Just look at this Lace!
Monday, November 2, 2009 at 7:15AM
This is a gift "towards my next quilt" from a warm generous woman who lives here in Canberra. In fact this lace comes from Margaret Roberts who among other things taught me how to do a French knot properly! 
Margaret Roberts is very well known in the local fiber and textile world as she worked at the National Gallery for years. Just one of her interesting tasks was working to repair and conserve the Ballet Russe costumes 
Margaret has been an active Embroiderer's Guild ACT member for years and also was part of the team that worked on the Parliament House Embroidery. Once you get chatting to her you realise not only does she have oodles and oodles of stories to tell she has been active with a thread in her hand most of her life so she has acquired a tremendous amount of skill and knowledge. 
Anyway I went visiting on Friday and came away with a huge gift as she has been de-stashing. Margaret probably has no idea how thrilled I am to have it. 
I have been thinking about it all weekend and have decided that my next crazy quilt will definitely use and highlight lace in all its forms. Apart from this wonderful gift I have accumulated quite a few interesting pieces over the years and now this massive gift of lace has pushed me to use it.
I have started to make a few decisions about the approach I will take, the first being that I will dye much of it. Although some light and ecru/cream blocks are good I am not a pastel colour scheme person.
I just have to decide if the blocks will be regular squares or some other interesting shape. I enjoyed the finished result of the diamond quilt but I am not sure if I want to work diamonds again. Anyway I will keep you posted as it is my next project! I have even created a new category for it. Having a category means it has to become real and be more than an idle thought. I has to exist rather than remain in my imagination only.
Reader Comments (8)
You lucky girl!!
I am looking forward to seeing your progress with this project sharon... All that beautiful lace - it takes me back to the days when I watched my mum hard at work with swirls of netting and tulle and froths of lace as she skillfully wove them around hat shapes to create little light almost blown together hats for weddings etc...
What a treasure to receive all this. I will look forward to seeing your new design. You may like to pop over to my blog and visit as I'm having a giveaway with the opening of my new etsy - Luscious Layers!
What a wonderful gift of laces. I know you will use it to create a beautiful piece of art, your always do.
What fabulous treasure this is! One of my favorite areas of study - the lace. I found handmade lace of all kinds in my grandmother's house, including a Battenburg baby bonnet her mother made in about 1875.
What beauty to and to think you will make it more so. I thougly enjoy your blog it is the only one I look at every single day. It inspires me to try to do more and different things. Zandra
Oh goodness, what an amazing gift! I'm now very curious to see what your planned project will be like. A piece that highlights lace will look gorgeous! Dyeing lace really does make it look so modern and 'fresh' without losing any of the nostalgic feel.
Can't wait to see what you do with the laces and quilt. Your needlework is always inspiring.