News and Updates

February 2012

lace day 2011
Make-It show - 2012
North Downs Members helped the Lace Guild on their stand at the Make-It Show in Farnborough, Hants. We all had a lovely time demonstrating and helping newcomers to lace to make a small fish. There was a lot of interest and we passed quite a few names to local teachers. These craft shows are a lovely way to introduce people to the art of lace.
Read more and see the display here.

lace day 2012
North Downs Annual Lace Day 2012
The North Downs Lacemakers 31st Lace Day will be held on the 29th September 2012 at The Yateley Centre from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Our speaker will be Veronica Main - 'A Curator's life' - working with precious items, hats and lace.

September 2011

lace day 2011
National Lacemaking Day - 2011
We had a very successful day on Saturday 10th September demonstrating in Princes Mead, Farnborough. Carol Powell, our Chairman, was photographed by the Farnborough and Aldershot News, so look out for her in the local weekly paper.
Read more and see the pictures here.

July 2011

lace day 2011
North Downs Annual Lace Day 2011
The North Downs Lacemakers 30th Lace Day will be held on Saturday 24th September 2011 at The Yateley Centre, School Lane, Yateley, Hants GU46 6NW from 10.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Our speaker is Nicky Howener-Townsend talking about 'Suffolk Lace'.

May 2011

Pass the Pillow update
At the beginning of May the lace measures 2.43 metres and there have been 1400 people 'having a go'. We would like to have 2012 participants in time for the 2012 Olympics. Have you had a go? If not you can catch the pillow at the following events. If you have any suggestions of an event where the pillow could go please contact Pauline McLeod. These Pass-the-Pillow events are booked for 2011 so far:

May 21stChepstow Lacemakers and Beadworkers May Fair, Chepstow, Monmouthshire
June 4thPoole Lace Day, Wimbourne, Dorset
July 24th or 31stRural Life Museum, Tilford, Surrey
September 10th,11thKidzfest, Farnham, Surrey
September 24th,25thMichaelmas Fair, Weyhill, Surrey

March 2011

Pass the Pillow update
At the beginning of March the lace measures 2.24 metres and there have been 1251 people 'having a go'. We would like to have 2012 participants in time for the 2012 Olympics. Have you had a go? If not you can catch the pillow at the following events. If you have any suggestions of an event where the pillow could go please contact Pauline McLeod. These Pass-the-Pillow events are booked for 2011 so far:

March 5thWoodley Lace Dayn Woodley Baptist Church,Woodley, Berks
March 12thGlevum Lace Makers, Gloucester
April 8-10Lace Guild Convention, Heelis, National Trust Headquarters, Swindon, Wilts
April 30thLace Society Rally, Solihull, West Midlands
May 21stChepstow Lacemakers and Beadworkers May Fair, Chepstow, Monmouthshire
June 4thPoole Lace Day, Wimbourne, Dorset
July 24th or 31stRural Life Museum, Tilford, Surrey
September 10th,11thKidzfest, Farnham, Surrey
September 24th,25thMichaelmas Fair, Weyhill, Surrey

Heritage Centre, Camberley
The Heritage Centre is now set up and has generated a great deal of interest. Please go along see the display.

October 2010

Heritage Centre, Camberley
The Heritage Centre has now moved to its new premises, NDL are able to have the use of one large window. The display will consist of the Kaleidoscope, the screen, Reflections and the spiral. We do, however, need white lace, if possible, in a traditional style. Please give to Ann Day.

July 2010

Clockwork Mice

Fritillary Group News
We are happy to report that our latest project 'Clockwork Mice' has been awarded a Medal for Excellence in the 2010 Lace Guild exhibition, Movement. It will be on show at the Walsall Museum from 17th July to 25th September (for details see The Lace Guild web site), and locally as soon as we get it back!. View our Fritillary pages here.

May 2010

Pass the Pillow

We particularly need help with the Pillow event at Cove Village Fayre on 5th June. They are local events for some of you, so if you can spare an hour or two please let me know. Essential requirements:- knowledge of Torchon Lace and patience! The Pillow will also be taken to the Convention and volunteers are needed. Please see Mary Hocking.

Suggestions for Speakers would be very helpful, please let Sue Martin know.

April 2010

Pass the Pillow

The lace has now reached 132 cms and 429 people have participated. The pillow is booked to go to:

  • 2nd April - Heritage Gallery, Camberley from 1:30pm
  • 9th to 11th April - Lace Guild Convention, Worcester
  • 27th April - Whitchurch Silk Mill

They are local events for some of you, so if you can spare an hour or two please let me know. Essential requirements:- knowledge of Torchon Lace and patience! For more info please contact: Mary Hocking

March 2010

Pass the Pillow

We particularly need help with the Pillow events for Rushmoor Festival on 27th March at The Monkey Puzzle, Farnborough, and on 18th April at The West End Centre Aldershot and also at Cove Village Fayre on 5th June. They are local events for some of you, so if you can spare an hour or two please let me know. Essential requirements:- knowledge of Torchon Lace and patience!
Mary Hocking

January 2010

Celebrating Surrey

Celebrating Surrey
Taking place on the 26th and 27th of June at Losely House, we are planning to make a lace 'pod' at this event and would be grateful for the loan of:

  • a small 'pop-up' tent
  • a Gazebo with sides (preferably of the 'instant' variety, rather than slot together poles)

Plans are in the early stages, but we hope you will all help us by taking part in a group activity at the AGM meeting in April. This should be great fun, if somewhat chaotic!
Read about Celebrating Surrey here.

December 2009

Our lace tree

Christmas Tree Festival at St Mark's, Farnborough
Many thanks to you all for the loan of your lace Christmas decorations, The Lacey Tree worked well and the wire angels fitted along the crochet edging to the altar cloth really well. The tree looked fantastic and got lots of comments - in fact it won the visitor prize for the under 4ft tree section. See Eve's photo of the tree in situe on the Holy Family altar here. Contributors were Margaret Bradly, Ann Day, Carol Hughes, Sue Martin, Jean Rooke and Eve Corrall.

November 2009

Make it Exhibition

Make it Exhibition
This year Make It will be on 26th- 28th February at Farnborough. We will be running a stand on behalf of The Lace Guild. If you would like to help please contact Ann Day. You may not make much lace but you will have the opportunity to talk to lots of lovely crafts people and get to see the exhibition, which is aimed at card makers and scrap bookers but with other stands as well.
www.make-it.org.uk/visiting.php.

Carnival in Lace at the Bridgewater arts centre

Carnival in Lace
Works by the Bristol Lace Group inspired by Carnival in the UK and beyond at the Bridgwater Arts Centre, 11-13 Castle Street, Bridgewater, Somerset TA6 3DD. Tues to Fri 10.30 to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm. Admission free.
http://www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk/exhibitions.php.

October 2009

A lace angel

Christmas Tree Festival at St Mark's, Farnborough
Eve has been asked to provide a tree for this on behalf of North Downs and would appreciate the loan of some lace decorations. The Festival is on 28th and 29th November so if you are able to help please would you bring your decorations to the November Meeting. They will then be returned at the December Meeting. There will also be a Craft Fair in the Church Hall on 29th November.

Fabulous fibres at Haslemere museum in Surrey

Fabulous fibres
From 1 December 2009 - 9 January 2010 at Haselmere Museum Surrey. This will feature artifacts made from plant and the raw materials they are made of from all over the world. This is being staged by Kew. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10.0 am - 5.00 pm.
www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk.

The National Needlework Archive

The National Needlework Archive
The Old chapel, Main Street, New Greenham Park, Newbury Berkshire are conserving an enormous stumpwork embroidery "The Country Wife" made by Constance Howard for the Festival of Britain in 1951. You can go and see it being conserved. The Archive looks to be an interesting place to visit.
www.nationalneedleworkarchive.org.uk.

September 2009

embracing lace with the North Downs Lacemakers at Whitchurch Silk Mill

Whitchurch Mill CD
A CD of the images from the Exhibition at Whitchurch Mill will be available at the Lace Day, price £6.00. To find out more about the CD click here.

August 2009

New artists in libraries logo

Eve Corrall's work accepted for NAIL
Eve Corrall submitted work for NAIL (New Artists in Libraries) scheme earlier in the year and has been accepted. She has a small exhibition at the Hampshire Record Office, Sussex Street, Winchester, SO23 8TH (very near the Station) until 28th August as part of a display called 'Threads of History'. Open Monday to Friday, 9am-7pm, Saturday, 9am-4pm There are a few pieces of lace from the Hampshire Museum Service on display as well as information about textiles and associated shops etc in Hampshire.

The work with some other pieces will then be in Farnborough Library during September. Eve will be demonstrating on at least one day as yet to be arranged.

Features

Photographs from our 2011 annual lace day.
Demonstrating in Princes Mead.
Demonstrating at the village fete.
Updates on our pillow.


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