It is important to understand that if people do not join lace guilds there
are not enough members and volunteers to support a convention/show like
the annual one that is associated with America's International Old Lacers
Inc. (IOLI). This also applies to all the other nations where there are
lacemakers and large guilds.
Vendors pay to participate in the sales rooms, and must be assured there
will be customers for their wares. The vendors also have to pay for travel,
rooms, meals. The guilds have to guarantee a certain number of rooms in
the convention hotel will be occupied by paying guests. These arrangements
must be made years in advance because we are competing with lucrative
organizations and government agencies for the hotel space commitment we make!!
Many people want everything for free, but in the real world of lace, if
you do not pay dues to a guild, buy books, buy supplies, take classes, and
physically share love of lace and lacemaking with others, you cannot expect
there to be lace events near you.
Think about how much it costs for you to own, operate, and repair a
computer so you can communicate (for free) with Arachne (which has a private
sponsor). The computer industry does not do anything for free, whereas lace
lovers are very generous.
The nice thing about lace is that many people volunteer their lifetime of
experience and time, and donate money to help it survive in a fast-paced,
impersonal modern world. It is amazing how many lace experts are doing
research and sharing with others via our large (you could say "national") lace
guilds and the quarterly bulletins (magazines) that are sent to members.
Those who only belong to _lace@arachne_ (mailto:lace@arachne are) are
missing so much current information. All are urged to join at least one large
lace guild and to support/attend lace activities -- it is the only way
lacemaking will survive. We do not have corporations underwriting us, and
must
be mindful of the constant danger to preservation of this wonderful
textile's history and future.
Jeri Ames in Maine USA
Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
In a message dated 3/20/2012 10:35:26 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
cskn...@gmail.com writes:
I was wondering if Chicago had a convention/show like St. Paul? Or any
other miswest shows?
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