Re: [lace] teaching
Thank you Noelen. As always, you have it exactly right. Happy lacemaking Alex -Original Message- From: Noelene Lafferty Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2015 11:02 PM To: 'Alex Stillwell' ; 'Arachne reply' Subject: RE: [lace] teaching Thanks for that line Teaching is teaching Alex, it prompted me to start writing again. Teaching Lacemaking. Teaching is just teaching Whatever subject might be sought But if you become a teacher By your pupils you'll be taught. Take the task of teaching Lacemaking from the start You'll find yourself presented With new ideas to take to heart. Why are there two twists there? Why can't you work uphill? Why don't my pairs remain the same? Why is my fan a frill? So then you have to puzzle Work out the reason why. And not just do it without thought 'Cause it's pleasing to the eye. And the pleasure gained in teaching Passing on this noble art Is worth the time and effort And gladdens every heart. Noelene at The Angle noel...@lafferty.com.au Teaching is teaching, whatever the subject. . Happy lacemaking and teaching Alex - 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/
Re: [lace] teaching
Hi Jenny and CLay Teaching is teaching, whatever the subject. Some people do not have time to work on their lace during the week and we do not know their commitments. By all means encourage lacemaking between classes, in the early stages some do not have the confidence to work on their own. I once had a class of 14 new lacemakers. By the end of four months one was tailing behind and feeling despondent because she was slow and as time went on she did not speed up but - a couple of years later she came first in her section at the Essex Handicrafts Exhibition, and it was a big class. Some lacemakers take longer to learn than others, but time is not of the essence and learning slowly does not mean the student is less able. If you feel the slower lacemaker is comparing herself unfavourable with the other one try moving her to a different type of lace. I usually start by teaching torchon, but there are some who find it particularly difficult, in which case I switch to Bedfordshire, starting with small motifs of the coaster size. It works. Happy lacemaking and teaching Alex -Original Message- From: Clay Blackwell Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2015 12:15 AM To: Jenny Brandis Cc: Alex Stillwell ; The Lacebee Subject: Re: [lace] teaching Hmmm... Replying to a few I am teaching my first (2) students, and they are bright and eager. One has more troubles than the other. Today, they both had more problems than usual, and both confessed that they had not put a hand to the pillow since last class. My advice was that they should go home, make more lace if time permits, and then sleep on it. But I insisted that they should go back to their pillow tomorrow, and the lesson learned would be there. I don't want to be hard-core, demanding X number of hours of work each week, but I have told them that the sooner they use information learned each week, the better it will serve them. Have you any other good suggestions? Thanks! Clay Clay Blackwell Lynchburg, VA, USA Sent from my iPad On Apr 29, 2015, at 6:54 PM, Jenny Brandis je...@brandis.com.au wrote: If I have answered the same question over five times then the problem is that I have not answered in a way that that particular student can understand, not that she has not tried to understand. Keeping on asking means that she wants to understand and I have to keep on looking for another way to give her the answer. We get there in the end. This is so true, I have found when I am teaching, (computer usage or a hand craft) that your statements hold true as well. Regards Jenny Brandis Brookdale, Western Australia - 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/ - 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/
Re: [lace] teaching
Hi fellow Arachnids, As a retired geography teacher and a lace teacher for more years than I care to remember (and having taught several other subjects as well during my working life) I love this poem Noelene. I wholeheartedly agree with Alex and Noelene. Happy lace making, Joepie, East Sussex, UK, where the skies are grey again. From: Noelene Lafferty Sent: âThursdayâ, â30â âAprilâ â2015 â23â:â08 To: Alex Stillwell, Lace Arachne Thanks for that line Teaching is teaching Alex, it prompted me to start writing again. Teaching Lacemaking. Teaching is just teaching Whatever subject might be sought But if you become a teacher By your pupils you'll be taught. Take the task of teaching Lacemaking from the start You'll find yourself presented With new ideas to take to heart. Why are there two twists there? Why can't you work uphill? Why don't my pairs remain the same? Why is my fan a frill? So then you have to puzzle Work out the reason why. And not just do it without thought 'Cause it's pleasing to the eye. And the pleasure gained in teaching Passing on this noble art Is worth the time and effort And gladdens every heart. Noelene at The Angle noel...@lafferty.com.au - 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/
Re: [lace] teaching
It's still April 30 here in the US, also our National Poem in your Pocket day! I just printed this out and put it in the drawer of my roller pillow. Thank you for your writing Noelene!!! As Always,Laura SandisonNew Mexico, USA - 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/
RE: [lace] teaching
Absolutely spot of Noelene. Hugs Jenny B -Original Message- From: owner-l...@arachne.com [mailto:owner-l...@arachne.com] On Behalf Of Noelene Lafferty Sent: Friday, 1 May 2015 6:03 AM To: 'Alex Stillwell'; 'Arachne reply' Subject: RE: [lace] teaching Thanks for that line Teaching is teaching Alex, it prompted me to start writing again. Teaching Lacemaking. Teaching is just teaching Whatever subject might be sought But if you become a teacher By your pupils you'll be taught. Take the task of teaching Lacemaking from the start You'll find yourself presented With new ideas to take to heart. Why are there two twists there? Why can't you work uphill? Why don't my pairs remain the same? Why is my fan a frill? So then you have to puzzle Work out the reason why. And not just do it without thought 'Cause it's pleasing to the eye. And the pleasure gained in teaching Passing on this noble art Is worth the time and effort And gladdens every heart. Noelene at The Angle noel...@lafferty.com.au Teaching is teaching, whatever the subject. . Happy lacemaking and teaching Alex - 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/ - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2015.0.5863 / Virus Database: 4339/9668 - Release Date: 04/30/15 - 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/
RE: [lace] teaching
Thanks for that line Teaching is teaching Alex, it prompted me to start writing again. Teaching Lacemaking. Teaching is just teaching Whatever subject might be sought But if you become a teacher By your pupils you'll be taught. Take the task of teaching Lacemaking from the start You'll find yourself presented With new ideas to take to heart. Why are there two twists there? Why can't you work uphill? Why don't my pairs remain the same? Why is my fan a frill? So then you have to puzzle Work out the reason why. And not just do it without thought 'Cause it's pleasing to the eye. And the pleasure gained in teaching Passing on this noble art Is worth the time and effort And gladdens every heart. Noelene at The Angle noel...@lafferty.com.au Teaching is teaching, whatever the subject. . Happy lacemaking and teaching Alex - 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/
RE: [lace] teaching
If I have answered the same question over five times then the problem is that I have not answered in a way that that particular student can understand, not that she has not tried to understand. Keeping on asking means that she wants to understand and I have to keep on looking for another way to give her the answer. We get there in the end. This is so true, I have found when I am teaching, (computer usage or a hand craft) that your statements hold true as well. Regards Jenny Brandis Brookdale, Western Australia - 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] re: Lace teaching
I have followed the teacher evaluation and qualification thread with great interest, both as a student and as a teacher. Janice, I think it is a good idea to provide the evaluation form beforehand to IOLI teachers - especially the new ones - and also give guidelines to teachers as to how to deal with students who are either under and over qualified for a class, and those who demand much more than their fair share of class time. Maybe a short session at the Teachers Meeting? No matter how well a class is described by the teacher, different students will interpret it to mean different things. What does beginner, intermediate and advanced really mean? It varies from one lace maker to the next how they perceive their skills. More illustrations might help, and that is now possible on the websites. But even illustrations are open to interpretation. Some teachers who plan to write a book on their subject might be reluctant to give out written material, as it will be copied and distributed by students. It probably comes down to whether one teaches to share the love and knowledge of lace or as a business. Others might argue that one learns more from taking notes than receiving a handout, which may or may not make sense. I am personally in favor of clearly illustrated hand-outs. We all teach and learn in different ways. As a teacher I always learn something from my students while teaching. I have been very fortunate during my many years teaching lace making to have met a lot of wonderful people, and it always pleases me tremendously when I see my former students enjoy lace making, advance to a new technique, entering a contest, teaching, etc. That to me is the real payment for teaching. Karen in Washington, DC - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching skills and lace
Hi Lyn and Spiders, Just to add a little bit more to the topic. Although some (most ?) lace tutors probably don't have 'teacher training', I, with the help of the Lace Guild bursary, took the City and Guilds Teaching Certificates, and they certainly helped! The class was taught by a wonderful woman, who made us challenge ourselves - and each other - and my biggest achievement in that class was to teach an Army sergeant how to do leaves! And a very creditable effort he made, too. So - maybe the City and Guilds teaching certificates could be more widely advertised - I certainly enjoyed the experience of the courses, and I am sure I learned a very great deal too. Carol - in North Norfolk UK 'Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day.' - Original Message - From: Lyn Bailey lynrbai...@desupernet.net To: lace@arachne.com Cc: Sent: Saturday, 23 August 2014, 20:42 Subject: [lace] Teaching skills and lace . Training and practice can only help. While lace teachers undoubtedly know the subject matter, there is no teacher training for lace teachers, nor is there the kind of feedback as to the effectiveness of my teaching. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching skills and lace
So - maybe the City and Guilds teaching certificates could be more widely advertised - I certainly enjoyed the experience of the courses, and I am sure I learned a very great deal too. are there any courses for 'City and Guilds' Lace making? I thought they were not being run any more but would be interested in finding out about the possibility of taking a course. Celia Mulhearn Highbridge, Somerset UK - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching skills and lace
The city and guilds teaching certificate is called PTLLS. These days, in order to take this qualification and use it to teach you are supposed to be qualified in the subject that you intend to teach. My understanding is that the city and guilds for lacemaking is no longer run as as this was the only qualification in the UK you end up with a circular issue. You want to be qualified to teach lace but you can't gain a qualification at the right level to take the teaching qualification. However, if you are qualified with PTLLS you can apply to any of the awarding bodies to deliver a qualification in lacemaking so long as you are an accreditation centre or attached to an accredited centre. That, of course, costs money. Then to deliver the accreditation course that you set up you need to pay for an IV (internal verifier) to verify that you are delivering to standard. Following that, sample models from each learner are checked by an outside auditor from the qualifying body to check that standard are being met. This all has to be delivered in a timely manner. So, you can see why as numbers applying for the city and guilds lacemaking dropped it stopped being viable to continue with the formal qualification. http://www.cityandguilds.com/qualifications-and-apprenticeships/learning/teaching/6302-preparing-to-teach-in-the-lifelong-learning-sector-ptlls#tab=information You could argue that if you have received certification from the lace guild for completing their assessments that this would give you the technical qualification to take PTLLS but because it is not delivered to OfQual standards it is not recognised. Catch 22. In the past, colleges would let you teach lace if you had PTLLS but not a lace qualification as they believed that if you could demonstrate a reasonable standard in lacemaking and had learnt to teach you could combine the two. Something which this debate here has borne out. L Sent from my iPad On 24 Aug 2014, at 20:55, Celia Mulhearn po...@me.com wrote: So - maybe the City and Guilds teaching certificates could be more widely advertised - I certainly enjoyed the experience of the courses, and I am sure I learned a very great deal too. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching lace.
Hi Kathleen and Spiders I can agree whole-heartedly with the last paragraph. I was talking at a Lace Day, when I was taking the Lace Circle goodies around, with a very respected tutor - she told me that whilst teaching, I shoud NEVER teach students how to start, and how to finish. The reason for that is, that the students have to keep coming to classes if they can't start or finish, and that, in her words, 'keeps bums on seats' and keeps the classes going! ( I had previously said that one of my classes was being sadly depleted by people moving away, or finding other hobbies, and she told me this in an effort to be helpful, and keep my class numbers up - but I was horrified!) However, take care, and may your pins never bend. Carol - in North Norfolk, UK. 'Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day.' - Original Message - From: Kathleen Harris ec...@cix.co.uk To: 'lace' lace@arachne.com Subject: [lace] Teaching lace. The worst teacher I have heard of was the one a friend of mine started with. She did not let her students start or complete a piece themselves. She began every piece, and finished every piece. My friend came out of that class able to make lace but unable to move forward. Luckily she found a better teacher and became an excellent lace maker - but only because she was determined and passionate about lace. Kathleen Berkshire, UK --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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/ - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching lacemaking
Hi Clay and all Spiders, I would like to add just one small point! Even knowing the subject inside-out is not always a good preparation for teaching said subject. My lace is not quite of the quality of other really marvellous lace-makers, but many of my students have said that they have come to me via other students, as they have been dissatisfied with previous tutors and classes. Sometimes, I feel that this could be that I can still remember the difficulties (and tears shed) with some techniques, and it helps me to find other ways to explain, so that the student can understand. We had a Maths tutor at High School - he was a brilliant man - a forces intelligence chap, a Russian speaker, and all sorts of major qualifications - but because Maths came so easily to him, he could never understand our difficulties, and if questions were asked, tended to stand in front of the class, looking bewildered that anyone should be unable to understand! Some of us got through our Maths GCEs, but it was a major triumph when we did. Carol - in North Norfolk, UK 'Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day.' - Original Message - From: Clay Blackwell clayblackw...@comcast.net Subject: [lace] Teaching lacemaking Sent from my iPad On Aug 22, 2014, at 3:14 PM, The Lace Bee thelace...@btinternet.com wrote: Just because we have not been trained as teachers is not proof that we are not capable of being good teachers. There are several ways that a teacher/student relationship can be magical. If both teacher and student respond to the visual approach, they will get along! If they both function on an auditory level, then again, they get along! Then, there is the kinetic approach, which is essentially the hands-on learning. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching lace.
I was very disappointed at first when our classes folded because of numbers going down because they put the prices too high. But it was a blessing in disguise, because before when I had a problem I just asked my tutor and she put me right, but with no teacher I had to sort out my own problems and found I was learning far more about lace by simply thinking harder about it instead of saying how do you? Sue M Harvey Norfolk U.K. Sent from my iPad - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching lace.
Well done Sue, but unfortunately not everyone is as positive and determined as you. I know that not all the people who were in my classes and who dropped out one or two at a time, over several price raises, are still making lace. I am still seeing many of the ones who were able to hang in until the end, when the both price shot up and concessions were removed at the same time, but the ones who left earlier have mostly disappeared from my circle. I do agree with what you are saying though as I was originally self taught, and when I first went to classes I found it very strange when people just chatted while waiting for help, instead of trying to work out what to do. I now see people monthly and it's a good compromise for all as they have to think for themselves a bit or they can't do anything for a long time, but if they are seriously stuck they know help is coming. Jacquie in Lincolnshire - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching antics
Oh my goodness That's appalling and so was the behavior of the tutor who cut off the bobbins. I hope she was never invited to teach again! Don't forget to complete the Appraisal form distributed at the end of class, giving you the opportunity to report such behavior to the organisers. Students do not pay good money to be humiliated! Catherine Barley Catherine Barley Needlelace www.catherinebarley.com - Original Message - From: laceviolins...@comcast.net To Subject: Re: [lace] Teaching antics The teacher told us that all the instruction was printed on papers hanging around the class on the walls. Then on the last day of instruction she said that she would not be teaching, that she and her friends were going to be have some wine in the back of the room, so we should just go ahead and lace. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching lacemaking
Clay, My apologies and yes the joy of replying from an iPhone with a small screen and predictive text does affect grammar and punctuation (and sometimes unique words appear that I didn't mean) which coupled with the fact that as a child of the 70s British educational system I was not allowed to use punctuation until I was 14 so sometimes I forget to use it at all. So my apologies, as perhaps my meaning didn't come across correctly. What I was trying to say was that with my background I have the privilege of observing good and bad practice and the tools to deconstruct why that works. The best teachers seem to always have three qualities: 1. A passion for their subject 2. An ability to connect with the student 3. Patience Clay, as you have trained as a teaching professional your reply went through and explained the standard deconstruct of VARK (Visual, Auditory, Read/Write and Kinestic). I know that there are lots of models on how to teach out there but I personally like VARK because it's so easy to use and so effective. A well taught teacher or trainer will try each method in turn to match the learner's style and a natural teacher (and there are many out there) will also do this. My husband admits that although he is a qualified teacher he is not a natural one and has to plan his lessons carefully to make sure he is inclusive in his methods of training. His biggest challenge is that although extremely passionate about his subject he is not naturally a patient man and has to remind himself that learners learn at different speeds and have different abilities. Because of his subject, many of his learners have limited educational experience and are often daunted by returning to a classroom. It is his job to make that experience welcoming. I knew a trainer who was very Kinestic - hands on. Every training session that they designed was practical learning but their learners were mainly read / write and wanted to know the facts behind the practical. Every time one of the learners asked a question the trainer would simple reply 'well, why do you think it does that'. The poor learners realised that the trainer either didn't know or couldn't explain so stopped asking. Then after about 6 months, they stopped booking training. When you are a paid trainer for a large company, having no delegates is a bit of an issue. My point with the GBS quote was that for many years people have fallen under that spell of thinking that anyone can pass on knowledge. The key being if you know more than the learner then you will be fine. But it's a myth. The first inspirational teacher I met was when I was 7 and learnt the guitar. He was actually 2 lessons ahead of me in the same book. But by learning at the same time as me he was deconstructing the learning experience and then reconstructing it for me. That grounding has done me well. I am a natural guitar player but it is combined with a good knowledge of music theory and guitar theory. I know how to and why and even now when I don't practice as much as I should, I can pick up my guitar and sight read music because it became a part of me through the teaching. Back in the late 90s I was rather ill and didn't do anything really for about 6 months. As I recovered I discovered I had no patience for anything and certainly no sustained levels of concentration. So I (perhaps foolishly) thought that going back to lacemaking was the answer. I realised then that the second person who taught me (in the early 90s) although not a trained teacher, was perhaps the best skills teacher I'd met. Each time I had hit a problem she would tell me that it was common and we would together trace back to where the error had started and talk about the options to put it right. She installed in me the maximum 'can you live with it' if yes, carry on, if no, make your lace backwards. I undid my return lace time and time again and was happy doing it because that teacher had installed in me the passion to make, the knowledge to do it and the patience to achieve it. Most of all, she made me feel as though I could do it. So again Clay, my apologies and I should not email whilst trying to board a plane and I must proof read on the iPhone. I often get work emails where I'm not sure if the person is being supportive or sarcastic. Because emails is so conversational sometimes it doesn't flow like a letter should. Even the iPad tried to change concentration in to condensation just now ... That would have brought a whole new level of confusion to the debate. And note to self - punctuation, punctuation, punctuation. L Sent from my iPad On 23 Aug 2014, at 03:52, Clay Blackwell clayblackw...@comcast.net wrote: I take offense to this on a number of levels. I'm going to overlook the typos and grammatical errors as part of this crazy internet communication system! However, lacemaking is an artistic skill. Artists do not think like
Re: [lace] Teaching lacemaking
Hello everyone I have to pipe up, the GBS line is He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches. and one of many Shaw-isms from his play Man and Superman based on the Don Juan theme. Happily it is not in the context of lacemaking, lacemakers nor lace teachers! I like better the proverb One in three is a teacher. and even better than that, some good advice I heard early on in lacemaking, that one way to learn is to teach someone else! It has worked for me :) Lace on and on My point with the GBS quote was -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching antics
I had a bad experience with a half day class. The class was explained in the IOLI manual as beginner to experienced taught both morning and afternoon. Little did I know that you got all the instruction in the morning and the two of us who took the afternoon class were ignored. The teacher told us that all the instruction was printed on papers hanging around the class on the walls. Then on the last day of instruction she said that she would not be teaching, that she and her friends were going to be have some wine in the back of the room, so we should just go ahead and lace. NEVER took a class from her again, and needless to say, I do not have any desire to learn that type of lace. Becca - Original Message - From: L. E. Weiss weiss@mindspring.com To: lace lace@arachne.com Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2014 6:31:07 PM Subject: [lace] Teaching antics Sallie, I hope you reported the antics of that teacher who cut your bobbins. What a horrific experience. No one has a right to treat anyone that way, where one is not willfully being disruptive or uncooperative. I had one IOLI instructor who appeared to have no interest in teaching me from the very beginning (I think I was the only 1/2 day student in the class). I did my best for 3 days and spent the last full day in my good class. I will never give her a second chance. I've been in another situation where a teacher was playing favorites and being very hard on someone else in the class. It's not supposed to be boot camp. Some instructors need drama to feed ego, but they and the event organizers should be informed that this does not further the goal of building the lacemaking community. It's very hard to speak up in small groups sometimes (and almost impossible to confront a bad instructor personally as a student), but it's important to praise the great instructors and point out those whose approaches do nothing to help the sponsoring organization and lacemaking in the long run. If you are having a bad time with a teacher, chances are someone else got burned too. And if you see someone else being mistreated, try to offer them support and report the circumstances to the organizers. Glad you persevered with lace and found great teachers like Sylvie and Lia. Regards, Lorraine in Albany, NY - 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/ - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching antics
What many teachers forget is that people are buying a service from them and as such are their customers If I was abused in a shop by the person I wasn't young from I would vote with my feet and complain to the manager. We are often too nice to those who bully or fail to provide the level of service expected because we just want together away and not make a scene On the flip side, if someone has paid me to learn I will be honest if they are wasting their money. I taught one lady who had no talent at all for lacemaking. Each session she had lost all the progress that that she had made in the session before. In the end, I suggested she stopped paying and had 3 free lessons. If she made no progress at end of those we would part company. She admitted that she wasn't enjoying it and finally spoke with me about pressures at home which were taking up her thoughts. So we took a teaching holiday with the promise of a couple offerer sessions when she felt she had time to take it up again. Sent from my iPhone On 22 Aug 2014, at 02:31, L. E. Weiss weiss@mindspring.com wrote: Sallie, I hope you reported the antics of that teacher who cut your bobbins. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching lace - UK background checks
That'd be about right volunteers would have to pay themselves I can foresee people not bothering to volunteer at all!! School crossing patrols for instance... only work 5 hours per week termtimes only and they'd have to pay for the check?? Can we really see that working? Back down off soapbox Sue (Lollipop Lady in North of UK) On 29 Jul 2013, at 18:45, scotl...@aol.com wrote: I seem to remember it was said that people required a background check for each class/group taught in different locations. This morning, in the church coffee lounge I was told the system has changed. You can find out about it on: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/dbs - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching lace - UK background checks
Volunteers do not pay now: I said specifically 'no cost to volunteers'. Employers pay for their employees. My niece has just graduated in radiography (with first class honours and student of the year prize; I'm so proud I have to boast, given the problems she had) and is having a background check done now. If she was expected to pay for it I would have heard all about it, believe me, as she is so hard up. Her employing Health Board is footing the bill. In the early days of background checks my local council paid for them for teachers, assistants, dinner ladies and crossing patrol people as well as for us reading volunteers. I see no reason for that to have changed. I assume the self employed -e.g. private music teacher - pay for themselves. Patricia in Wales -Original Message- From: Sue Duckles s...@duckles.co.uk To: scotlace scotl...@aol.com CC: lace lace@arachne.com Sent: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 19:53 Subject: Re: [lace] Teaching lace - UK background checks That'd be about right volunteers would have to pay themselves I can foresee people not bothering to volunteer at all!! School crossing patrols for instance... only work 5 hours per week termtimes only and they'd have to pay for the check?? Can we really see that working? Back down off soapbox Sue (Lollipop Lady in North of UK) On 29 Jul 2013, at 18:45, scotl...@aol.com wrote: I seem to remember it was said that people required a background check for each class/group taught in different locations. This morning, in the church coffee lounge I was told the system has changed. You can find out about it on: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/dbs - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hi Anna, thank you for your kind words. This weekend is the local ag show and some of my girls have entered their work, So it is an anxious time for them. I enjoy being with them as they are such fun to be around! Tomorrow I will check out how well they did and take photos of their work. Surrogate grandmother works for me. :-) - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Jenny, having met you for the first time last year, I'm not at all surprised that the munchkins keep coming back. You are an inspirational teacher. And surrogate grandmother how lovely. There are lots of very young grandmothers I must admit i have been surprised that the group has continued for so long!! 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hello Spiders, This is really making us all think, isn't it! When I went into the schools in which I taught lace-making, as an after-school activity, there was always a teacher present, so they didn't think that a CRB was necessary, as the teacher was always on the spot. (One of the teachers even joined the class!) However, one of my children's private classes folded because a friend (!) of one of the mothers asked if she had checked that I was CRB checked. I wrote to my then MP who, after quite a long time, replied that, as I was going into the childen's homes, where a parent or guardian was always present, then I didn't need any additional checks - especially as I was self-employed anyway. This took so long to sort out, that I gave up on that class - felt sorry for the children who had been enjoying it, but felt that, if the mother was going to listen to too many of her pals, with all sorts of criticism, I could do without all the hassle. The other three children's classes continued without any bother, so I felt quite happy with that. However, I do agree that they take the CRB checks to laughable levels. Surely one check should be enough for any and alll activities, not separate ones for Guides, Cubs, Brownies, schools, lace tutors and anything else they can make a bit of maney on... Carol in North Norfolk UK 'Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day.' - Original Message - From: lynrbai...@desupernet.net lynrbai...@desupernet.net Subject: Re: [lace] Teaching children . A UNIFIED BACKGROUND CHECK FOR LACE TEACHERS!! Hi All - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Dear All I have experienced this CRB checks and at one time could have papered the little room with all the certificates for the different things I was involved in. Not just for working with children but with Vulnerable Adults. (This covers anyone who finds themselves in a vulnerable situation - fall and bruise your knee you become a vulnerable adult cut your hand) Just remember the CRB check is only really valid on date of issue as it only records things that have happened and been recorded ie convictions. one day later and the picture could be very different. If we want to bring childen up in a 100% risk free environment 100% germfree maybe we should CRB check any person who wishes to have a baby and then check parents very 3 years. If they fail any of these checksin any way the children are removed into govt care. which should meet the above levels of excellence.This will then only leave those that are not parents to be checked. Well maybe we just check the whole population as a matter of course all the time and the citizen will the have an ID number that it login with (with retinal recognition) any time they have any contact with children and if they are not of the correct standardd then they will be a loud noise to alert the bystanding adults. There has got to be a better way - how about trust in others. despite the few sick people that are out there. most children who hve been abused have been abused by family members - the recent cases of grooming have been young girls who have many problems and the groomers have not been people working with groups of young children. There have been cases of children being groomed in chat rooms on the internet. The same can be said for adults too these situation exist for them as well. Maybe we start with respect and a caring attitude towards others - male female children and less of the need to subjugate others Thank you for reading this - I will now get back to my lacemaking On 10/07/2013 11:49, nestalace.ca...@btinternet.com wrote: Hello Spiders, This is really making us all think, isn't it! When I went into the schools in which I taught lace-making, as an after-school activity, there was always a teacher present, so they didn't think that a CRB was necessary, as the teacher was always on the spot. (One of the teachers even joined the class!) However, one of my children's private classes folded because a friend (!) of one of the mothers asked if she had checked that I was CRB checked. I wrote to my then MP who, -- Kind Regards Rosemary Hemmett mailto:rosemary.hemm...@virgin.net - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
I have been teaching children for 4 years (7-12 yrs old at the beginning) and although I went and got the australian police clearance called 'working with children' it has never been asked for. I teach in my own home each Saturday afternoon and it is purely voluntary on behalf of the kids. If they felt threatened in any way they would not come. I was unsure how to respond to a comment that i was a surrogate grandmother but on reflection that makes sense as i live in a 'young' town with the average age being in the 30's. Whatever the reason i love being able to pass on my love of craft to a new generation. We have explored different crafts over the time but the one stipulation is that they must learn bobbin lace to attend. I must admit i have been surprised that the group has continued for so long!! Regards Jenny Brandis Kununurra, Western Australia - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Dear Lyn, You gave me an excellent idea. I could use some slave labour to be able to enter the 5 meter club :) Just kidding! It is sad they had to enforce these rules. Joke On 8 Jul 2013, at 23:20, lynrbai...@desupernet.net wrote: Dear Joke, I apologize, but your posting struck me the wrong way. I'm sitting here with tears of laughter running down my face, thinking, Rats, my extensive criminal convictions will not let me teach lace to children... I know it's serious, and probably expensive, but really, lacemakers going to schools to prey on young children? The thought is such an absurdity. I suppose there could be a predator out there, lurking amongst us lacemakers, but Please enjoy the joke with me. Lyn from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, who had the charges for failing to show her automobile insurance to the cop withdrawn today. Honestly. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hi All Been watching this thread with interest. I am enhanced CRB checked and do hold a current certificate however here in the UK it would only cover me for being a School Crossing Patrol! If I wanted to go into school to 'teach' then I should be CRB checked for that... if I wanted to work with 'vulnerable adults' in other centres again another CRB check would have to be made. Trusteeship of a group registered with the Charities Commission would need another CRB clearance All of which must be paid for by an organisation, and the paperwork can take up to 6 months!! This situation is rather ludicrous, as each of the above checks would be made by the SAME County Council!!! Now where is the sense in that?? IMHO it's a great way of raising extra money! Also, if someone is 'retired' or self-employed, there is NO WAY that they can get their employer to pay for a CRB clearance doesn't enter into the scheme! In other words, whereas I could potentially go into the community to teach lace because I'm 'employed' , someone else who is retired couldn't, unless they could 'persuade' the relevant school or whatever, to pay £60 UKP EACH TIME!!! Separate ones for separate schools/centres etc this is probably why it just ain't gonna happen here in the UK!! Down off soapbox Sue in East Yorkshrie - 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/
RE: [lace] Teaching children
I so agree Sue. Look at the cases in recent years where 'abusers' have had the necessary CRB checks and passed just because they 'lied' or something. I also believe it is basically a money making exercise. Retired people have the time and energy to go and teach lacemaking to children in schools. Maureen E Yorks UK - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Well, Sue, you've got an MP. WRITE! Let's have a Youtube when this question is asked in Parliament. A UNIFIED BACKGROUND CHECK FOR LACE TEACHERS!! Once and done, 5 pounds for an update every 3 years. Otherwise lacemaking will go the way of the dodo in 30 years. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, where the background checks are portable, says DH. Only need one. -Original Message- From: Sue Duckles s...@duckles.co.uk Sent: Jul 9, 2013 4:32 AM To: Arachne lace@arachne.com lace@arachne.com Subject: Re: [lace] Teaching children Hi All Been watching this thread with interest. I am enhanced CRB checked and do hold a current certificate however here in the UK it would only cover me for being a School Crossing Patrol! If I wanted to go into school to 'teach' then I should be CRB checked for that... if I wanted to work with 'vulnerable adults' in other centres again another CRB check would have to be made. Trusteeship of a group registered with the Charities Commission would need another CRB clearance All of which must be paid for by an organisation, and the paperwork can take up to 6 months!! This situation is rather ludicrous, as each of the above checks would be made by the SAME County Council!!! Now where is the sense in that?? IMHO it's a great way of raising extra money! Also, if someone is 'retired' or self-employed, there is NO WAY that they can get their employer to pay for a CRB clearance doesn't enter into the scheme! In other words, whereas I could potentially go into the community to teach lace because I'm 'employed' , someone else who is retired couldn't, unless they could 'persuade' the relevant school or whatever, to pay £60 UKP EACH TIME!!! Separate ones for separate schools/centres etc this is probably why it just ain't gonna happen here in the UK!! Down off soapbox Sue in East Yorkshrie - 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/ My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Although I don't agree that you *have to be* a mathematician or scientist etc to be a good lacemaker, I am reasonably confident that a high percentage of those people who are bobbin lacemakers do have those inclinations and this may have been what Alex meant. Many times I have asked around a class what people's work is/was and the three fields that by far out number everything else are the already mentioned maths/science/computer specialities, medical/caring professions and teachers. Both the latter groups probably require at least a confidence with basic maths and science concepts. Myself, I loved geometry at school; it was so obvious how to work out angles and how to do all the clever drawings with only ruler and a pair of compasses. After school I went to art school to study fashion, but worked for years as a dispenser in a pharmacy. For quite a while I worked as a carer. After I did my teacher training with its awful analytical essays, I did Open University science as light relief; it was wonderful to be studying something where there were right and wrong answers. And from 10 years after leaving art school I was making my bobbin lace through all the rest. Just my observations, not meant to inflame or upset anyone. Cheers, Jacquie. Just spent a hot but enjoyable Lace Guild Exec meeting weekend at The Hollies. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hi Spiders, This theme has made me think! I was lucky enough to teach lace at a private school, in the after-school activities, and had so many children we had to have a 'helper' for me! I taught the Textiles class, and when some of the parents, children and staff knew I made lace (I made a treble clef for the music teacher) they were all very vocal in wanting a club - so, the school agreed, even bought several pillows and all the gear, and off we went. I did supply orange juice and biscuits - not chocolate ones! - and I am sure another of the attractions was that we had our own personalised sweat shirts too, which the children were allowed to wear at the club, but not in the school day. It was open to all from seven years old, and I had as many boys as girls, and I loved every second of it. The only thing which did get me extremely tetchy was when parents, guardians or nannies came in to collect children, and said 'Is that all you've done?' Maybe I was lucky, and I do think it is probably easier to start a lace club at a private school, rather than the local education authority school - private schools can be more innovative than the local authority will allow sometimes, but if there are any school fetes and summer events going on in your village/area etc., then offer to take pillows with wip, have-a-go pillows etc., and see what response you get - this is how I started at two local village schools, and they have been very successful indeed. Take care, keep on lacomg, and may your pins never bend! Carol - now in North Norfolk, UK. 'Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day.' - Original Message - From: lynrbai...@desupernet.net lynrbai...@desupernet.net If you have an idea, please share. / walker.b...@gmail.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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hi Clay, Anna and other Arachnids, Most people have not reacted to this as it was not suggested that mathematicians or physicists make better lacemakers. The suggestion was that an argument that lacemaking MIGHT aid the development of mathematic/physics thinking as well as the artistic side in order to persuade schools to accept lace classes for the youngsters or even just an A4 poster to announce a children's group. It was also pointed out that it aided the development of precision movements which many children sadly lack these days. I am so sorry that the suggestions made by people to help persuade schools to open the doors have been misunderstood. Joepie in sunny Sussex, UK -Original Message- From: Clay Blackwell Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 1:57 AM To: Anna Binnie Cc: alexstillw...@talktalk.net ; Arachne reply ; Lyn Bailey Subject: Re: [lace] Teaching children Thanks, Anna!! I appreciate another voice who understands what I have said!! Generalities just don't apply to those who are skilled at making lace! Clay On 7/7/2013 8:03 PM, Anna Binnie wrote: On 7/07/13 11:13 PM, Clay Blackwell wrote: I am astonished that no one has challenged the notion that people with superior math/science/computer programming skills make the best lacemakers!! I've just logged on and yes I was totally affronted with that statement too. Let me put it in perspective I hold a PhD in Physics and I have taught physics for the last 20+ year to adults at university and children in high school. Good lacemakers are people who are naturally good at lacemaking REGARDLESS of other skills. One of the best lacemakers I know (her work is in the Powerhouse museum) is not mathematically great BUT she is trained in textiles and had spent her working life as a costume designer. I'm a good lacemaker BUT not the best. As an educator I hate cover all statements about ability in one area and success in another. Anna from a cold 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
On Jul 7, 2013, at 8:00 PM, lynrbai...@desupernet.net wrote: What skills does lacemaking develop that will benefit school age children? If you have an idea, please share. Off the top of my head: concentration, following instructions, both written and oral, hand-eye coordination, small motor skills. My lace teacher used to tell students that follow the dots pictures were learning experiences leading to following the numbered sequence for working a piece of lace. Cynthia - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children/teaching all ages
Hello Joke and everyone Your comment says it for me, I notice this also at lace days and other lace get-togethers: ...But when I look at the lace clubs I go to, there is no reason for pessimism. Every year I see new faces ... -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Dear Joke, I apologize, but your posting struck me the wrong way. I'm sitting here with tears of laughter running down my face, thinking, Rats, my extensive criminal convictions will not let me teach lace to children... I know it's serious, and probably expensive, but really, lacemakers going to schools to prey on young children? The thought is such an absurdity. I suppose there could be a predator out there, lurking amongst us lacemakers, but Please enjoy the joke with me. Lyn from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, who had the charges for failing to show her automobile insurance to the cop withdrawn today. Honestly. Joke wrote: It would be lovely if children could have an afternoon to get to know lacemaking. Unfortunately in the UK and I wouldn#x27;t be surprised in a lot of other countries, all adults working with or teaching children need to be CBR checked. This means the person in question has to be checked if they have a criminal record. As you can understand, this is a lot of paperwork and extra cost for the school. So don#x27;t be to harsh on the schools. Also parents nowadays expect all adults, who work with children in after school activities or clubs, to be CBR checked as well. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hello Lyn, and everyone I volunteer with an out-reach program, visiting schools. As a matter of course, we agreed to a criminal records check at the onset of volunteering for the program. It probably helps that my program is sponsored by a creditable arts institution that can cover the expense of the records check. Make of that what you will, but that's the way it's done. To initiate a lacemaking club in a public school isn't as easy as it might sound, is it :( On Mon, Jul 8, 2013 at 3:20 PM, lynrbai...@desupernet.net wrote: Dear Joke, I apologize, but your posting struck me the wrong way. .. Joke wrote: Also parents nowadays expect all adults, who work with children in after school activities or clubs, to be CBR checked as well. -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Joke wrote: Also parents nowadays expect all adults, who work with children in after school activities or clubs, to be CBR checked as well. In Australia anyone who works with children needs to get a police check done. It is standard for teachers, ancillary staff, volunteers and sports coaches even parent coaches. I laughed when my then 20 year old son needed police clearance to coach his sister's basketball team (the girls were all 17 or 18). It is no big deal since the schools/ departments of education have to do it. It has had an impact on our local lacemakers who teach children lacemaking during holidays and after school since we have to supply a list of all volunteers if we are visiting a local school, however some of our country groups have discussed the issue with the local police who have given them general guild lines to work with. Anna from a cold 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
I am one of those computer programmers and math types. I love making Pag needlelace because of the logic and geometric properties of it. In this part of my career, I no longer program but the lace fills that spot. I have had the same experience with demonstrating, the little boys pick it up quickly. From: alexstillw...@talktalk.net alexstillw...@talktalk.net To: Arachne reply lace@arachne.com Cc: Lyn Bailey lynrbai...@desupernet.net Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2013 1:51 AM Subject: [lace] Teaching children Hi Lyn Re: Subject: [lace] Ancillary to Teaching Lace to Children Teaching lace to children is part of the survival of lacemaking. I have always thought that lacemaking, especially geometric Torchon, has the ability to help the mind work mathematically.. I am sure you are right. The best lacemakers are computer programmers, maths graduates and architects and anything that develops judgement of space and line is bound to help. Happy lacemaking Alex - 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/ - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
I am one of those computer programmers and math types. I love making Pag needlelace because of the logic and geometric properties of it. In this part of my career, I no longer program but the lace fills that spot. I have had the same experience with demonstrating, the little boys pick it up quickly. From: alexstillw...@talktalk.net alexstillw...@talktalk.net To: Arachne reply lace@arachne.com Cc: Lyn Bailey lynrbai...@desupernet.net Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2013 1:51 AM Subject: [lace] Teaching children Hi Lyn Re: Subject: [lace] Ancillary to Teaching Lace to Children Teaching lace to children is part of the survival of lacemaking. I have always thought that lacemaking, especially geometric Torchon, has the ability to help the mind work mathematically.. I am sure you are right. The best lacemakers are computer programmers, maths graduates and architects and anything that develops judgement of space and line is bound to help. Happy lacemaking Alex - 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/ - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Dear Alex et al, Precisely. It could be an 'in' at schools. I have not had any close connection with school children for over 10 years, but girls especially are not inclined to math. Presenting lacemaking, especially bobbin lacemaking as a way to develop spatial thinking, (physics?) or patterns, or algorithms through the visual manipulation of bobbins, using thread, the traditional (though not unique) province of the female could be a powerful way to introduce lacemaking into the schools, or at least get them to allow a poster advertising classes. And for those of you with children looking for masters or doctoral theses, this would be a good place. I am a wiz with math without numbers, but my last math class was 46 years ago, and while I use math, I am not familiar with the terms. What are the fancy math terms that could be used to show this is a craft with skills useful to the the core curriculum of schools? A means to possible entice reluctant girls to develop the skills needed in math and some of the sciences? Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, where the weather continues hot, humid, and air conditioning is a blessing. Lyn wrote: Teaching lace to children is part of the survival of lacemaking. I have always thought that lacemaking, especially geometric Torchon, has the ability to help the mind work mathematically.. Alex wrote: I am sure you are right. The best lacemakers are computer programmers, maths graduates and architects and anything that develops judgement of space and line is bound to help. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
I was lucky enough to demonstrate with my local group at a recent 'county' event. One of the group brought a 'have a go' pillow along and we asked anyone passing if they would like to try lacemaking. Adults and children alike tried the pillow. The adults would do a row and stop but the children wanted to keep going and had to be politely pulled away by their parents. There is something in lacemaking that children and young adults seem to be able to pick up quickly. I believe that no person who shows an interest in lacemaking should be turned away but I passionate believe that unless we can start lessons and clubs for children and young adults we will see this craft die in the next 10 to 20 years. Focusing on those who are retiring early, as was suggested to me because they have time and disposable income, is pointless in the UK as early retirement is becoming harder and harder. So this group is diminishing too. We must find a way to not merely super young Lacemakers but to actively increase them. I'm working with my local fibre store to run Saturday workshops for young adults. It gives us a ready made venue which is public and safe and not school nights easier to attend. I'm happy if we get new Lacemakers under the age of 25 and as we are a university town we have a big population in that demographic that we can pull on Kind Regards Liz Baker On 7 Jul 2013, at 06:51, alexstillw...@talktalk.net wrote: Hi Lyn Re: Subject: [lace] Ancillary to Teaching Lace to Children Teaching lace to children is part of the survival of lacemaking. I have always thought that lacemaking, especially geometric Torchon, has the ability to help the mind work mathematically.. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
I am astonished that no one has challenged the notion that people with superior math/science/computer programming skills make the best lacemakers!! It may be that those who are making the claims happen to have those skills, but being able to execute a lace pattern is not the same as making it a thing of beauty, which separates the competent lacemaker from the extraordinary one. And it take an artist to design the lace in the first place. I would like to suggest that teaching children to make lace would broaden their horizons in many ways, allowing the potentials with which they were born to develop. Clay - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
I no longer have a child in school, but I was talking to an elementary school teacher the other day. She made the interesting claim that now that penmanship is being de-emphasized in favor of key boarding, she observes that the children are not developing fine motor skills as in the past. In fact, she said some of them cannot even use scissors competently. I was actually never very good at penmanship myself, and wish they had abolished it earlier, but it is interesting to think that there might be a lot of people who are not developing fine motor skills as a result. Has this been observed by anyone else? Of course, nothing develops fine motor skills like lacemaking :-), so perhaps that is the in for the link to childhood education. On the other hand, if children are not developing fine motor skills, where will the lacemakers of tomorrow come from? Devon - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Dear Clay, et al, So, which horizons specifically would be broadened? If one is trying to promote lacemaking as a skill capable of developing other capabilities of the mind, to persuade educators and others to help with teaching children by promoting the craft, providing space, all that, one needs to be specific. Generalities do not work nearly as well in such an argument. lrb Clay wrote: I would like to suggest that teaching children to make lace would broaden their horizons in many ways, allowing the potentials with which they were born to develop. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children-Scandinavian schools
It seems as though Scandinavian schools, in the past at least, had a crafts curriculum. When I was young a girl moved to our neighborhood from Norway. She had a complete set of doll clothes that she had knitted. When I asked her about it, she said she had knitted them in school. Why don't we do things like this in our school, I recall thinking. Later, I met a lacemaker who was Scandinavian, and she said she had learned bobbin lace, and many other crafts, because her best friend's mother was the administrator in charge of hand crafts for the local school district. I recall thinking, wow, they actually have such a position in schools there. So, what is the educational justification that Scandinavians use, or used for this curriculum? Do they still do it? Devon - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
I wouldn't try to promote lacemaking as a way to develop other tangible life skills. The outcome is entirely dependent on the individual. What excites one person may drive another crazy. Don't let lacemaking go the same route as the forced piano lessons of childhood! Clay Sent from my iPad On Jul 7, 2013, at 9:48 AM, lynrbai...@desupernet.net wrote: Dear Clay, et al, So, which horizons specifically would be broadened? If one is trying to promote lacemaking as a skill capable of developing other capabilities of the mind, to persuade educators and others to help with teaching children by promoting the craft, providing space, all that, one needs to be specific. Generalities do not work nearly as well in such an argument. lrb Clay wrote: I would like to suggest that teaching children to make lace would broaden their horizons in many ways, allowing the potentials with which they were born to develop. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - 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/ - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hello Clay and everyone Yes, learning to make lace is best by choice. I like this : ... Don't let lacemaking go the same route as the forced piano lessons of childhood! -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Yes, but didn't this start out as a conversation about how to make that choice available to children in the face of an unsympathetic school district that would not allow the posting of an A2 piece of paper announcing the availability of children's lace lessons? Devon Hello Clay and everyone Yes, learning to make lace is best by choice. I like this : ... Don't let lacemaking go the same route as the forced piano lessons of childhood! - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Good evening I have spent the last two days demonstrating lacemaking at our local garden centre which is really a converted greenhouse on what is probably the hottest weekend on this year's English summer and am happy to say that not only did we encourage one teenager yesterday to make a fish in lace and take home but today four children completed the fish as did one adult. There was lots of interest and we may well have a couple of ladies starting lace classes including the grandmother of the teenager from yesterday in the next couple of weeks with maybe more interested in starting in the future. The challenge is if they complete the fish they get to take it home to keep. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Regards Maureen E Yorks UK On 7 Jul 2013, at 19:47, dmt11h...@aol.com wrote: Yes, but didn't this start out as a conversation about how to make that choice available to children in the face of an unsympathetic school district that would not allow the posting of an A2 piece of paper announcing the availability of children's lace lessons? Devon Hello Clay and everyone Yes, learning to make lace is best by choice. I like this : ... Don't let lacemaking go the same route as the forced piano lessons of childhood! - 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/ - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Well done! I hope they do come to your group. Joepie. -Original Message- From: Maureen Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2013 8:28 PM To: dmt11h...@aol.com Cc: lace@arachne.com Subject: Re: [lace] Teaching children Good evening I have spent the last two days demonstrating lacemaking at our local garden centre which is really a converted greenhouse on what is probably the hottest weekend on this year's English summer and am happy to say that not only did we encourage one teenager yesterday to make a fish in lace and take home but today four children completed the fish as did one adult. There was lots of interest and we may well have a couple of ladies starting lace classes including the grandmother of the teenager from yesterday in the next couple of weeks with maybe more interested in starting in the future. The challenge is if they complete the fish they get to take it home to keep. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Regards Maureen E Yorks UK - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children excample of success
Dear Maureen, Congratulations on a job well done. That took a lot of work, preparing and then being there, enticing, saying the right thing, encouraging. That is the way we will get our beloved craft/art to continue. Lyn Maureen wrote: I have spent the last two days demonstrating lacemaking at our local garden centre which is really a converted greenhouse on what is probably the hottest weekend on this year's English summer and am happy to say that not only did we encourage one teenager yesterday to make a fish in lace and take home but today four children completed the fish as did one adult. There was lots of interest and we may well have a couple of ladies starting lace classes including the grandmother of the teenager from yesterday in the next couple of weeks with maybe more interested in starting in the future. The challenge is if they complete the fish they get to take it home to keep. I am keeping my fingers crossed. My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
On 7/07/13 11:13 PM, Clay Blackwell wrote: I am astonished that no one has challenged the notion that people with superior math/science/computer programming skills make the best lacemakers!! I've just logged on and yes I was totally affronted with that statement too. Let me put it in perspective I hold a PhD in Physics and I have taught physics for the last 20+ year to adults at university and children in high school. Good lacemakers are people who are naturally good at lacemaking REGARDLESS of other skills. One of the best lacemakers I know (her work is in the Powerhouse museum) is not mathematically great BUT she is trained in textiles and had spent her working life as a costume designer. I'm a good lacemaker BUT not the best. As an educator I hate cover all statements about ability in one area and success in another. Anna from a cold 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Thanks, Anna!! I appreciate another voice who understands what I have said!! Generalities just don't apply to those who are skilled at making lace! Clay On 7/7/2013 8:03 PM, Anna Binnie wrote: On 7/07/13 11:13 PM, Clay Blackwell wrote: I am astonished that no one has challenged the notion that people with superior math/science/computer programming skills make the best lacemakers!! I've just logged on and yes I was totally affronted with that statement too. Let me put it in perspective I hold a PhD in Physics and I have taught physics for the last 20+ year to adults at university and children in high school. Good lacemakers are people who are naturally good at lacemaking REGARDLESS of other skills. One of the best lacemakers I know (her work is in the Powerhouse museum) is not mathematically great BUT she is trained in textiles and had spent her working life as a costume designer. I'm a good lacemaker BUT not the best. As an educator I hate cover all statements about ability in one area and success in another. Anna from a cold 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching children
If we get the lacemaking club to be on a par with the chess club, we will have succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. Probably beyond the wildest dreams of anyone. Let's begin by getting schools to allow a poster advertising a separate lace club. What skills does lacemaking develop that will benefit school age children? If you have an idea, please share. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, enjoying the first cool weather in several days. Thunderstorms have their uses. Bev wrote: Yes, learning to make lace is best by choice. I like this : ... Don't let lacemaking go the same route as the forced piano lessons of childhood! / walker.b...@gmail.com My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails. - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching Lace to Children
Hello All Our group here in East Yorkshire have been demonstrating lace today and are back again tomorrow, at a Garden Centre in Dunswell, just outside of Hull. This morning we had a lady who was very interested, and we're keeping our fingers crossed that she takes it further... while she was chatting to Maureen, her son of around 14 was eyeing up the practice pillow after showing him what to do, we set him the challenge of finishing off the small piece of lace that was on there just a small 'fish' shape he finished it and was extremely proud to be able to take it home!!! With any luck it will stay with him for the rest of his life, that he CAN do something like this!!! Sue in a hot, sticky, East Yorkshire - 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/
Re: [lace] Teaching at IOLI convention
Hi Maria Janice's assessment of the 2012 teacher selection progress is correct. We have mostly finalized our list at this point, but thank you for your suggestion! Narrowing down which classes and teachers to feature is SO hard. There are so many amazing teachers out there! If only we had an unlimited budget :-) I hope you will take Janice's suggestion for contacting the IOLI for 2013 Thanks Amy O'Malley Chair, 2012 IOLI Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota Minnesota Lace Society omall...@umn.edu -- Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:57:16 -0700 (PDT) From: Janice Blair jbl...@sbcglobal.net Subject: [lace] Teaching at IOLI convention Maria wrote: Do you really mean she might be invited to teach in MN in 2012? Martina would love to. I would think that the hosts of the Minnesota convention have their teacher list for MN 2012 as they will be making their presentation at this years convention. 2013 might be possible though. - 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://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
Re: [lace] Teaching
On 27/09/2010 10:12, Daphne Martin wrote: Hello Clay and everyone else Clay you hit the nail on the head when you said you could possibly show a beginner how to make lace. Of course any of us can do that and it would keep the craft of lace alive if each of us only ever taught one new lacemaker. The rewards are tremendous, and I`m sure you could go on to teach more beginners.I have my own group here in Norwich UK where I started to teach beginners. After nine years those beginners are now really good lacemakers and although I teach beginners as well I am proud of my other ladies. Something I was told on holiday this year. We holidayed in the Scarborough area of North Yorkshire. One day we had a look around Thornton de dale when I spotted a craft shop. In I went expecting to see some lovely things and I was disappointed because other than clothes and tourist stuff the only craft was cardmaking. The lady came bustling over and said I have all my Christmas stock in, so have a good look. I said the only cards I make are lace ones. The lady said Lace Oh She went quiet for a few minutes then she said Oh so you are not into crafts then??? Calmly I said lets put it this way, my lacemaking is a craft! Funnily enough she did`nt speak to me after that. Daphne Dull grey Norfolk UK How infuriating to have our craft belittled like that. We often travel through Thornton le Dale so I may have to go into the craft shop (which one was it?) and say something, just to confirm to her that you're not a one-off. Lesley Marple, where it is also dull, and drizzling - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com
Re: [lace] Teaching
Just another thought... maybe this woman was so impressed that it was more on the line of lace being so much more impressive than *just* crafts.? Just a thought. bobbi How infuriating to have our craft belittled like that. We often travel through Thornton le Dale so I may have to go into the craft shop (which one was it?) and say something, just to confirm to her that you're not a one-off. Lesley Refinance Now 3.7% FIXED $160,000 Mortgage for $547/mo. FREE. No Obligation. Get 4 Quotes! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4ca06553313c68cm04vuc - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com
Re: [lace] Teaching
It just goes to show.But they do have lace demonstrations in that general area so she obviously wasnt 'in the know'!! There are classes all around her!!! Maureen E Yorks - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com
Re: [lace] Teaching more than one
Years ago I was told that each lacemaker should teach seven people. That way there's a good chance that at least one of those seven will continue with the art and teach others. Not everyone who learns the basic lessons becomes addicted. G Alice in Oregon who is addicted to lace and admits it. - Original Message - From: Daphne Martin ladylace...@msn.com Of course any of us can do that and it would keep the craft of lace alive if each of us only ever taught one new lacemaker. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com
Re: [lace] Teaching
Daphne, You should have related that lacemaking is a fine art or fiber art. I, and many lacemakers in the USA, consider crafts differently than lacemaking. Cardmaking, wooden lawn orrnaments, box making, and the sort of things that can be sold at craft fairs as crafts. Do lacemakers go to craft fairs and/or set up tables at festivals to sell the fine lace that we have made? Can we make an effort to change lacemaking to a fine art instead of a craft? Happy Lacemaking, Betty Ann Rice of Roanoke, Virginia USA, now in Virginia Beach for the week. Daphne of UK wrote: We holidayed in the Scarborough area of North Yorkshire. One day we had a look around Thornton de dale when I spotted a craft shop. In I went expecting to see some lovely things and I was disappointed because other than clothes and tourist stuff the only craft was cardmaking. The lady came bustling over and said I have all my Christmas stock in, so have a good look. I said the only cards I make are lace ones. The lady said Lace Oh She went quiet for a few minutes then she said Oh so you are not into crafts then??? Calmly I said lets put it this way, my lacemaking is a craft! Funnily enough she did`nt speak to me after that. Daphne Dull grey Norfolk UK How infuriating to have our craft belittled like that. We often travel through Thornton le Dale so I may have to go into the craft shop (which one was it?) and say something, just to confirm to her that you're not a one-off. Lesley Marple, where it is also dull, and drizzling - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.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
Re: [lace] Teaching
Hello Betty Ann and everyone They *could* - my introduction to lacemaking was seeing someone demonstrating it at a craft fair! I signed up for lessons (c. 1987). Some lacemakers make small lace items to sell for charity fund-raising. The word 'craft' has taken on different meanings. Because I make mostly other people's patterns, and often many times over (e.g. Christmas decorations), I practice the elegant *craft* of lacemaking ;) On 9/27/10, Clive Betty Rice dol...@verizon.net wrote: Do lacemakers go to craft fairs and/or set up tables at festivals to sell the fine lace that we have made? -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com
Re: [lace] Teaching
We have in the past discussed whether lacemaking is art or craft. For my two penn'th I'll suggest that it is craft when you are working a pattern designed by someone else, or an adaptation of another pattern, but art when you have designed and made the lace from scratch as a one-off piece. Much the same as painting by numbers on a pre-printed drawing is craft whilst sketching your own picture and then painting it is art. I think that the reason very few lacemakers sell their work is because of the time it takes to make it. A competent amateur artist could paint and frame a picture that would sell for 40-50 pounds in an afternoon. How much lace could you make in that time and would it sell for that sort of money? Brenda On 27 Sep 2010, at 15:03, Clive Betty Rice wrote: You should have related that lacemaking is a fine art or fiber art. I, and many lacemakers in the USA, consider crafts differently than lacemaking. Cardmaking, wooden lawn orrnaments, box making, and the sort of things that can be sold at craft fairs as crafts. Do lacemakers go to craft fairs and/or set up tables at festivals to sell the fine lace that we have made? Can we make an effort to change lacemaking to a fine art instead of a craft? Brenda in Allhallows www.brendapaternoster.me.uk - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com
Re: [lace] Teaching young people--resources
pene piip wrote: But Jo Edkin's has a wonderful site where you can learn all about bobbin lace. I know a tatter who has been teaching herself using this web-site. Jo Edkins' Lace School: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/index.htm I love Jo's site. This is where I have learned most of the lace-making skills I have (not many in only 18 months) I find the explanations so clear and the site very easy to navigate. I can always find exactly what I want very quickly. I definitely recomment it. Lesley - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] Teaching young people--resources
Great idea, but not just for youngsters. I live in Spain and belong to a group of English ladies (most of us won´t see 60 again) who are all interested in crafts in general. Over the last 7 years I´ve introduced quite a few ladies to lacemaking and have developed a series of beginners patterns ensuring that each new stitch is incorporated into a usable piece of lace rather than a sample strip. I´ll be in touch to see if my patterns can be of use. Pam in very hot Vera Playa, Almeria, southern Spain So, I've created a collaborative site, and I hope some of you will be interested enough to lend a hand. At this point, it is awfully rudimentary--please don't be disappointed, but take that as an invitation to make it better! If many people contribute a little bit, we can develop a useful resource, that we can refine over time, to support informal teachers. (While anyone can see the site, you have to be invited to make changes to it, or upload resources. Just let me know if you'd like to be added as a collaborator.) https://sites.google.com/site/bobbinlaceteachingresource/ --Julie j.enevold...@wlonk.com weft.wlonk.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] Teaching young people--resources
Dear Julie and all lace friends, This is a laudable initiative and I congratulate you! Let us know how to add the info on our local groups, so I can add the Toronto Lacemakers' info and encourage the people from other groups in my area to put their details on your resource website. As to patterns for beginners, I'd suggest drafting practice strips in basic Torchon, that incorporate new elements and become gradually complex. These strips can be used as separators, bookmarks, etc. and if they involve the use of colour threads, more informative and visually appealing. Regarding the site's structure, I'd love seeing a brief section on bobbin lace history, materials (including a section on types of pillows), thread and thread selection (the why's of S and/or Z twist), how to make and store prickings, lace styles, make your own equipment ideas, etc. Another idea that I've seen on a bobbin lace website is to put animated renditions of stitches, like the basic cross - twist, cloth stitch, rose ground, guipure leaf, etc. Keep on the good work and let us know as the site evolves! Debora Lustgarten Toronto, Canada - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
re:[lace] Teaching young people--resources
But Jo Edkin's has a wonderful site where you can learn all about bobbin lace. I know a tatter who has been teaching herself using this web-site. Jo Edkins' Lace School: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/index.htm Pene in Estonia - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
re:[lace] Teaching young people--resources
Indeed, Jo's site is an excellent resource, and we should point people to it. But it's a little different from the project I'm envisioning; it's more aimed at the student, for one thing. I'm thinking more of a resource for teachers, and especially one that is collaborative. The purposes overlap, but they are not quite the same. Both are useful! But Jo Edkin's has a wonderful site where you can learn all about bobbin lace. I know a tatter who has been teaching herself using this web-site. Jo Edkins' Lace School: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/index.htm Pene in Estonia j.enevold...@wlonk.com weft.wlonk.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] Teaching young people--resources
Dear Julie, What country are you writing from? Or did I miss it somewhere? Are you aware of the Young Lacemakers in the UK? The Lace Guild in the UK has been working with young people for years. April's minutes of the 34th Annual General Meeting gives the dues schedule for Young Lacemaker subscriptions: In British pounds: UK: 6.50 Europe: 10.00Overseas 12.00 Amounts are a fraction of regular subscriptions for adults. There are always projects on the web site; webmasters are Jean and David Leader. Everyone who has been on Arachne for any length of time will recognize their names. _www.laceguild.demon.co.uk/_ (http://www.laceguild.demon.co.uk/) Click on Young Lacemakers which is in the blue band of selections at the top of the home page. And have a look. It seems to me that I read in the most recent Lace magazine that a special effort is about to be made to make this education program stronger. It should be reassuring to you that there are 4 issues/year of a magazine for young people who wish to make lace. It would be nice if the structure of this organization is such that teachers could volunteer to make it a stronger option for young people. This way, there would be no need to start something new; just make what is already available more pertinent for younger lacemakers. Someone from The Lace Guild's leadership will surely weigh in on this subject. The Guild actually has a paid staff, lace collection, and library on-site in a building they own. Advantages are existing leadership and professionalism -- The Lace Guild is a registered charity and accredited museum. They are always seeking volunteers. To build on something already in place sounds practical and would have a stronger presence in the international lace community, because it is not dependent on just one well-meaning person who will have life's usual interruptions and obligations. What do others think of this option? Feasible? Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center In a message dated 8/24/2010 1:35:38 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, j.enevold...@wlonk.com writes: I in no way want to undermine the people who do provide us with published books, but sometimes, for reasons of cost and availability, they aren't suitable. So, I've created a collaborative site, and I hope some of you will be interested enough to lend a hand. At this point, it is awfully rudimentary--please don't be disappointed, but take that as an invitation to make it better! If many people contribute a little bit, we can develop a useful resource, that we can refine over time, to support informal teachers. (While anyone can see the site, you have to be invited to make changes to it, or upload resources. Just let me know if you'd like to be added as a collaborator.) https://sites.google.com/site/bobbinlaceteachingresource/ --Julie j.enevold...@wlonk.com weft.wlonk.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
Have you thought of selecting one of the beginner books (something you already own and they could purchase too) and work through the progression in the book. Also an exercise using different color thread on each pair as they work through the various 'stitches and edge techniques' is a good learning tool. They can see just how each pair/thread moves. Lorri - Original Message - From: Elizabeth Shippmailto:ship...@googlemail.com To: lace@arachne.commailto:lace@arachne.com Sent: 04/06/2010 5:18 AM Subject: [lace] teaching beginners Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. I'm not sure that I am the best teacher they could have, as once I had had the first couple lessons I just jumped in at the deep end and started splashing around with great abandon. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques Does this sound like a reasonable progression? Am I leaving anything out? Thanks for your help! Best regards Elizabeth - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.commailto:majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.heremailto:y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.commailto:arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
I am currently teaching one student - a woman near my own age that saw lace being demonstrated who wanted to learn.  I have only had the opportunity to teach a few so my comments are just a couple of items that may help with motivation and progress.  I strongly suggest to any beginner - get a notebook and keep all of your first pieces in it with the patterns and notes.  It helps show progression of working the threads - tension and stitches. I show my ring binder from my first 6 weeks of lace making and they are surprised that we all start in the same place.  I ask my student to commit to lacing at least 30 minutes daily since we were meeting once a week.   Your choices of stitches are good.  I choose patterns that are building blocks that continually reinforce the last skills taught to help with memory (mind and muscle memory).   Humans learn by visual, hearing and touch, so I try to do all three.   My first teacher had me take the pattern and look at the piece of lace and I had to color code the pattern in with my own colored pencils.  This helped me a great deal because I had to think of the stitches, color it in and use the rules for when extra twists were needed and where to mark them. I did this with my student and asked her to change the lace motifs or tapes or edges. She had to tell me and show me what was needed in the diagram to make it work. Then she chose how she wanted to lace it to fit what she wanted the lace to look like.  After just 4 weeks, I brought out lots of books and let her choose what she wanted to do and then would guide her, letting her know what skills she needed to fully understand to get to that pattern.  We would choose a pattern(s) to give her the practice with more challenges toward her goal. Then we would get into the difficult pattern - talking it through first, reading the diagram â giving her tips on how to avoid mistakes as one makes lace. I now believe in teaching leaves and tallies in the first four weeks. I never spoke of some of the statements I heard about leaves and tallies.  I want to her to think of them as simple.  Additionally, we critiqued her work together. I would ask her where the mistakes were and what happened.  No unlacing â just get the threads where they should be and start the repeat over.  This seemed to help my student a great deal to stay motivated because of self accomplishment and learning.  The first week I teach how to bring in a thread when one breaks, how to hang in a pair so she knew what to do instead of waiting all week for our next meeting.    I stress that when learning a skill we are not striving for perfection â just learning and understanding the specific techniques. Doing multiple repeats in different small project brings the improvement with tension and control.   I let her choose what she wants to use for thread. My student loves color and gets excited using color in all types of laces.   I let her watch the Color in Torchon DVD for ideas about using colored threads.  I encouraged her to take a 2 day workshop after 8 months.  I pushed her to go so she could see how much she really understood.  I stressed to her âno unlacingâ just spend the time focusing on learning the techniques, learn the tips to improve it and make all the lace necessary to keep up with the instructor so that she did actually do all of the techniques that the instructor had to offer. She came back so excited with self confidence that she can think a new challenge though on her own.  She made many projects in Bruges Bloemwerk for the next several months â with each one there was improvement with her application of technique.    Lace instruction DVDs â I like the DVDs for learning skills and setting the learning to memory. I ask the student to watch first, write down notes if necessary, then turn off the DVD; then think it through with the diagram. From my experience, the lacer needs to turn off the DVD and work the lace using the diagram to stay on track.  The DVD can become too much of a distraction â turning on and pausing, lacing and then restarting DVD. This amount of back and forth slows the learning curve.  I believe all lacers need excellent reference books to look up techniques that they may not use for a while as they work different types of lace.  I strongly suggest:  The Grammar of Point Ground â Ulrike Voelcker The Beginning of the End â Ulrike Löhr Practical Skills in Bobbin Lace - Bridget M. Cook  Chris Brill-Packard Cleveland, Ohio - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
There are *many* excellent teachers on this list, and I don't claim to be one of them. However, I do think that one of the best things you can do for a new student is direct them to a good book which they can keep and refer to as they progress. The one I recommend is The Torchon Lace Workbook by Bridget Cook. If each student has one, then it saves you the drudgery of coming up with new designs for these very early, but important exercises, and they have the information in one place for future reference. Clay On 4/6/2010 8:18 AM, Elizabeth Shipp wrote: Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. I'm not sure that I am the best teacher they could have, as once I had had the first couple lessons I just jumped in at the deep end and started splashing around with great abandon. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques Does this sound like a reasonable progression? Am I leaving anything out? Thanks for your help! Best regards Elizabeth - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
Hi Clay, Thanks for that quick response! Actually, as they are both non-native-English speakers (one French, one Italian), I have been thinking about Les bases de la dentelle au fuseau, by Mick Fouriscot. Does anyone have any experience with or opinion on that book? I do have some of Mme Fouriscout's other books, but they are more focused on one type of lace or another than I think this one might be. Best regards Elizabeth On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 2:36 PM, Clay Blackwell clayblackw...@comcast.netwrote: There are *many* excellent teachers on this list, and I don't claim to be one of them. However, I do think that one of the best things you can do for a new student is direct them to a good book which they can keep and refer to as they progress. The one I recommend is The Torchon Lace Workbook by Bridget Cook. If each student has one, then it saves you the drudgery of coming up with new designs for these very early, but important exercises, and they have the information in one place for future reference. Clay On 4/6/2010 8:18 AM, Elizabeth Shipp wrote: Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. I'm not sure that I am the best teacher they could have, as once I had had the first couple lessons I just jumped in at the deep end and started splashing around with great abandon. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques Does this sound like a reasonable progression? Am I leaving anything out? Thanks for your help! Best regards Elizabeth - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
I have found myself in a similar position. I am trying to teach some young people in their 20's and 30s how to make lace. Even though I make complex lace now, I learned so long ago that I don't really remember the beginning things or how they were taught. I learned through a series of patterns which started you off with torchon edgings. If this isn't, in fact, the exact same curriculum my teacher learned in the 1930s, then it is one that she settled on during the 1950s when one might make the argument that it was satisfying for the pupil to have something useful such as an edging, rather than a series of practice pieces, lengths of stitches or grounds that were simply for practice, which I think may have been a teaching method from around 1900. However, now, edgings are not all that useful. People tend not to put them on linens and handkerchiefs. Also, these edgings present conceptual problems, since they are torchon, but so small that you cannot see the diagonality of the design, and they feature, on the head side, a half stitch lozenge or other device, that is totally confusing in that it is worked back and forth, while the rest of the piece is worked diagonally. I can relate to their confusion. I have been studying books, old and new about instruction, and it seems to me that for the most part, it is an accepted truth in the lace world that everyone starts with torchon, and only after mastering that, goes on to tape laces etc. However, I am wondering if starting with torchon is actually the best approach for the current century. I am wondering if young people today wouldn't be better off starting with forms of tape lace or free lace that they could quickly use to adapt to their own designs. While the Springett Snake and Gyl Dye's Bookworm start the student off with a satisfying back and forth strip, they both progress to classic diagonal torchon. The only curriculum I have seen with a free lace perspective is one produced by the German lace guild. It is somewhat oriented toward children, featuring pieces that are ducks and rabbits, etc. It also seems as though it may move rather slowly. This may be good or bad for adults. I do find that adults don't have a lot of time at once, or want to spend it, so small projects are good. But small projects that move the student forward in skill very slowly are perhaps not appropriate for people who want to progress fast enough not to lose interest. I confess I haven't started to work through it, or to see how it goes with students, since my students, so far, were started on this other curriculum, the one I learned on. They therefore have the materials and mind set to progress with it, although, they find it confusing. I have a horrible feeling that they may become discouraged and quit altogether, since they keep saying that they don't understand the underlying principles, and it is totally unlike anything they have done before. I feel they are experiencing a lot of stress as I am trying to help them follow a color diagram, already pretty weird with its one line for a pair of bobbins concept. But the design is complex enough that you really have to either use a diagram or memorize quite a large number of discreet movements. The younger the student, the more quickly they seem to memorize the large number of discreet movements. But some people never do, and I confess, I doubt if I could given the state of my memory at present. (People who have seen me work note that I often rely on a ghost pillow and diagram.) Another issue is what the student believes she will be learning. On the one hand, I am a person who thinks that modern lace, individual design, etc. are the shape of lacemaking of the future, and that torchon is a somewhat old fashioned, or even, dare I say boring, looking lace. On the other hand, the students, some of them, have the conception that they will be turning out yards of frilly white stuff. Of course, they are not going to be turning out yards of frilly white stuff, or making lace resembling 18th century lace, at least not for a very long time, and never in great quantity. But they are slow to see items like the snake, book worm or modern free lace as being lace. So, in some ways, my conception of teaching lace technique to young art students and having them go off to use it in fantastic modern ways does not conform to the expectations of the young art students who are interested in learning how to make lace. Ideally, it would be nice to have a curriculum that shows both stitch diagrams and the international color code system, although that is a lot to throw at people at once.. Many books do not have the color code, although the German one does. Books such as the DMC curriculum, from way back, are entirely in text, which I think must be the hardest way to convey the process. How are other people approaching the teaching of
Re: [lace] teaching beginners
I think beginners need a good basic instruction book as a reference to have on hand. It would have a planned series of basis lessons, and probably some other patterns that build on the basic skills. The Torchon Lace Workbook is one of the best but is no longer in print or available at a reasonable price. If you find a copy, use it. However, you will most likely need to explore what newer books are available in your area. There are quite a few in print. Get one that is compatible of the area the students live in. (i.e. Check if half stitch is TC or CT in the book and in a language the student can read.) Torchon teaches the three main stitch formations: CT, CTC, CTCT. It also teaches handling bobbins, preparation, reading patterns, spiders, gimp, basic picot, tally, the two main edges, etc. Moving from Torchon to a basic tape lace is a good second style. Schneeberger, Russian, Idrian, Hungarian...to name some. There are lots of books on the market with cute patterns using basic tape skills. Tape lace would add skills of sewing, turning curves, braids and more picots, Beds would be a good followup because it used some tape skills but adds more techniques such as crossings. Bucks Point would introduce the point ground skills, and the double twisted picot. Some students may choose this type of lace over the tape laces as a second choice. And the lace world expands from there...whichever type attracts attention. Check out the Kortelahti books. These patterns are torchon with some added quirks that could challenge and interest an intermediate or advanced beginner. Small projects are better starting patterns than an edging, these days. (My opinion.) They give more practice in setting up projects (bobbins, etc), and then give a sense of satisfaction when completed. I like bookmarks because of the size, and they are usable. Also make good gifts. Christmas ornaments are also usable projects. There are many kinds of these flat, 3-D, or strips that wrap around balls. The Lace Guild has a child's section on the webpage, with instructions and pattern. Check it out. These are the main things I can think of right now. It's our anniversary and DH is waiting for me for a day trip to the coast or somewhere, in celebration. Must go. Alice in Oregonon a day with a bit less rain than the rest of the week. Apr 6, 2010 07:18:37 AM, ship...@googlemail.com wrote: Hi all, I have two colleagues who have now started bobbin lace and want to continue. I started each of them with cloth stitch (CTC), just making a narrow strip to get the movements and the rules of bobbin lace down. My planning for these ladies is, more or less in this order: - cloth stitch ground (already introduced) - whole stitch (CTCT) - trading working and footside pairs - half-stitch ground (CT) - braids / plaits (CTCT ad infinitum) - various other grounds as needed for their chosen laces; one colleague has chosen Bucks/Bayeux, one has yet to choose as she just started today - gimps - working through a series of patterns in their chosen lace(s), introducing new techniques - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
[lace] Re: Lace teaching happened!
On Aug 11, 2009, at 12:39, Chris Vail wrote: I taught a beginner 16th c. bobbin lace course. It was... interesting. I usually teach this class in two hours to about 6 people at a time (basic twist and cross, plaiting -- I don't cover picots). And just as well, since there don't seem to have been any true picots then :) In the past two years, I looked at lots of the earliest laces, often in great magnification. And I've asked Devon to pay special attention to them for me, in her weekly trips to the Metropolitan, where she volunteers and has access to the said laces. Nothing. Zero. Picots don't seem to appear until much later, when the laces began to get really fine. What those early laces do have are mock picots which we know as winkie pins. For linen and silk, Twist the worker pair (or the pair nearest the pin, in a plait) at least 3 times (or more; some of those early picots are really overtwisted), put a pin under it and keep working. For metallic/metal thread, Twist the pair, place the pin under *just one* (outer) thread, Twist the pair again and keep working. On Aug 11, 2009, at 13:20, Regina Hart wrote (re Chris' message): Do you have prickings/diagrams for early work? I'd like to learn more about bobbin lace in this early period, and I wouldn't mind replicating a piece or two. OK, I'm not Chris and can't answer for her (him?) as to what sources *s/he* used, but... In addition to several books on the subject, the IOLI Bulletin has been publishing -- beginning with vol.27, #4 (summer 2007) -- my reconstructions of some of the simpler early laces, mostly from Le Pompe. Not to blow my own horn too loudly, but, while not perfect (I'm working on a correction for one of them, right now g), they're not half bad, either. And most are simple enough so that they can be made, by-the-many- yard, as needed for those early costumes. Nor am I finished reconstructing... And, during that same time, others have also written articles (some with prickings and diagrams) on the earliest laces. So, join us. Subscribe to IOLI, which will allow you to borrow the old issues and will assure you of getting anything new that comes out as well. By-and-by, you should be able to assemble a library of patterns for every occasion to choose from. -- Tamara P Duvallhttp://t-n-lace.net/ Lexington, Virginia, USA (Formerly of Warsaw, Poland) - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
RE: [lace] Re: Lace teaching happened!
I don't remember if anyone has mentioned Rosemary Shepherd's new book, An Early Lace Workbook which she published recently, which covers the subject of mock picots. You can read more about the book on her website, www.lacedaisypress.com.au. I'm having some fun at the moment working a simple metallic thread strip on gingham (instead of a pricking) which is only pinned by the mock picot. Noelene in Cooma nlaffe...@ozemail.com.au What those early laces do have are mock picots which we know as winkie pins. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] Teaching..eml- designing
Devon and others, I think you have made some great points about designing, if you 'first' have the desire to design. Then there are some who 'just do it'. I never thought of myself as a designer (a very minor one at best) until I took college are classes (I was in my 40s at the time). But I had been designing all my life, I just thought I was 'changing what I had already seen'. My mother used to say why do I buy you patterns (for clothing) when you never make it look like the picture. I think some people have a natural talent for it. But if you get me into another 'media' I can't do anything but 'follow the directions'. When I retire (at the end of this year) I hope to do more designing in lace and the thoughts expressed here are a wealth of information. Thanks to all. Lorri Graham, WA, USA I have been reading these stories about teachers and students and now designing! How do you even begin to design? This is a subject that I have been thinking about for some years, and no one would place me in a tier of design that is not amateur. My artistic talent is non-existent. In fact, my sense of spatial relations is so poor that I cannot even draw a floor plan of the house I live in. But that should be proof that designing is not something that requires a lot of visual talent, unless you want a spectacular result, of course. People who read the IOLI Bulletin can read the process that I used for the piece that was on the back cover. As a not particularly good designer, I would offer the following ideas. One of my first designs was a panda bear fan. I had my daughter draw the Panda, since she could draw, although only 7 years old, and I cannot. I made him in a narrow braid and filled him in with grounds I knew or could cadge from the book of grounds. Persons who are mathematically inclined use the lace design programs with great skill to design continuous type laces. I tend to use them to generate grids for the most frequent kinds of fillings. Then with a scissor, I cut the grid to fit in the area I want it to fit in and tape it in. In fact, frequently, I simply choose between the premade grids on _http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/design.htm_ (http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/design.htmhttp://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/ lace/design.htm) and print them with my computer on a card type paper from the computer supply store and fool around on them.This is a very easy way to design. While you work the piece, you will have a lot of time to think about how you could have made it more complicated. Then your next piece can be more complicated, and you can develop even more theories while you work that. Having taken free lace techniques such as Withof and Milanese allows you to draw a picture and make a piece of lace on it, once you understand the techniques. Jane Atkinson has taught and written a lot about modern design and her ideas are very inspiring. Taking a design class with her or others can be of great help. Now, I find myself in a phase where I get some materials and I fool around with them, often on the preprinted grid from the above lace site and see what interesting effects can be derived from the materials. For instance, when you combine different fibers and do different things with them, does something magical emerge? Then you have to figure out how to optimize that effect and try to make it into something. Although I have been known to be able to take a picture of a known lace from the museum, and, with the help of graph paper, draw it out. I tend to still do this by hand with tracing paper and graph paper, and counting the threads and stitiches in the original piece. I am somewhat intimidated by the idea of designing borders, etc., even with the software, possibly because I am not a specialist in most of these continuous laces. A true artist, of course, would be able to counter positive and negative space, and, using artistic design principles and color theory produce a much better product. I do keep coming up against the issue of whether in lace design, technical proficiency or artistic ability is more important. Historically, it seems that the designers often designed, and then the makers figured out how to make the piece, so both talents did not have to reside in the same person. Good luck, Devon arachnemodera...@yahoo.commailto:arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
RE: [lace] Teaching..eml
I have been reading these stories about teachers and students and now designing! How do you even begin to design? Or is this something you think about when you have more experience? I have a good teacher/class but unfortunately these are only evening classes so in the summer I have nothing. She is a very good teacher with lots of patience (which is just as well for me) and the students are in the main well behaved. They have all been coming to this class for years and a few do not need any help at all. (I have never heard any of them talk about designing though.) If the teacher is busy with a newbie a couple of them will go and help out someone else if needed. When hearing about some of your stories I am very lucky with my class. Nancy Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 12:01:00 +0100 From: alan.d.br...@tesco.net To: lace@arachne.com Subject: [lace] Teaching..eml I used to try and encourage students to work out a pricking from a lace photograph, simple torchon to start with and then progress further when they had acquired more experience and design something themselves. When I started lace classes in 1976, Tordis Berndt had Maidment and the two Swedish books for us to use. The latter had photos, thread sizes and bobbin numbers, *but* no prickings! Having to make your own pricking from the photos, I feel made you learn more about how threads moved than just working a piece with full instructions. When the Book of Stitches arrived then the possiblities of different fillings etc. opened up new avenues. Sometimes, ideas for a change will occur when working a pattern, particularly in free lace designs i.e. to change a stitch, add colour etc. The confidence to do this should come with experience and a desire to spread one's wings and a willingness to break all the 'do-nots' that were there at the time of the lace revival in the '70s. Without this The Westhope Group,the 98 group, the use of copper wire, coloured threads in traditionally white only patterns , etc.could not have come about. Personally I prefer to use graph paper for geometrical laces as I can envisage the movement of the threads better. Not being able to draw I will trace a shape I like, mix and match with other shapes and then think about the stitches which will give me the effect I'm looking for. As others have said we work and teach as individuals and the reward is when a student achieves the goals they have set themselves. Sheila in Sawbo' where it is sunny but a cool wind, hoping it will be dry in the Peak District for Easter - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com _ Share your photos with Windows Live Photos Free. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] Teaching..eml- designing
In a message dated 4/8/2009 7:11:22 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, nancy.nichol...@hotmail.co.uk writes: I have been reading these stories about teachers and students and now designing! How do you even begin to design? This is a subject that I have been thinking about for some years, and no one would place me in a tier of design that is not amateur. My artistic talent is non-existent. In fact, my sense of spatial relations is so poor that I cannot even draw a floor plan of the house I live in. But that should be proof that designing is not something that requires a lot of visual talent, unless you want a spectacular result, of course. People who read the IOLI Bulletin can read the process that I used for the piece that was on the back cover. As a not particularly good designer, I would offer the following ideas. One of my first designs was a panda bear fan. I had my daughter draw the Panda, since she could draw, although only 7 years old, and I cannot. I made him in a narrow braid and filled him in with grounds I knew or could cadge from the book of grounds. Persons who are mathematically inclined use the lace design programs with great skill to design continuous type laces. I tend to use them to generate grids for the most frequent kinds of fillings. Then with a scissor, I cut the grid to fit in the area I want it to fit in and tape it in. In fact, frequently, I simply choose between the premade grids on _http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/design.htm_ (http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/design.htm) and print them with my computer on a card type paper from the computer supply store and fool around on them.This is a very easy way to design. While you work the piece, you will have a lot of time to think about how you could have made it more complicated. Then your next piece can be more complicated, and you can develop even more theories while you work that. Having taken free lace techniques such as Withof and Milanese allows you to draw a picture and make a piece of lace on it, once you understand the techniques. Jane Atkinson has taught and written a lot about modern design and her ideas are very inspiring. Taking a design class with her or others can be of great help. Now, I find myself in a phase where I get some materials and I fool around with them, often on the preprinted grid from the above lace site and see what interesting effects can be derived from the materials. For instance, when you combine different fibers and do different things with them, does something magical emerge? Then you have to figure out how to optimize that effect and try to make it into something. Although I have been known to be able to take a picture of a known lace from the museum, and, with the help of graph paper, draw it out. I tend to still do this by hand with tracing paper and graph paper, and counting the threads and stitiches in the original piece. I am somewhat intimidated by the idea of designing borders, etc., even with the software, possibly because I am not a specialist in most of these continuous laces. A true artist, of course, would be able to counter positive and negative space, and, using artistic design principles and color theory produce a much better product. I do keep coming up against the issue of whether in lace design, technical proficiency or artistic ability is more important. Historically, it seems that the designers often designed, and then the makers figured out how to make the piece, so both talents did not have to reside in the same person. Good luck, Devon **New Deals on Dell Netbooks â Now starting at $299 (A HREF=http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219939010x1201342897/aol?redir= http:%2F%2Fa d.doubleclick.net%2Fclk%3B213771626%3B35379597%3Bw) - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who so generously offered advice and support! The girls are going to be thrilled! I'm excited, too. It will be quite a challenge, teaching kids to lace when I've never had a real lesson myself! Thanks so much, Sr. Claire - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hello Miriam and everyone Right - the camping mats are excellent for BL pillows. I made several round cookies from one, by stacking several layers in decreasing circumference. Fiddly to cut, but once firmly bound around a flat round they are nice and light. I stapled cloth over them, around to the bottom layer of heavy cardboard - which was also fiddly to cut. A square of layers would have been a lot easier, and work just as well, for a BL pillow. Is your dibble like the wall anchor shown here: http://homerepair.about.com/od/interiorhomerepair/ss/wall_fastening_8.htm Another good idea! On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 6:56 AM, Miriam [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: As to bobbins. While on my tour with OIDFA this summer I saw a good idea for making your own bobbins. You use the plastic part which you knock into the wall, the piece you screw in your screw later , use a large screw and the part between the top of the screw and the plastic will hold your thread. It is what we call in Israel a dibble. -- Bev in Shirley BC, near Sooke on beautiful Vancouver Island, west coast of Canada - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Teaching children
How lovely that they are interested. Yes, I've seen people working on the opposite side of the same pillow. I'm sure it's harder but better than nothing while you get them started. I taught children in an after-school class at the local school for a few years, and found the attached fish pattern by Sue Willis, to be about the right length to be completed in one lesson. Each lesson was 90 minutes long. I pre-wound the bobbins the first week, as that is not an exciting start to a lesson. First week was cloth stitch, 2nd week they worked it in cloth stitch and twist, 3rd week in half stitch. After that they could make some weed (with a footside) to make a picture or attach them to a hat or t-shirt. I am attaching my notes. I know these won't reach arachne, but I am assuming they will arrive in your own email address. I am attaching some instructions for making paper bobbins, which is something they could do at home between lessons to get their own bobbins. There are also instructions for bobbins made out of lollipop sticks and pony beads (but I can't find them - maybe someone else can forward them to you) Sue (in Illinois) [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/msword which had a name of Paper Bobbins by Brenda Paternoster.doc] [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/msword which had a name of Fish Wst instructions.doc] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Hello Sister Claire. Perhaps some of the purists of Arachne will tell me off for what I am going to say. But... I think that for a start, and not having proper pillows to teach, you could make a pillow from anything you have near. I started making bobbin lace with a piece of white polystyrene (the white material that covers most electrodomestics you buy. Often you can even find it in the rubbish containers in the street). You have to cut it the shape you need. In my case, as we use long vertical pillows in Spain, I cut a rectangular piece, put some newspapers in the middle of two pieces of this white stuff (to give it some weight), and covered it with a piece of dark cloth (no sewing necessary, just put pins in to hold it tight. That makes a cheap pillow and able to use for a start. After knowing if the girls like to continue with bobbin lace, you can think of making a better pillow filling it with straw of wood rests, depending of what you have more available. In fact, in old times, people made their pillows with whatever they had: here in my place they used straw, because this country grows lots of cereals. In other places they use wood dust, which you can usually get for free f you have a carpenter near. Hope this is useful to you. If you want more detailed instructions on how to make it, please ask me and I will tell you. Greetings from Antje, in Guadalajara, Spain - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Teaching children
Have you any odd bits of poltstyrene about your home?? If not you could ask at a shop for the polystyrene packaging. They usually throw it away anyway. Or a builders merchant which sells block of polystyrene. It will make two good pillows. I hope this helps you. Daphne Cold grey Norfolk England ---Original Message--- From: Sister Claire Date: 30/09/2008 15:03:09 To: lace@arachne.com Subject: [lace] Teaching children Two young Palestinian girls (about 12 years old) were visiting me the other day and were enchanted with my lacemaking. They want to learn, I'll be happy to teach them. The problem is that neither their families nor I have the money to buy them starter kits. I was thinking. Would it work if for the first time or two that they come to me, I set up each one of them at opposite sides of a large cookie pillow on a small table between them? That would give me time to scout around for some kind of makeshift pillows I could rig for them. What do you think? (I only have two pillow myself - the cookie pillow, which I'm not using at the moment, and my tombolo for Cantù, which is in use.) Sr. Claire - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type image/gif which had a name of imstp_animation_butterflies_en_020908.gif] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Teaching Knitting/Crochet
Hello Helene, it sounds really exciting to get an opportunity teaching handicrafts. I am teaching bobbin lacemaking to adults and children a few courses a year and occasionally I do a course on patchwork. I am sorry that I can't help with crochet and knitting teaching material, but it may help to find books perhaps in a library for illustration. We lerned both at school. Oh, I have to check, perhaps my kids still have their stuff from school. I will let you know. I hope you have a very good start on this. Martina in Germany, looking forward to the Klöppelkongress in Neumarkt, Germany, in March, being only 25 km away from my home this year. On 6 Mar 2008 at 17:42, Helene Ulrich wrote: Hi, I have been offered a chance to teach beginners crochet and knitting at the local community college in the fall. I was wondering if anyone out there may have teaching materials they are willing to share. The lady who is in charge of the adult education program had never heard of bobbin lace until I mentioned it during my interview. She has told me that if the knitting/crochet class is successful I will be give the chance to at least demonstrate my lacemaking -- its a start. Please contact me privately regarding any teaching materials. Helene Ulrich Surfside Beach, SC USA - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Teaching Knitting/Crochet
Hi Martina, Thanks for the encouragement. This is the first time I will be teaching someone other than a friend one-on-one. I will have to re-learn to knit and crochet left-handed for the class (haven't had to do that for over 30 years). But I think I will really enjoy it. Helene Ulrich Surfside Beach, SC USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hello Helene, it sounds really exciting to get an opportunity teaching handicrafts. I am teaching bobbin lacemaking to adults and children a few courses a year and occasionally I do a course on patchwork. I am sorry that I can't help with crochet and knitting teaching material, but it may help to find books perhaps in a library for illustration. We lerned both at school. Oh, I have to check, perhaps my kids still have their stuff from school. I will let you know. I hope you have a very good start on this. Martina in Germany, looking forward to the Klöppelkongress in Neumarkt, Germany, in March, being only 25 km away from my home this year. On 6 Mar 2008 at 17:42, Helene Ulrich wrote: Hi, I have been offered a chance to teach beginners crochet and knitting at the local community college in the fall. I was wondering if anyone out there may have teaching materials they are willing to share. The lady who is in charge of the adult education program had never heard of bobbin lace until I mentioned it during my interview. She has told me that if the knitting/crochet class is successful I will be give the chance to at least demonstrate my lacemaking -- its a start. Please contact me privately regarding any teaching materials. Helene Ulrich Surfside Beach, SC USA - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] teaching classes
Hi Sharon, A smaller alternative to the 'snake' would be to draw a leaf sort of shape, perhaps 1 and a half to 2 inches long. With suitable colours, in pearl cotton or similar this can be turned into a fish. You can add an eye with a bead and bundle the pairs at the end just as you do with the snake, but careful cutting can turn the threads into a fan tail. It can be worked a second time in half stitch as well. They can be mounted on card and taken home to show off. I know a friend used this at a Guide camp to introduce lace, and I have usd this at taster classes where we knew tha most of the learner would be children. Jean in Cleveland U,K, [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Saturday, January 17, 2004, at 10:56 PM, rick sharon wrote: Dear Lorelei and all you other kind spiders who have responded. I'm beginning to revise my opinion about using the snake as a starter project since a couple of you pointed out some areas of potential difficulty. Perhaps the boring bandage might be best after all? I hadn't thought of tape lace as a second choice. I do have Pam Nottingham's Bobbin Lace Making it's the book I used to teach myself 20 yrs ago and has been as much my bible as the Cookbook :) I have to admit though, I completely skipped the tape lace lessons because they didn't look like real lace to me. What is the opinion of other lacers? Would tape lace grab you? One of the laces suggested is more or less a meander with sewings in the middle of the loops. Sorry to keep bugging you, but I don't want to have to re-invent the wheel when I know that there might have been others in a similar situation. Thanks. Sharon on dull Vancouver Island - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] teaching children
Dear Helen, my daughter, now 9, made her first attempts at age of 5. in between, i taught the first stitches to about ten more children, mostly during holidays, so there were only a few days to finish at least a little bookmark. Those children were from eight to ten years old. if possible, I take the snake, like Robin suggested, and let them start with CTC, because they *see* how he threads form the structure. At this age, most children have a little experience in weaving on a small hand loom, so they understand what they are doing. Let them take coloured passives after their own choice, and a working pair in different colour help and make individual snakes, although not all children need this. The snake pattern allows to introduce additional Ts to obtaine structure during the work- and again, they understand what they are doing. So, Alice, in my opinion, the best way to learn (or teach) something is neither start hard to enjoy later, nor make it as simple as possible for the little cuties. As children's brain capacities are usually underestimated, give them (as well as adults) something to understand the principles and teach them how to go on alone. There was a girl of 9 who sat at my side for hours, while i was making a small insertion in Tonder, some 20 pairs. After a while, she understood the CTTT point ground just from watching. I let her do some of the ground only areas on my lace, in 140 e.c, this was her first BL ever. She did it great, managed the footside only little after. My litle boy (now 7) has not the patience to make a whole pattern of his own. But he likes to help me and make a small area of CTpinCT for me ;-) A ten year old boy was watching last summer, again for hours, sitting opposite to me, a small table between us. When I gave him a start, he did al Cs and Ts in the wrong direction: just like he had seen them while watching from the back side. I was working an old Flemish pattern then, in linen 120/2, quite complicated. He could actually always show on the technical diagam where I was. And he never saw lacemaking before. Took him only minutes to learn the stitches the right way, and then he finished a snake. For me, it's important that they make something real. The snake. A sampler bookmark for grandma's borthday. An egg-shaped (or hen or rabbit or flower) tape for Easter.. introduce more than one stitch in a short time, so they have to think, see differences, realize that it's them who make the pattern. enjoy! Eva, from grey and wet Germany - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
