Lace Takes a Holiday

sponsored by Texere

September 20 to 27, 2008
 

Fancy winding bobbins poolside in the autumnal Gallic sunshine, with a glass at your elbow?  Perhaps taking French Leave to visit an interesting yarn shop, tour the historic Roman town of Saintes, or become acquainted with Cognac? Then join me for the first Lace Holiday at Christine and Graham Dove’s restored monastery Le Vieux Monastere in the Charente Maritime. 

In deciding to take a theme of Chic Accessories, I intend to help you design pieces that will be simple to produce and that you will be proud to wear.  Whilst you could make one of my patterns in an interesting new interpretation, this is an ideal opportunity to work out something entirely personal, maybe in Torchon, maybe in a free technique where you launch in and solve problems as you go.

The kind sponsorship of Texere will give the ideal opportunity to try ideas in threads you may not yet have investigated, to work colour schemes culled from local scenery (or perhaps you might bring photos from your garden at home to inspire you), and to explore different techniques for lace which can stand alone – like a scarf or necklace – or be incorporated into a bag, a corsage, or into clothing.

I’ll be including lectures on how to make the best use of the wonderful threads that are available for other textiles such as knitting, embroidery and weaving, and how to find inspiration from the local landscape, and we will go out to look for our own inspiration, as well as to switch off and enjoy the locality as tourists.

Apart from one visit to a local restaurant, everything else is included in the fee, including wine, excursions and transport from the airport at La Rochelle. Christine and Graham have a high reputation for their hospitality, and I am hugely looking forward to the event and to meeting old friends and making new ones. Please don’t leave it too late to join in the fun.

We all intend this to be a memorable week, and I will be at your entire disposal to help you crack design problems, work out interesting interpretations and resolve your projects in a successful way – although you could just sit by the pool and soak up the sun!

Ideas you might try: a narrow scarf in weaving linens, a stranded necklace in knitting yarns and three on shaped grids in lace, embroidery and weaving yarns

Mostly Torchon lace, but other approaches as well, including plaits and bars (stranded necklace) and free lace with applied beading (a necklace which was designed and made in just one morning!)