What a interesting question! I belong to an historical reenactment group called the SCA, and lo these many years ago a friend in the group I was in at the time showed me how to make lace. My first sample piece was awful - it twisted and pulled and really looked like a jumble of thread. Because I am a perfectionist, I decided that was it - I was going to throw that piece away never do this again. Well, another group member took my little twisted sample and told me he thought it was wonderful, and he would keep it as a token to show folks when I became an expert. Yeah, right - like THAT would ever happen!
Well, that group was on a military base,, and I moved soon after. About a year later I was reading the paper when I saw that my friend who had taken my little token had been killed in Iraq (the first time we went over). In reminiscing about my friend, I remembered the lace, and decided to try to become the "expert" he thought I could be - or at least as close as I could come to it! So I bought a pillow, some bobbins, thread, pins - and here I am, still trying to become and "expert"! Iin an interesting side note, my mom was looking at my lace one day when she said, "You know, Mama (my grandmother) used to make lace!" Apparently she used to carry around a pillow and make lace for a "rich relative" who would give her a $5 coin (?) for each length she finished. I had been making lace for more than 10 years, and that was the first I'd heard that story. My grandmother was very crafty, but I don't ever remember seeing her make lace when I was younger. She had a stroke right about the time I made that first little sad sample, and I was never able to share it with her. I would have loved to do that - she was without a doubt the most important person in my llife. Sorry to go on so long, Kathy in Georgia - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
