If you would like to read what Jean in Cleveland UK wrote about Ma's Laces in 2004, search by the book title in our Arachne Archives. http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/index.html
You might like more details from the book, that might help you find a copy: 'The Story of "Ma's" Laces - 1914-1918 - Her response to the trauma of wartime' By Kerry and Carol Brooksbank 2004 The Dedication is by Yvonne Brooksbank-Liénaux To answer Janis's question: Dedication says laces can be seen today, by request, at the Musée du Costume et de la Dentelle de la Ville de Bruxelles. Book shows name as hyphenated: Louise Liénaux-Vergauwe (May I suggest that if anyone knows OIDFA's Belgium Congress Committee members, please ask if they might be able to influence the museum to exhibit these laces in 2018? Request per Jeri Ames) This is a lovely soft-cover book, many photos, about 5/8" thick (no page numbers), ISBN 0-901100-54-4 It is explained that it was most important to Louise's daughter that the laces be placed to their best advantage, thus ensuring their careful preservation. How nice it would be if all such laces were held in such high regard - and were as well-documented! My copy of the book was ordered abroad in 2004 for $30, plus $14 for postage and handling. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center -------------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 7/4/2015 4:24:36 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I would like to tell you about a wonderful talk I went to this morning. Professor Richard Brooksbank gave a talk on his great grandmother, Louise Lienaux Vergauwe. She was a young mother in World War 1 in Belgium, Her husband was drafted into the army and she managed to evacuate her children to Holland while she stayed in Belgium. During this time she taught herself to make lace from books and chose to demonstrate her anger at the situation, in lace. She only made 5 lace pictures, each about 40 x 50 cms, and one lace fan. 1. 'Defense of the Yser' depicting the german eagle on the back of the Belgian lion. 2. 'The prediction' depicting the Belgian lion holding the /german eagle down while the British bulldog lifts his leg over the eagles head, and the French cockerel and the Bussian bear attack the eagle. 3. 'Belgium bowed but not defeated'. 2 women, the belgian one being supported by the another. 4. 'America enters the war' with the Statue of Liberty and a so realistic picture of Kaiser Wilhelm. 5. 'King Albert 6. 'Peace' a lace fan with irises and a mother and child. The lace is amazing with the use of stitches etc giving a 3D effect to the pictures. After the war, when the family was reunited, she never made any more lace. Although she received awards for the laces and received offers to buy them, she never sold them but during WW2, when she had to flee Belgium she posted the fan to her sister in England as it was her most precious piece, and took the others with her. They are apparently, now in the Museum Communaux (is this the museum of lace and costume?)in Brussels. There is so much more to the story and it was absolutely fascinating. I am so inspired by the quality of the lace and the story behind it. There is a book about it called The Story of Ma's Lace but it is out of print. I begged Prof Brooksbank to let me know if it is republished and he is thinking about it. Has anyone seen these laces in Belgium? I have tried to google more about this story but can find nothing. If there is any more information about it, I would love to hear it. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear this talk on lace when we are so far away from the centres of lace in Europe and we all felt so privileged. Janis in South Africa, about to go to bed and dream about being able to make such amazing lace. - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
