LA ENCAJERA - THE LACEMAKER #4

Letter to the Readers

Very dear readers,

We are in 1998 and all the Encajera team is starting the new year with lots of energy. During the holidays we moved to new and bigger offices, to help us provide better service. At the same time we are pleased to inform you that you can now also reach us through the internet. Now you can also send your letters to our email address: coast@ctv.es

This first issue of the year is dedicated to love and friendship. Saint Valentines Day falls within the dates of this issue, so we wish to celebrate it with our readers. We all know the spectrum from romantic love to a simple friendship is very wide. But we would like to let our readers know that we have a place within that spectrum for them - we do care about you and consider each and every one of you a friend.

To celebrate St. Valentines we have some delicate handkerchiefs with a lace heart insert (pgs.4&5). They can make pretty gifts for a loved one. You can also mount one of these hearts in a small picture frame, inside a greetings card, or even create a bookmark - a gift liked, both by men, as well as women. In this issue we offer you no less than 14 patterns!

For the experts among us we suggest trying the rose on page 9. The rose is a flower that says it all. You can make it with red thread to signify love, with yellow thread to signify friendship, or perhaps, with white, as we have done.

Needle lace is not well known, but with a previously designed pattern and plain old needle and thread, the experts can create wonders. You can read the article written by a teacher in Madrid, she is also the creator of the pretty picture on page 8.

The delicate Tonder lace handkerchief (from Denmark), uses a similar technique to the beautiful ret-fi handkerchief that the lace school from Arbos gave as a gift to Princess Cristina. The detailed graphic with instructions will no doubt be of great help to you when making this pattern.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is our focal point this issue. A Spanish lacemaker tells us about her adventure in New York and describes the ordeal one must follow to be able to see the wonderful collection of lace pillows that are stored in the Antonio Ratti Centre. You will find this story on page 14.

And not to be forgotten, we will tell to all about the First International Lacemaker's Workshop that took place in Javea, Alicante, last October. For four glorious days we enjoyed an ambiance of harmony and friendship while learning so much more about lace. Each expert teacher professionally explained her own technique for each type of lace, from Spanish blonde to Chek style lace. We imagine many new friendships had begun in those four days, but we are sure, that everyone returned to their home towns all over Spain and Europe knowing much more about lace. There is so much to learn in this wide world of lacemaking!

In this issue we also dedicate one page to the Artisans Fair in Vila do Conde, Portugal, we also offer you a lace pattern from there. We also present a few simple and quick to finish patterns, like hearts, bookmarks, and pretty lace for towels. And of course we do not forget those of you who already are familiar with new techniques and can handle something like the rose. We try to always think of all of you and aim to keep doing so!

Finally, in this issue we hope to motivate you to participate in our first contest of La Encajera, for both beginners and experts. We know many teachers here in Spain ask their students to design their own patterns. Perhaps at times you have thought about designing your own pattern as well. Now, here's your chance - you have an opportunity to use the creativity that you have inside! The theme is simply, a bookmark - it can be torchon or free style, the possibilities are very broad. Since there are two different styles, torchon and free style, there are two prizes. Get all the details on page 29 where you can also see some pretty examples of bookmarks - hope they inspire you!

Our calendar of activities in this issue's supplement overflows with things to do.

To sum up, I would like to go back to St. Valentine's for a second. If hearts are on your mind and your thinking about gift giving, what better gift to a lacemaker friend or loved one, than a subscription to La Encajera!

Until next issue, all our best wishes, with affection.

Montserrat Arcos

Director

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