The main thing I'm working on at the moment is trying to stay awake (due to one month old - already! - granddaughter being a nocturnal beastie [g]).
Lace wise, the petticoat lace is still on my travel pillow, but only about six inches of that to go (an adaptation of one of the first set of patterns from Retournac). I'm half way, or very nearly so, on *my* scalloped version of my Hearts and Flowers Snowflake (Lace 104, Oct.2001, you can also see Alex Stillwell's adaptation of it in chapter 14 of her new book, hers is also a scalloped version) - which is being a bit of a whatsit to work (takes a lot of concentration due to the triplets of circles, with loopy gimps everywhere!). This has been on pillow for more than a year so far - I know I was working on it in October 2005, because I took it to work on at Ashby Lace Day. There is still a piece on my Honiton pillow, don't think I've touched that for about three years. The most recent project is Modèle 11 from the second set of Retournac patterns - I bought the gimp thread for this (a thick metallic cord in silver, green and red) not long after the pattern arrived, it has taken me a while to start on it. I'm using silver (Mez Ophir) for the main thread and working on it at the Papercraft Shows I'm demonstrating lace at (the next one, should anyone in the UK Midlands want to come and see the pattern in progress, is the Max Craft Show at Derby University on March 11) and it is working up quite well. Gets a fair number of comments, and definitely shows that you don't have to use fine threads! Talking of the shows, can I raise a plea for any teachers/lace group organisers in Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Leeds, and Warwick/Leamington who would like their contact details adding to the leaflets I give out at the shows to email me off list - the main purpose of the demonstrations is to raise awareness of the craft, and there are quite a few in the Sheffield/Leeds area who are interested in learning to tat. (I demonstrate bobbin lace, but always have tatting to hand, and Anne Weston who I go with demonstrates needlelace). People do travel to the shows, so it would help to know who is where in the surrounding districts, too. Rather than promote my own classes (Tamworth) which are too far for most to travel, I produce leaflets giving the details of the Guilds for the various disciplines (and of course how to subscribe to Arachne!) and where/when/who to contact for the local classes and groups. If you know I've already got your details, can you let me have any updates for 2007? (I think my Nottingham leaflets are due an update). We have also been doing shows in Altrincham and Haydock, but this is likely to move so anything around the Manchester/Liverpool/Wirral area would be helpful, too, as would details of any Young Lacemaker Groups (I only have details for adult classes at the moment). This Sunday just gone we were in Leeds, and it was nice when two girls came up and said that they remembered me from the previous show there - it helps being the "something very different"! Oh yes, back to the original question, there is still the fillet crochet handkerchief edging, from Anna somewhere around 1991, (acorns and oak leaves) that might possibly get finished one day! -- Jane Partridge - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
