Hi all, This is a different way of doing a hands on demo at heritage events. Just have to share my joy with you about my lacemaking demonstration at Grande Levee in Vandalia, IL this past weekend(June 16-17). It was the typical hot and muggy, yet nice breeze, June in the high 90s F.......unbearable, but we still had fun visiting with friends and the crowd. I got the usual questions about the lace I was making.....I switch back and forth from lacing on the pillow to tatting with a shuttle......and was happy to answer any questions. We even sold a few items which is a perk!
But there is this one happy memory at this event that I will always treasure. Usually the kids are fascinated by my lacemaking, of course I don't let them touch it, but occasionally I will let them have a go at trying to tat or bobbinlace. Amongst the crowd two ladies(mother and daughter type) came up slowly and I looked up from my pillow to notice that one of them was blind(not sure if she was partial or fully blind from her wearing dark glasses) but her caretaker was with her to help explain where she was. I had the most fortunate experience to explain in detail of exactly what I was doing and the motion that it took to achieve the lace. Normally I don't let anyone touch the lace or the pillow(even tho some do sneak a few touches before I can say something), but with the prompting of her caretaker I just had to give this person a full hands on experience. This precious blind person touched the pillow and felt the bobbins while I explained, and also touched the pins. Then I had her touch the finished Bedfordshire lace edging that was spilling down the roller pillow. All the while she was fondling my pillow, both her and her caretaker were oooohing and aaaahhhhing and each part. I don't know what kind of feelings were going thru this persons hands and mind to be touching something that she may never get to do herself but experience it through another's, but I was so elated to have this opportunity to show a visually impaired person the fine art of lacemaking! I completely forgot how hot and sweaty I was and was completely enthralled by this. Just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling writing this up :) After the crowd had dispersed a bit, I turned to Kim(my wife, she was working on her silk ribbon embroidery back behind the table) and asked if she saw what just happened and HOW COOL IT WAS! I now have a new found mindset every time I sit and make lace. It reminds me of the real reason we do the heritage demonstrations..........educate the people and have rapport with the public! Below are pictures of me at our booth at Grande Levee. Wife avoids the camera at all cost ;) http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1284/589158763_b3e41537e8_b.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1423/589158705_963015c8fd_o.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1023/589158679_3115ce24f5_o.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1051/589158655_0405a11e94_o.jpg Thanks for letting me share, Mark, aka Tatman In hot and muggy and we are supposed to get rain today.....I don't believe the weatherman. My garden is starving for a downpour.....Greenville, IL USA Www.tat-man.net - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
