<I started teaching lace in the early 1970s, I knew little and had to work had to keep ahead of my students. >
Like Alex, I too started teaching in the early 1970's with very little knowledge and protested to my teacher Nenia Lovesey that I had insufficient knowledge. She insisted that I would be fine but I was extremely nervous! What many of you don't know is that I began my lacemaking career teaching bobbin lace and I recently found three pillows with unfinished pieces of bobbin lace on them; one a Beds collar with raised leaves over a half stitch background, one a narrow Bucks edging and the third with a fairly wide torchon pattern and all my lovely bone antique bobbins! I am known for my needlelace and would have no idea how to complete these pieces started so many years ago but would have no problem whatsoever in asking my old students (should I ever get the opportunity) to help me out! Students love nothing more than when their tutor makes a mistake! I would openly admit to having made a mistake but of course would correct it and it showed my students that I was not a dragon but only human like themselves and I believe they found this comforting. Nenia Lovesey would frequently quote 'Poor is the student who cannot surpass his master' by Leonardo da Vinci and has written this quotation in the front of a book she once gave me. I should love to have had a student who was better than myself and young enough to pass on the knowledge gained from me to future generations. I have had several excellent students over the years but sadly all have been of a similar age to myself. The last thing I want is all the knowledge and expertise that I have gained over some forty years or so, to die when I leave this world - what a waste! I believe that unless a teacher is prepared to give all, then he/she should not be teaching. I do not insist that a student does things my way but always ask that they do at least try. After all, what is the point of paying good money to attend a class if a student is not prepared to learn a different way of doing something? I always ask that they try my method but that if it doesn't work for them I will be happy for them to continue doing it their own way. At least I have tried but 'You can lead a horse to water . . . . . .' and sometimes it can be very frustrating but one just has to ignore it. Catherine Barley Henley-on-Thames UK - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
