Dear Lacemakers, Many times questions are asked on Arachne that would receive better replies if more specific info was given. For example:
1. If you are a *newbie*, and want to find other lacemakers or a guild, it would help if you told more than your state name. You may be nearer another state that has a lace group, than a group in your own state. If you don't want to give the name of your town - how about saying something like "50 miles west of Boston", or whatever. This would also apply to people near a national border, such as Canada/U.S. -- a great lace group may be just across the border! 2. If you are *traveling*, and want to know about lace events, exhibits, people you might want to meet: Be sure to write enough in advance. Some people write just a couple days before their trips, and with very sketchy info (does not give people who let their digests pile up a chance to be helpful). Please give dates (if your home is secure) - there might be a local meeting you will be invited to attend, or a lacemaker willing to squire you around and be your translator. If you are concerned about safety, ask on behalf of a "friend". If you give only a place name being visited, it's a problem. If you'll be there only on Monday, in many parts of the world museums are closed on Mondays. Give the people who will be answering a chance to really help you with very specific information! 3. If you are asking about *instructions or a translation*: Please cite the specific book, magazine, or pattern -- if a book, give the author's name, title of book, ISBN and page number. If a magazine, give the issue number or date, in addition to the full title of the magazine and the country in which it was published, and page number. If a pattern, give as much info as possible. We have very experienced people on Arachne who can help you. It is respectful of their time to give enough info for them to help you! Please! Please give an appropriate *Subject* at the top, so when we go through many letters we can identify the one we are ready to answer. "Help!", for example, is not enough. "Lacemakers near Boston", or "Lace travel in Glasgow 2/14/04", or "IOLI Bulletin Vol. 21, No. 4" gives people enough details to take action to help you. Who? What? When? Where? How? -- are in part what you may need to give or receive. When you write a question, please ask yourself if you have given enough details for someone to be more than helpful to you, while still protecting your security. Are they going to have to ask questions to get to the heart of what you need? If so, please add more information to your question. Kind regards, Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]