[lace] Lace Conventions
Well said, Catherine. It is lovely, for us who could not be there â to read all about the Belgium Lace Convention/Congress (is there a difference between to 2?) Many of us would have Loved to have been there, and reading about it in detail is the next best thing! Thanks, Anna â and if you have too much rain in Sydney â just send some down to Melbourne!! I have just started a tatted piece using the new Lizbeth Metallic thread. Although it is a bit harder to work with, and needs more careful tensioning, it is really sparkly and the finished piece will look very nice, I think. It is ideal for Xmas decorations!! I am a lot slower when using it, due to having to pay more careful attention to the tensioning of each stitch, but I think the finished product will be worth it! (I hope so, anyway!!) Regards from Liz. In Melbourne, Oz. - 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/
[lace] Lace conventions
I have read with interest all the discussions on lace conventions. Travel costs are the big thing that stand in the way of attending any convention this applies to the US as well as Australia where distances are very similar. And yes we have the same requirements as well. I've been a member of the Australian lace Guild for over 30 years and only managed to get to my first 'convention' 2 years ago. It was within driving distance. In the early 1990's there were conventions within walking distance from my home but I couldn't go. The main reasons were financial and family; conventions were held in school holidays and I was a teacher with 3 children. When the children were finally old enough to be left for a week it was cost that kept me at home. But at the same time I could afford to attend week long Physics, Science and History of Science conferences not only due to tax concessions and support from my employer, but these academic conferences always gave a variety of accommodation options and food could be obtained from a variety of outlets. The registration costs included the cost of key note speakers. I sometimes brought my kids with me and they were made welcome, my daughter was often singled out by a key note speaker during breaks and on one occasion the Governor General approached her and chatted to her during the welcome reception. As a family we regularly attended caving conferences because accommodation costs were kept down; we either camped or the conference was held in a sport and rec grounds where we stayed in cabins or it was held in some variety of community facility and we stayed in a hotel or motel AND there were activities for non-cavers and children. Often these activities arose spontaneously but non-cavers and kids were welcome! I used to make lace or stitch while my husband attended the lectures and workshops and the kids did their thing with the other kids. We all kept an eye out for the children and some of the mums with young children organised their own creche. This year I ran a patchwork workshop for non-caving partners, it was a great success with even more non-caving partners attending than in previous years. This conference was held in a Catholic Retreat Center that had a variety of accommodation options which included camping, apart from workshop facilities for the conference, we also had access to the swimming pool and other facilities which included common rooms and rec rooms. Lace conventions rarely make partners welcome and children are never seen. If I could have brought my husband and kids to a lace 'convention' I would have gone. As far as staying in a venue that includes the meals this is a hit and miss affair. To be totally blunt I hate boarding school food!! While there is lots of it, it is boring and done to a price and hence the quality is not always there. Yet I have been to functions at boarding schools where the food has been simply great. It depends on how much you are prepared to pay for food. Anna in a sunny Sydney - 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/
