Pittsburgh Lace Group

Pearls from Your President

Happy spring! By the time you read this, Phil’s six more weeks of winter probably (with any luck and a little more effort on the part of the editor) will not yet be exhausted, but let us hope the first aromas of softening earth and pushy bulbs will have arrived to give us hope. My crocuses and daffodils are already poking up-I hope not to be frozen back.
I keep wondering what the “letter from the president” is supposed to say other than a little philosophy about the weather and upconing events (and maybe previous events, but that’s been done already). Any suggestions? PLEASE! Do I hear a motion to skip it? (But it does take up some space when material is mighty sparse-like now!)
Well, some more spacefiller: We seem to be into bobbins this spring. Roy Sykes (Betsy’s husband) will be the highlight of our annual meeting on Saturday, April 7, when he demonstrates bobbinmaking on his lathe and Robin will display her bobbin collection (after we elect a new vice president and secretary and fill some much-needed positions).
On Saturday, April 28, Joan Cifiberto ‘will conduct a mini-workshop on painting bobbins and tatting shuttles. Let’s have a potluck lunch followed by shopping with The Lacemaker and others. See the information further on. This will replace the May meeting.
It is-to repeat-dues time again. if there is a red dot on the back of your newsletter, it means you have not yet submitted you dues, and this will be the last newsletter. you will receive (until you fork over your $10). I am sure you do not want that to happen.
We miss you (you know who you are). Do come to the meetings, the workshop, and our Thursday night gatherings. -Margot Barbour

The Pittsburgh Lace Group ‘will hold its annual meeting on Saturday, Apr11 7,2001, 10:00 AM., at Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church on Hochberg Road. Important business to be transacted! Don’t miss it! Try to come ca. 9:45 for coffee and nibbles.
In addition to the election of Vice President and Secretary, there will be a brief discussion of new positions which need to be established and filled: a person to organize our demonstrating; someone to help with copying, labeling, taping, stamping, and malling the newsletter [and the editor could sure use help in gathering and ‘writing material]; and an archivist to take charge of the picture album of our history, trying to identify some older photos as well as putting names and dates on new ones as they are added. Anyone willing to assume any of these positions, please contact Joan Trimble.
Also, we will vote on the change to the By-Laws (see previous newsletter).
The best part of the meeting will be Roy Sykes with his lathe, demonstrating bobbin-making. Those of us who have had the pleasure of demonstrating along with Roy know how congenial, patient, and knowledgeable he is, and what neat bobbins he creates. Bring a snack and stay until all questions are answered. Robin ?anza will display her collection of exotic bobbins.
An additional warning: You had better show up or risk finding yourself in one of the positions mentioned in paragraph 2 above!

You are cordially invited to a free evening lecture and reception with Rodrick Owen at the Mellon Institute building of Carnegie Mellon University in Oakland, co-sponsored by the Fiberarts Guild and the Weavers and Fiber Friends of Pittsburgh

Date: Friday, March 23, 2001
Place: Mellon Institute1 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh
(At the comer of Fifth Avenue and Bellefield Street with entry from Bellefield)
Parking is avallable on the street and in nearby lots and garages.
Time: 7:00 P.M. Reception
8:00 P.M. Lecture: Round the world in Eighty Braids

4 lecture with slides and reconstructed samples will take us on a journey across the large landmass of Asia. Exploring as we go the braids from the Baltics, Russia, Tibet, Mongolia, and China, before jumping to Japan and onward across the ocean to the Americas.
Rodrick Owen is a textile artist and teacher whose specialty is Japanese and pre-Hispanic Peruvian braid making. He has exhibited in Great Britain, the U.S., and Japan, and has published articles on braid making in a number of professional magazines and journals.

Lace edgings have so many applications: they can be used for tablecloths, towels, handkerchiefs, sheets, or to enhance clothing items. Since they are so popular, we decided to choose lace edgings for our next contest theme. The edging can have a matching insert and/or a comer.

Contest Rules

1.) The edging must be a least 20 centimeters long (7-7/8~). There is no minimum or maximum width.
2.) You may use any lace technique: bobbin lace, tatting, needlelace, etc.
3.) The piece must be designed and created by the participant(s), or may be designed by one person and made by another.
4.) Send the lace together with the pattern drawn with black marker on white background (no patterns will be accepted on graph paper) to: LACE CONTEST / Apartado #501 /03730 Javea / Alicante / SPAN
5.) Entries must be received before December 1,2001.
6.) Include name, address, and telephone number, and a description of technique and implementation (i.e., # thread, # of bobbins1 etc.)
7.) La Encajera reserves the right to publish any participant’s lace at any time. Once the competition in con-
cluded, the lace ‘will be returned to the owner by registered mall.
8.) All partidpants must adhere to the rules.
9.) Each entrant ‘will receive a gift for participating.
PRIZES: Three subscriptions (6 issues) to LA ENCAJERA MAGAZHJE
For more information go to coast@ctv.es

As always, any and all contributions to this newsletter are most welcome. Any news about members other lacemakers, bobbins, threads, patterns you love, books, ideas, pictures-send ’em in and keep ’em coming