I don't think it was a west coast phenomenon. Originally there was a group called the Federation of Doll Clubs. in the 1950s, a small sub-group of them was interested in dressing dolls in the appropriate style lace for the era of the doll, and they formed a lace study group within the Doll Clubs, called the Old Lacers. Eventually it broke away from the Federation of Doll Clubs, becoming the International Old Lacers, and then eventually the International Organization of Lace. The character of the group began to change when lacemakers started to join it because there was no other group that was oriented toward making lace. Another connection between doll collectors and lacemakers is that doll collectors wish to have appropriately sized lace for doll clothes and doll furnishings. So, in some cases, they have to make the lace so it is in scale. Yet another concern, expressed by some, was that doll collectors were cutting up priceless old handmade lace for the doll clothes, because only the laces from the early 18th century were of fine enough thread to make them in scale with dolls. At least one member of the lace community decided to make an entire book of patterns appropriately sized for dolls and doll houses to address this perceived threat, so that the doll collectors could make better lace for their doll houses and wouldn't have to rely on antiques laces.
On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 1:35 PM, Sharon Ghamari-Tabrizi <shg...@mail.harvard.edu> wrote: > Dear Lacers > As I understand it, there are two streams of enthusiasts that made up the > American lace making community in the 20th century. On the East Coast there > were wealthy women who created the Needle and Bobbin Club. But on the West > Coast, -- am I getting this right? -- the original lace enthusiasts were > also doll collectors and lace makers spun off from them and established > their own group? > > Does anyone have any more info about this for me? > Thanks one and all > Sharon > > - > 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/
