I was fortunate to find myself in Washington, DC on the first Wednesday of the month when it is possible, by advance registration made by calling (202) 343-1098 to take a Lace Tour of the Smithsonian. I was taken up to the textile room where Sheryl DeJong read a script of the history of lace while pulling out drawer after drawer of laces to illustrate it. I am sure I saw at least 50 pieces of lace, probably many more, covering the entire spectrum from the earliest days to modern production. The talk was also illustrated by a remarkable 3 ring binder full of color photocopies of portraits showing the use of the laces in costume throughout history. The portraits were from museums all over the world and represented a breath-taking amount of effort and scholarship. There were also technical illustrations of various grounds and other techniques in the notebook. The entire tour took us 1 1/2 hours, which might have been long, because I ask a lot of questions. I also had the opportunity to see the Chesapeake Guild demonstrating lacemaking from 1-2pm, an event well-publicized within the museum with an eyecatching stancheon. I understand that this remarkable experience is largely the result of the effort of Karen Thompson. My hat's off to her. I am sure she has invested at least a thousand hours in it. Kudos to the Chesapeake Guild! Grateful thanks to Sheryl DeJong. I advise anyone who can to take advantage of the opportunity. Devon in awe, in New Jersey
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