Dear Arachneans It is not generally known that Rosemary's work continues at the Powerhouse Museum after her retirement.
Before she left the Museum in March 2003, Rosemary appealed to lacemakers for volunteers to keep the Lace Study Centre open. This Centre has 300 of the Museum's best pieces of lace (historic and contemporary) on display, in drawers, protected by perspex. It also has other predictable items such as Lace samples and partly completed work as touch pieces. Several lace pillows, including one for use by the public. A collection of postcards and portraits featuring lace A microscope (binocular dissecting) for researchers A lacemakers lamp Reference books such as Santina Levey's History of Lace and the Therese de Dillmont Encyclopaedia of Needlework. Cataloguing details of the lace in the Centre and other relevant literature. The lacemakers who volunteered underwent training and are at the Centre 10.30 - 1.30 on weekdays. Most of the time there are two lacemakers, usually members of the Australian Lace Guild. Rosemary is an active volunteer in the Lace Study Centre and still quietly assists curators at the museum and lacemakers in many ways too numerous to mention here. The venture is working well and has created a good deal of interest. Potential lacemakers are given details of their nearest Lace Group and it is likely that some of these will help keep this skill alive. Other people leave with a new respect for the lace in their family. If Rosemary had not called for volunteers and fostered this project the lace would have been put in the basement storage area and the room would have been allocated to another project. Because of her initiative and support we still have ready access to this valuable resource. All volunteers have learnt more about lace. The museum website has details and a contact email address Either go to www.phm.gov.au and click on education, then lace study centre or www.powerhousemuseum.com/education/lacestudycentre.asp I have been hoping that Rosemary would give some of these details on Arachne. After the unwarranted slur on her integrity it seems important to make them known. Barbara Ballantyne one of the volunteers in sunny Sydney - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
