Jean As I understand it, stumpwork was the art of making little 3 dimensional figures out of lace stitches to attach to embroidered fabric. Your experience with the C & G group doesn't really surprise me. It embodies my major objection to formal certification bodies. They tend to think they have the right to set standards and, excuse me for saying it, tend to look down their noses at those who follow a different standard. I suppose the way to find their restrictions reasonable is to think of them as trying to keep alive the old techniques used in historical examples which they admire so much. I suppose that is a reasonable perspective. Somebody should keep alive that old set of rules. But you don't have to believe in your heart that it is the only standard.
If getting the certification really matters to you, why not just adhere to their historic standard in the piece you submit for the certification process, and do your own adventuresome project after the certificate is in your hands. Save the creative stuff for when the standards body is not looking over your shoulder. You will prove to them that you CAN keep the old standard, and once you've done that, nobody can say that you incorporate machine embroidery because you are incapable of doing hand embroidery. Lorelei - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
