--------- Lyn Bailey <lynrbai...@desupernet.net> wrote: When we are at home, it is easier to make lace at home than lug the stuff all over, but clearly from the responses, making lace in public seems to draw questions from onlookers. How much interest could we get for lacemaking if we simply spent some time in our home town making lace in a public place? I don't think anyone knows the answer, but it might be interesting to find out.
Some of us have found out. I've worked on my lace pillow at the mechanic's while waiting for my car to be serviced and at work at lunchtime (taught two co-workers for awhile from that). I've heard of others who have done similar things. October 1st has been "make lace in public" day for some years now. Friends and I have made lace in knitting shops, embroidery shops, and malls (just a person or two, sitting on the mall's seating with a small pillow in the lap) on that day. Pittsburgh Lace Group demonstrates every year at Phipps Conservatory (a giant Victorian-style greenhouse open to the public) and the Pittsburgh Folk Festival. They often demonstrate at other craft-oriented shows and historical festivals in and around Pittsburgh. That's all local lacemaking, and it generates a lot of interest and does get a few new members. Here in southern California, groups demonstrate and teach at the Scandinavian Festival (California Lutheran College), Huntington Gardens, Descanso Gardens, Los Angeles Country Fair, and many places I don't remember. Those are "official" demonstration activities, but just bringing your pillow to someplace you will be sitting awhile also works. My own fascination with bobbin lace began when I saw a woman making it in front of a store. It took a few years to find a class (by then I had moved), but I searched until I found it! Even if a lace pillow doesn't travel all that well, it does travel. Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA robinl...@socal.rr.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
