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Six Canadian ladies from St Joseph Island on the edge of Lake Huron, Ontario, brought their fresh approach and warm companionship to the third lace holiday at Le Vieux Monastère, France.
The learning curve was particularly steep for Liz Macdonald who turned out to be an experienced quilter, but not a lacemaker – however, by the end of the week she had designed, made and finished a complicated bookmark.
She shared a table with Kim Russell from London, who had been making exquisite traditional lace, including the finest Binche, for some years, and who took this week as an opportunity to turn her skills in a new direction.
Kim’s bright and youthful personality spilled into her new approach, taking inspiration from the fields of baby sunflowers surrounding the holiday complex where classes took place, as well as the rich colours available in the Texere-sponsored yarns.
Stranding these to create an inviting palette, testing them to find the right grid to suit the combined threads, designing a new pattern and then using her experience to make the lace in double-quick time, was inspiring for all who watched, and she had Le Tournesol finished by the end of her first weekend home. Future plans include designs taken from tattoo flashes …
The Canadian party drove off back to their airport in a people-carrier ably packed like Rubic’s Cube by their teacher, Anna Hamilton, and driven by Carol Nattress who arranged their vacation. At home they call themselves the St Joseph Island Red Robin Lacers … explains member Betty-Ann Maki: ‘we go bob, bob, bobbin along’.
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