When the Blue Ridge Lace Guild was formed 'way back in the 1980s, I made two "beginner kits."
Each consisted of an 18 inch cookie pillow with cover cloths to "drape the pillow," spangled plastic bobbins (I believe I got them from Audrey Sells,) the beginning pricking, a small instruction pamphlet I wrote, "Beginning Bobbin Lace," DMC Retors 30 thread, and a loaded pin cushion. All this was in a matching carry-bag. I made the pillows by having Friend Husband cut 18 rounds of thin plywood, using cotton upholstery batting as a tightly-packed filling, covering that with wool blanket fabric, then muslin, and finishing with a colored cotton broadcloth. I provided these kits at no expense to the Guild, nor did I charge for instructions. A prospective lacemaker could use the kit for 2 months and that would give her (never had any men interested, unfortunately) time to know if she was truly interested. If she wanted to continue, she would have adequate time to get her own equipment. The Blue Ridge Bobbin & Lace Guild had ladies traveled from Lexington and Lynchburg, both 50 miles away, weekly for instruction from me. After a few years, the Cardinal Lace Guild was formed in Lynchburg, and I gave them two beginner kits with my "Beginning Bobbin Lace" pamphlets. I made two more kits for use of the Roanoke group. We later changed from Blue Ridge Bobbin & Lace Guild to Blue Ridge Lace Guild because we have members who tat and crochet lace but don't do bobbin lace. As for IOLI having the kits to lend, the logistics of that is beyond impossible, in my opinion. To me,it is up to each instructor to provide her own "stuff." Happy Lacemaking, Betty Ann in Roanoke, Virginia USA - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
