Hi Devon and All,
What a timely topic! This has always been a subject that is interesting to
me. My own early learning was goofy, until I lucked into finding a fabulous
teacher in the very town I had just moved to 20 some years ago. Then I moved
back to the "lace desert" and with help, started a guild. We have had 25-ish
active members for 13 years. The way we keep the consistancy is through demos.
Our demos are fun...no rules except for those from the sponsoring groups.
Hence, as one learns, they want to join in the party (for the most part---some
are just a little shy).
During the same time, a Fiber Arts guild was founded with the express purpose
of connecting the various fiber arts guilds and groups to interested learners.
There are 15 sponsoring guilds and all have our current meeting times and
contacts published in a little folded page brochure. We hand these out to
visitors in town, the different guilds, art events, and contacts through our
web site http://www.fiberartsfiesta.com/ (check it out later in the month for
winners of the show held in May!) . Numerous newcomers have contacted their
favorite guilds to get more information.
"As former publicity director for the IOLI convention in New Jersey, I would
like to observe that in some ways the lace world is a secret society. Because
we mostly hold our meetings in private homes and there is a great deal of
anxiety about providing private information, I would say that you really have
to find a lacemaker and then have her give you the information personally. In
a way, this serves as an informal vetting process. "
Some of our members have similar anxieties, but the rest of us are happy to
meet with others. We have yet to have to deal with serial killers...although
the idea could make quite a lovely murder mystery for the right author fully
knowledgable in the habits of cloistered lacemakers. :-)
"Fortunately, the internet has provided a form of contact in that I note that
those IOLI chapters, by no means a majority, that have websites have some
modus by which they can be contacted by strangers. "
I've quite enjoyed getting to know the strangers that contact our
group...They've become nice friends to make lace with. Some have been
traveling through, some seek teachers, some just want to see what lace is all
about.
"One benefit of holding meetings in public places, like libraries, is that
you can
advertise them, but most clubs don't have the budget to pay for a place."
The budget is key for paying for any place. A teeny, tiny group like ours
doesn't have a budget for rent. We use our yard sale money each year to bring
in our teachers. We are fortunate to have a lovely, well lit, empty police
substation that we can use for classes on weekends. Our group is getting a
little large for homes, but we still all crowd in. Is it that perhaps we like
to spend our spare cash on more lessons, patterns, and threads?
Do any of your groups belong to a larger center that provides meeting and
storage space? As real estate is at a premium in most areas, the thought has
always intrigued me...something similar to the Textile Arts Center in
Minnesota. I'm a bit of a dreamer. But, alas, I'd rather make lace and "pimp"
the idea as I go along. ;-)
It would be wonderful to see Bruno's electonic board listing. What a
treasure for those travelling or moving to get in contact with lace groups. I
would be thrilled to have information posted. I don't mind deleting the
occassional SPAM inviting me to buy Chinese stock in lace manufacturing. It's
worth it to me to be connected to the world of lace. I hope others feel the
same. Isn't that how we've all connected?
Happy lacemaking to you all!
Laura Sandison
Lace! in New Mexico, USA
---------------------------------
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