Re: [lace] Need and Want, was Demise of suppliers
Dear Jean, Sue, et al, I must side more with Sue on this. Lace is, in general, superfluous. (Won't that get a lot of responses!) You can't put it on to make you warm, alone it doesn't cover your nakedness, You can't use it to dry things, or use it to cook, or in the garden, or eat it, unless you make it to sell, and then feed yourself, and who does that in these times? It does, however, engage the mind, creates things of beauty, satisfies the soul, create intellectual inquiry, and helps find friends with a mind like your own. As a group, lacemakers are a highly, highly intelligent bunch, although I say it as shouldn't. The only place where Jean's idea actually works, in my opinion, is in thread, if you work only in white. One spool of Egyptian 60 lasts a long, long time. I have a pound of Fawcett linen 40/2 that I bought in the '80's, and it appears almost full, although I have used it a lot. Suppliers carry things for lacemakers because they can be useful. Those plastic things that can be used for coasters, with a place for a scrap of lace can spur one on. I need a use for my lace, and that can be hard to find. Books, now there's my downfall, especially egregious since lace books usually are not cheap, and go from there to incredibly pricey. And you can't say, well, I can get it out from the library, or borrow it from my friend. Perhaps I should look into the lending capacities of my local group, or IOLI, but I am an information and book junkie, and need such things on my own shelves. I reread. That and fabric is where I am a true packrat. A savvy supplier angles things so the teacher also has a new book, and also carries all the other books of that author/teacher. I know such a situation increases sales to me. A savvy supplier also keeps an eye out for things from other disciplines that can be useful to the lace maker. I wonder if there is a way to parlay the current revival in knitting to recruit new lace makers? Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US, where it's still cool, 66F, 17C, grey, damp, raining. A good day to sit, eat chocolate, and make lace. -Original Message- From: Sue Duckles s...@duckles.me.uk Sent: Oct 14, 2011 7:25 AM To: Jean Nathan j...@nathan54.freeserve.co.uk Cc: Lace lace@arachne.com Subject: Re: [lace] Demise of suppliers Haha Jean I love the bit about the only thing you need... Reminds me of the start of my daughters shoe fetish 3 years old and saw red leather fur lined boots in a local shop. The conversation went along the lines of I want those boots... I want never gets... says I. madam waited till Grandma came Can we go to shops Grandma?, of course Grandma says yes... Madam shows Grandma the boots Grandma I NEED those boots to keep my toes nice and warm, guess who bought the boots (BTW, Kyra is now 25 and owns around 200 pairs of boots or shoes...) Now are you sure you got the Need and Want the right way round??? Sue in East Yorks On 14 Oct 2011, at 08:07, Jean Nathan wrote: One of the problems is that once you've got your basic pillow, sufficient bobbins and (usually too many) books (for you to complete everything in it you want to), really the only thing you NEED is thread. And that won't keep a supplier in business. They rely, not only on newbies, but those of us who already have the basic supplies WANTING extra pillows, patterns, books, bobbins and other equipment .. The there's the question are there sufficient young people taking up the craft and buying the supplies to replace those of us in our dotage who will eventually give up because we can no longer cope or go to join other lacemakers on a cloud. Jean in Poole, Dorset, UK - - 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://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
Re: [lace] Need and Want, was Demise of suppliers
As a 20-something, I frequently see people in my age group knitting. However, they're not knitting sweaters or stockings, they're knitting plush dolls inspired by video games and TV shows. If you see a 19 year old knitting a orange and yellow hat, she is not just making a new hat for the winter, she is making a Jayne Hat as inspired by a character in the sci-fi western TV show Firefly. Several other knit projects I see *frequently* are stuffed animal style Metriods, from the classic 80s video game of the same name, and SackBoy dolls, as inspired by the more recent Little Big Planet. In my own experience with bobbin lace, I have started to make lace gears, which I aim to assemble in a Honiton fashion to create clockwork-inspired edgings or fan leaves for a Steampunk costume. Lacemaking, for me, and knitting for my peers, is about creating art relevant to my other interests. Hanky edgings and doilies are as much of interest to me as a pair of plain stockings are to a young knitter: beyond the learning phase, absolutely none. To appeal to a younger demographic, emphasize butterflies and angels. Once one has the skills to design and make a butterfly, they can then go on to create pretty much anything. On that note, teach design along with the lacemaking itself. No young person I know would be satisfied just knowing how to follow existing patterns, or recreating old lace. Teach what's needed to modify, combine, and create new patterns, and we will. -Katelyn Schreyer On Oct 14, 2011, at 10:24 AM, lynrbai...@desupernet.net lynrbai...@desupernet.net wrote: Dear Jean, Sue, et al, I must side more with Sue on this. Lace is, in general, superfluous. (Won't that get a lot of responses!) You can't put it on to make you warm, alone it doesn't cover your nakedness, You can't use it to dry things, or use it to cook, or in the garden, or eat it, unless you make it to sell, and then feed yourself, and who does that in these times? It does, however, engage the mind, creates things of beauty, satisfies the soul, create intellectual inquiry, and helps find friends with a mind like your own. As a group, lacemakers are a highly, highly intelligent bunch, although I say it as shouldn't. The only place where Jean's idea actually works, in my opinion, is in thread, if you work only in white. One spool of Egyptian 60 lasts a long, long time. I have a pound of Fawcett linen 40/2 that I bought in the '80's, and it appears almost full, although I have used it a lot. Suppliers carry things for lacemakers because they can be useful. Those plastic things that can be used for coasters, with a place for a scrap of lace can spur one on. I need a use for my lace, and that can be hard to find. Books, now there's my downfall, especially egregious since lace books usually are not cheap, and go from there to incredibly pricey. And you can't say, well, I can get it out from the library, or borrow it from my friend. Perhaps I should look into the lending capacities of my local group, or IOLI, but I am an information and book junkie, and need such things on my own shelves. I reread. That and fabric is where I am a true packrat. A savvy supplier angles things so the teacher also has a new book, and also carries all the other books of that author/teacher. I know such a situation increases sales to me. A savvy supplier also keeps an eye out for things from other disciplines that can be useful to the lace maker. I wonder if there is a way to parlay the current revival in knitting to recruit new lace makers? Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US, where it's still cool, 66F, 17C, grey, damp, raining. A good day to sit, eat chocolate, and make lace. -Original Message- From: Sue Duckles s...@duckles.me.uk Sent: Oct 14, 2011 7:25 AM To: Jean Nathan j...@nathan54.freeserve.co.uk Cc: Lace lace@arachne.com Subject: Re: [lace] Demise of suppliers Haha Jean I love the bit about the only thing you need... Reminds me of the start of my daughters shoe fetish 3 years old and saw red leather fur lined boots in a local shop. The conversation went along the lines of I want those boots... I want never gets... says I. madam waited till Grandma came Can we go to shops Grandma?, of course Grandma says yes... Madam shows Grandma the boots Grandma I NEED those boots to keep my toes nice and warm, guess who bought the boots (BTW, Kyra is now 25 and owns around 200 pairs of boots or shoes...) Now are you sure you got the Need and Want the right way round??? Sue in East Yorks On 14 Oct 2011, at 08:07, Jean Nathan wrote: One of the problems is that once you've got your basic pillow, sufficient bobbins and (usually too many) books (for you to complete everything in it you want to), really the only thing you NEED is thread. And that won't keep a supplier in business. They rely, not only on newbies, but those of us who already have the basic supplies WANTING extra pillows,
Re: [lace] Need and Want, was Demise of suppliers
Dear Katelyn, et al, That was a really helpful post. The essence of the fascination of bobbin lace is moving bobbins around the pillow, and all of a sudden you get something breathtakingly beautiful. That's the common factor. But the anime and costume connection makes sense for younger lacemakers. Design capabilities would then be essential. Thank you. Hadn't thought about it that way. Butterflies are easy, they're all over in pattern books. Angels are much fewer. Lyn in Lancaster, PA, US, where the weather should clear by tomorrow. -Original Message- From: Katelyn Schreyer krschre...@gmail.com Sent: Oct 14, 2011 12:07 PM To: lace@arachne.com lace@arachne.com Subject: Re: [lace] Need and Want, was Demise of suppliers As a 20-something, I frequently see people in my age group knitting. However, they're not knitting sweaters or stockings, they're knitting plush dolls inspired by video games and TV shows. If you see a 19 year old knitting a orange and yellow hat, she is not just making a new hat for the winter, she is making a Jayne Hat as inspired by a character in the sci-fi western TV show Firefly. Several other knit projects I see *frequently* are stuffed animal style Metriods, from the classic 80s video game of the same name, and SackBoy dolls, as inspired by the more recent Little Big Planet. In my own experience with bobbin lace, I have started to make lace gears, which I aim to assemble in a Honiton fashion to create clockwork-inspired edgings or fan leaves for a Steampunk costume. Lacemaking, for me, and knitting for my peers, is about creating art relevant to my other interests. Hanky edgings and doilies are as much of interest to me as a pair of plain stockings are to a young knitter: beyond the learning phase, absolutely none. To appeal to a younger demographic, emphasize butterflies and angels. Once one has the skills to design and make a butterfly, they can then go on to create pretty much anything. On that note, teach design along with the lacemaking itself. No young person I know would be satisfied just knowing how to follow existing patterns, or recreating old lace. Teach what's needed to modify, combine, and create new patterns, and we will. -Katelyn Schreyer - 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://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
