The Dallas Lace Society began meeting at Forest Green fifteen years ago when their
Lace Display at Forest Green
original locale, a lace selling business in the shopping center, Olla Podrita, closed. Club members pursue an ancient craft dating back to pre-history, hand making lace from individual threads. The club has just celebrated its thirtieth year. Dallas Lace Society has thirty-seven members, half from Dallas, others from Austin, Arkansas, Kansas City, and Massachusetts. The club is affiliated with the International Old Lacers Society with organizations in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. In Texas there are seven affiliated clubs, from San Antonio and Houston to Lufkin’s Chat and Tat. Lace makers worldwide also have a blog, called Arachne, after the Greek word for spider, who is nature’s perfect weaver. All clubs exist for the promotion and study of the art of handmade lace.
Lace Society members work on individual projects at their weekly meetings and welcome anyone who wishes to become a member. There is a social element to the club; there can be no doubt that the members enjoy their weekly meetings. They exchange presents at an annual Christmas party. Of course, each present is some piece of handmade lace. The club is very visible in Dallas. Members can be found demonstrating at local venues such as the Renaissance Fair, the quilt shows, El Centro, the Heritage Festival, or Girl Scout meetings. And, they welcome men as members; they have had them before, once even a teenage boy.
Lace is made by hand many ways. Various kinds include bobbin lace, tatting, crocheted or knitted lace, hairpin, drawn, tambour, filet, Battenberg or tape lace, and needle lace. The lace patterns come from many places: friends and other lacers, books, blogs, and the internet. What would be tedious for many is relaxing for lace makers. The concentration demanded for lace making takes the mind off anything else. Lace Society members compared it to working a puzzle. You must enjoy the challenge. One quality required they said was persistence; keep on going until you are finished with the piece. Since these women are crafters it is not surprising that some also craft other things. Several were quilters and one built miniatures.
The Dallas Lace Society has provided many interesting displays for the Forest Green Library cases, and would be willing to do the same for other libraries. The contact person is Debbie Stone; she may be reached at dlstone@swbell.net . Also contact her if you are interested in pursuing this ancient craft and becoming a member of the Dallas Lace Society.
Some interesting books about lace making available at the Dallas Public Library are:
Frances Johnson, Collecting antique linens, lace & needlework
746.075 J66C 1991. Available at the Central Library, Fine Arts, 4th floor.
Annette Feldman, Handmade lace & patterns
746.2 F312 H 1975. Available at the Central Library, Fine Arts, 4th floor.
An interesting DVD is available with a small section on lace making.
On the road with Charles Kuralt. 791.4375 O58 2009.
Lace making seems to have inspired lots of fiction. You can read Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew and the Secret in the Old Lace or Kinky Friedman’s Armadillos and Old Lace. And who could forget Texan Mary Karr’s description of her grandmother who made bobbin lace in The Liar’s Club? It’s a small part of the book but leaves an indelible impression.
