"Lace Samples from Ipswich, Massachusetts, 1789-1790.
History, Patterns, and Working Diagrams for 22 Lace Samples
Preserved at the Library of Congress"
By Karen H Thompson
This much-anticipated self-published book compliments 2003's "The Laces of
Ipswich", by Marta Cotterell Raffel, which caused quite a stir in America
when it brought this startling early American lace history to us. To
date, Ipswich Lace is the only Colonial Era commercially-produced (in private
homes) handmade lace industry that has been discovered in America. It is
very well documented in the Library of Congress papers of Alexander Hamilton,
America's first Secretary of the Treasury. Actual examples of Ipswich
Lace were enclosed with these papers that describe the lace industry. Karen
has skillfully reproduced 22 of these samples. The book will be of special
interest to lacemakers who would like to make black silk bobbin lace,
historians, and people who specialize in authentic costuming.
72 page soft cover book printed on quality paper, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9990385-0-5
Price: $24 from Amazon
Basic technical information is given; working diagrams are in color.
When you open to the individual patterns, everything you need to know is
printed on facing pages.
On the left page: Photos of the Original Sample and Karen's Reproduction
side-by-side.
On the right page: Supplies required, working diagram in color
side-by-side with a pricking pattern. The patterns will be easy to copy for
use on a
lace pillow because they are near the right edge of the page.
A feature that will be appreciated by scholars: Numbered Notes in the
text are explained at the bottom of the page on which they appear; there is no
need to find them somewhere at the back of the book.
For the benefit of those who may be studying American Ipswich Lace in the
future, a guild's library might acquire an archival box in which to place
everything presently available on the subject. Specifically:
1. "The Lace Samples from Ipswich, Massachusetts, 1789-1790" by Karen H
Thompson, 2017.
Any articles mentioned in this book that may be printed (internet
sites may disappear in time).
2. "The Laces of Ipswich" by Marta Cotterell Raffel, 2003, 1-58465-163-6.
Publications in which this research appeared prior to book
publishing, some in name of Cotterell.
3. "Fine Thread, Lace & Hosiery in Ipswich", Ipswich Historical Society,
1903.
4. Information about the Ipswich Historical Society.
5. Book reviews, magazine articles and ephemera related to Ipswich Lace.
Individuals might set up a 3-ring binder with inside pockets for the
books, and print/insert available information to keep the subject together.
We
stand on the shoulders of lacemakers of the past, and we know their history
has largely been undocumented. A lesson learned from this research is to
keep what you can or donate to a guild that will protect your lace history,
Karen's new book is a winner! Americans may wish to order it from Karen
Thompson before July 1, or from Amazon before going to the IOLI
(International Organization of Lace) Convention the week of July 16, 2017.
Karen is
on the faculty. Participants will have an opportunity to buy the book at
Convention from Maria Provencher or Holly Van Sciver.
Jeri Ames in Maine USA
Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
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