Lacis Diaries--Part One

Hello!  It's workshop time!  I am attending Maire Treanor's Irish Crochet Master Class at Lacis in Berkeley, CA, USA.  She is hosting a four-day class, and has come fresh from her first workshop in Seattle.  This is my third visit to Maire's Lacis workshop.  The first two visits were one-day events for me, but this year I am attending all four days!  In class we are about 12 students.  Half are new to the workshop and the other half are repeat offenders, like me.  It's nice to sit with some familiar faces!  The new students are all so nice and I am having a great time chatting with them.

Class time!

Maire and some of the other students brought antique pieces to share and learn from.  I've already found a new-to-me motif that I'd like to replicate.  I'll share that one later.  Maire was showing her collection, and I was VERY excited when she brought out the cover doily from Eithne D'Arcy's book!  She knew Eithne, and was able to learn from her before Eithne passed.  The doily was so beautiful in real life.  The pictures don't do it justice.  

The Cover Doily

Detail of Cover Doily.  It is silk ecru.

Butterfly Opera Bag

A second surprise was when Rosemary pulled out this lovely
Opera Bag.  She found it in an antique store, and lo and behold,
she also found it in the Pricilla book!  Seems like an industrious
lady from the early 20th century followed her pattern just right.

I am having such a wonderful time at the workshop!  I'll share the
progress on my projects soon.
~~Kim

Field Trip-Clones Lace Workshop, Lacis 2012

Lacis, in Berkely California

I had a very special treat today!  Although I'm not able to attend Maire Treanor's Clones Lace Workshop at Lacis this year, I was able to pop up to Berkeley today for a little visit!  It was so wonderful to see Maire, and also some familiar faces from last year.

The workshop is fairly informal, with a variety of projects and experience levels happening at the same time.  Maire breaks the chatting once in a while to demonstrate a technique for the whole group, and is otherwise occupied giving individual attention to the participants.  I saw people working with No. 10 thread, and with No. 80.  I saw colored thread and white.  Beginners were assembling their first small projects, and a few advanced folks were laying out more ambitious creations.  There were traditional motifs, motifs from Russian inspiration, and brand new motifs.  What an inspiring day for me.  Thank you everyone for welcoming me just for those couple of hours I was able to join you.--Kim

Maire demonstrates the Clones Knot

Leanne works on her shawlette.

Tiny hook and thread!  Leanne is using No. 40 DMC

Shawlette laid out on muslin.  Detail is of Roz's cyclamen leaf.

Design discussion.

Showing us the layout.

Look at how much she has finished!  These motifs are in different threads and lightweight yarns.

Cynthia designed her own grapeleaf.  She picked a real grapeleaf from her garden for inspiration.  

Patty's work-in-progress using No. 10 thread.  She is inspired by MOD.  We were all envious of her sketching skills too!

Maire has photos from her Summer School in Clones workshop on her Facebook Page.