or 3 traditional quilts I said to her that I wanted to > move into artistic creations. Her comment to me was "I think have created a > monster!" :) > - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
