I demonstrate lacemaking annually at a Pioneer Homestead here in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The house was built of stone hewn from a local quarry, around 1860, and all the doors to the rooms are on the outside, along a verandah! there is a brick removed from the living room/kitchen wall into the adjoining bedroom so they could communicate to ?the children in bed!!
The estate was given to the local City Council in the 1970/s (I think) when the family could no longer look after it, and it is now run by the local Historical society. They have built a museum in the grounds - of the same stone hewn from the same quarry, so it blends in, and it is now an accredited Museum with lace, period costumes and household goods in it. Wearing period costume feels 'Just Right' when we go there. The annual open day is in a couple of weeks (during Heritage Week) but the theme this year is 1950's so I won't be wearing my crinoline dress this time!!! A variety of crafts are featured at the Open Day festivities, and we sit in the large committee room which is part of the new Museum building. People come and see us working, and can see the Homewares too in the next room. Much of the lace collection is Maltese lace, and there are some very fine pieces there, too. A lot of people, in the old days, made lace for their own use, not to sell, so lacemaking in old historic homes is Not out of place, to my way of thinking. They did dressmaking, and embroidery, and lacemaking as a natural, usual, thing to do. Just because it is not a know lacemaking area, does not mean there was no lace made! free maids that weave their thread with bones - I have this line inscribed in a bobbin that was bought for me in Stratford-on-Avon. A guy from our Club had seen me making lace, and when he and his wife went to UK on a trip, he saw bobbins in the window of a souvenir shop, so bought them - one for me and one for himself!! The shop assistant did not want to sell them to him, as they sere not normal souvenirs, - and did he know what they were? Yes, he said, Lacemakers bobbins, - So as he knew what they were she "allowed" him to buy them!!! We had quite a laugh about it. So I know I have "educated" one person, anyway, about lacemaking!!! I don't usually accept gifts from men I only know a little, - but I made an exception for this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)) Regards from Liz in Melbourne, Oz. [email protected] -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 438 of my spam emails to date. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len The Professional version does not have this message - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
