Virtual Education
All virtual education will take place via Zoom unless otherwise noted.
Resources for Successful Online Learning: We have a page describing the second camera/electronic device(s) you may need to participate online. You may also find a guide for participating in lace workshops over Zoom helpful. These guides were created by Jean Leader a lace teacher from Scotland and can be found at https://www.jeanleader.net/teaching/resources.html, scroll down to ZoomStudents.pdf.
Workshop Registeration: Click the specific workshop’s registration link below to register via Google forms. When you finish the form, you will be presented with a link to go to Shopify to purchase the registration if a seat is available and any accompanying kit.
Class Registration: Email lacemuseum@gmail.com
Education Policies: Please review our policies regarding student participation, recordings, cancellations and refunds. These can be found on this page.
Future Sessions: The Lace Museum keeps an interest list for all past workshops and classes, as well as taking suggestions for new offerings. Please fill out our form here .
Past Sessions: To view a gallery of images from our past workshops , please click here.
If you are a higher education student and cannot afford the registration fee, please apply for a grant.
Clones Lace – Winter Flowers and Fruit
Instructor: Máire Treanor
Course Description: This term we will focus on some beautiful flowers and fruits, many from Mme. Hardouin’s Irish Crochet volume 3. Guest instructor Laura Czegledi will again provide translations and videos for the French patterns.
- Week 1: January 10 – Thistle
- Week 2: January 24 – Pomegranate and Chrysanthemum
- Week 3: February 7 – Pansy
- Week 4: February 28 – Carnation and Cornflower
- Week 5: March 14 – Clover
- Week 6: March 28 – Cherries and Laurel
- Week 7: April 4 – Nasturtium
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Clones Lace – Beginner
Dates: 7 Tuesdays -January 10, 24; February 7, 28; March 14, 28; April 4, 2023
Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Pacific
Registration Fee: $140
Students Must Provide: Size 10 or 20 6-cord thread such as Lizbeth or DMC, and crochet hook
Second Camera: Not required
Beginning Bedfordshire Bobbin Lace
Instructor: Elizabeth Peterson
Course Description: This class is designed for those wanting to learn the basics of Beds Lace. You will learn plaits, picots, 9-pin edge, trails, bouncing plaits/leaves off the trail, windmill crossing and the Beds leaf. This lace has a lot of techniques and is a fun addition to your lacing skills. You’ll love leaves when you leave.
Level: Continuing Beginner
Prerequisite: Basic bobbin lace skills
Dates: 3 Mondays – January 16, 23, and 30, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Pacific
Registration Fee: $75
Students Must Provide: Supply list (pdf)
Second Camera: Required
Point de Gaze Needle Lace
Instructor: Loretta Holzberger
Course Description: This class will cover many of the needle lace stitches and techniques that were used in Point de Gaze style needle lace. They were combined to produce a very light and gauzy lace because very fine threads were used, and the net used in the background was not buttonholed or whipped. Students will have the choice of working with finer threads, or heavier ones depending on eyesight and experience. Stitches will be tried in a basic sampler and then can be applied to this medallion that Loretta recently designed.
Some couching will be required before class; details will be provided after registration.
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Experience with basic needle lace techniques.
Dates: 6 Tuesdays, – January 17, 24, 31; February 7, 14, 21, 2023
Time: 3:00 – 4:30 pm PST
Registration Fee: $100
Students Must Provide: Supply list (pdf)
Second Camera: Not required
Bedfordshire Bobbin Lace – Continuing 1
Instructor: Elizabeth Peterson
Course Description: This continuing Beds class follows “Beginning Bedfordshire Bobbin Lace” and will include more patterns with additional techniques. Invisible add and discard pairs in a trail, starting a new trail from a trail and cluny crossings are some of them. Patterns will be sent for the pieces you will be making. Learn more tricks to include in your lacemaking skills.
Level: Intermediate
Dates: 4 Thursdays – January 19, 26, February 2, 9, 2023
Times: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Pacific
Registration Fee: $100
Students Must Provide: Supply list and patterns will be sent after registration.
Second Camera: Required
Deciphering Leaves and Tallies
Instructor: Josée Poupart
Course Description: Learn what it takes to make tallies you can be proud of every time. At least six different types will be practiced in class, plus an easy-to-remember crossing of multiple pairs to make your daisies a snap, and a beautiful finish in tallies. Be ready with pencil and paper, as this course is structured to be part formal teaching time, part practice time. Never avoid a lovely lace pattern with tallies again!
This class is an excellent accompaniment to Bedfordshire, Maltese and Buckspoint laces, and the perfect preparation for Josée’s April class in the striking Cluny de Brioude lace.
The teacher is fluent in both English and French. La professeure parle couramment le français et l’anglais.
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of bobbin lace
Sessions:
5 Fridays – January 20, 27, February 3, 10, 17
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm PST Register
5 Saturdays – February 25; March 4, 11, 18, 25
9:00 am – 11:00 am PST (PDT on March 18 and 25) Register
Registration Fee: $100
Students Must Provide: Supply list (PDF)
Second Camera: Strongly Recommended
Invisible Starts and Finishes 1
Instructor: Martina Wolter-Kampmann
Course Description: Invisible starts and finishes: a theme in every piece we make, whether for joining or freely finishing bobbin lace. In this workshop I give an introduction with different solutions for different situations. You will learn to use magic threads, knots and extra stitches to secure threads invisibly. You will learn when to use which technique best. You can practice on small pieces to be able to use it later in your lace. I have been working on this subject for over 15 years and you will learn brand new tricks in small, manageable exercises. I will show you clearly in videos what is important.
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Prerequisite: Experience with basic Torchon techniques, footside and headside, joining with a crochet hook. Though the requirements are basic, note that intermediate experience is recommended for students in this class.
Dates: 2 Saturdays and 2 Sundays, January 21, 22, and 28, 29, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm PST, with a 20-minute break
Registration Fee: $175
Students Must Provide: Supply list (pdf)
Second Camera: Not required to be suspended over work, but please have one available to photograph your work and send it to the teacher via WhatsApp.
Valentine Button Jewelry
Instructor: Karen Smock
Course Description: You’ve seen the Dorset and Zwirnknöpf styles, but there are many more types of thread buttons. For a quick Valentine’s Day project, we offer a pendant and earring set made using embroidery, Zwirnknöpf and cloth-covered button techniques. We’ll start with the pendant in class and the earrings are made similarly. The kit includes thread, fabric and findings for the jewelry. And coming soon … the very versatile and beautiful thread-wrapped buttons.
Level: Beginner
Prerequisite: None
Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 12 noon PST
Registration Fee: $45
Kit: $12
Kit Description: The kit includes thread, fabric and findings for the jewelry.
Students Must Provide: Scissors, pencil
Second Camera: Not required
Beginning Carrickmacross Lace
Instructor: Theresa Kelly
Course Description: Theresa has created an original Carrickmacross Lace butterfly design for this workshop. It is designed for beginners but also caters to the intermediate lace maker. Theresa will lead you through the traditional technique of applique, guipure, loops and pops.
- Day 1 – Laying down the pattern, tacking and beginner applique.
- Day 2 – Guipure work.
- Day 3 – Loop edging.
- Day 4 – Cutting out excess organdy, making pops.
Level: Beginner
Prerequisite: None
Dates: 4 Wednesdays – February 1, 8, 15, 22, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 11:30 am Pacific
Registration Fee: $100
Kit: $30
Kit Description: Kit includes:
- tracing and sewing threads
- size 10 good quality sewing needles
- cotton organdy and nylon net
- tracing paper, tissue paper, straight pins
Students Must Provide: Scissors, a good light source
Second Camera: Recommended
Introduction to Sprang
Instructor: Carol James
Course Description: This class will teach you the basic skills of sprang. We will cover the basic interlinking stitch, several finishing techniques, how to warp your loom for flat warp and also for circular warp, as well as a variety of surface design techniques.
Level: Beginner
Prerequisite: None
Dates: 6 Wednesdays – February 22, March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, 2023
Time: 10 am – 12 noon PST/PDT
Registration Fee: $120
Kit: Options – Full Kit $105; Partial Kits $55 to $80.
Kit Description: The kit is required and includes a frame, book and DVD. The frame will come pre-warped for the first project and includes yarn for the second project. If you already own the book “Sprang Unsprung” and/or DVD “Introduction to Sprang,” note there are options to purchase only the items you need. Also please indicate on the registration form whether you would like a right-handed or left-handed frame.
Students Must Provide: Pencil, paper, and scissors. Yarn for the first two projects is provided in the kit, but yarn for later sessions must be supplied by the student. It will be discussed in the first class.
Second Camera: Not required
Invisible Starts and Finishes 2
Instructor: Martina Wolter-Kampmann
Course Description: Learn more about invisible joins and finishes, applying and building on your knowledge from Part 1. Here we will replace threads with magic threads in order to see no hint of closure at the end – a very sophisticated technique that is now being refined. You also learn how to use special knots and how to hide them, and how to divert the threads away from the outer edge.
Level: Advanced
Prerequisite: Martina’s Invisible Starts and Finishes 1
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, March 4, 5, 11, 12, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm PST with a 20-minute break (PDT on March 12)
Registration Fee: $175
Students Must Provide:
- 14 pairs of bobbins
- Linen Londonderry thread in 3 colors or adequate cotton thread in dD 31. There should be good contrast between the pricking and threads
- Magic threads in 3 light colors
- Pins, Scissors and crochet hook as usual as in Part 1″
Second Camera: Not required to be suspended over work, but please have one available to photograph your work and send it to the teacher via WhatsApp or email.
Bucks Point Egg
Instructor: Louise West
Course Description: A Bucks Point egg pattern incorporating optional color. Worked in Aurifill 50 thread (or equivalent) with optional color for the trail worker pairs. Pattern takes approximately 54 pairs, of which 4 pairs are colored workers, and 5 pairs of gimps.
Level: Continuing Beginner, Intermediate
Prerequisite: Experience with cloth stitch, point ground and gimps
Dates: 2 Wednesdays – March 8 and 15, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 11:30 am PST/PDT
Registration Fee: $65
Kit: $14
Kit Description: The kit is a laser-cut, ready-to-work pricking with the pattern sheet, photographs, some instructions and a postcard of the finished lace.
Students Must Provide: Usual bobbin lace equipment, bobbins wound before class
Second Camera: Required
Three-Dimensional Carrickmacross Lace Iris
Instructor: Theresa Kelly
Course Description: Theresa is delighted to present this new 3D Iris class. The pattern features traditional lace technique of applique, loops and filling-in stitch. Students should have already mastered the technique of guipure bars, thorns and pops since the pattern includes the techniques of open guipure work and embossed pops.
- Day 1: Tacking, beginning appliqué, and loops on petals of Iris.
- Day 2: Open guipure work on petal and making flower buds
- Day 3: Filling-in stitch and finish all sewing on the pattern.
- Day 4: Sewing together the flower and buds and applying it to a background.
Level: Continuing Beginner, Intermediate
Prerequisite: This is not a beginning Carrickmacross class. You must have prior experience with appliqué, loops, filling stitches, guipure bars, thorns and pops.
Dates: 4 Wednesdays – March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 11:30 am Pacific
Registration Fee: $100
Kit: $30
Kit Description: Kit includes:
- tracing and sewing threads
- size 10 good quality sewing needles
- cotton organdy and nylon net
- tracing paper, tissue paper, straight pins
Students Must Provide: Scissors, a good light source
Second Camera: Rcommended
Modern Grounds
Instructor: Michèle Kelly
Course Description: Explore several modern grounds and how to use them in a variety of patterns. We will use patterns from Using Modern Grounds, as well as some new patterns. The book is not required for the class.
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Good understanding of basic bobbin lace stitches and techniques
Dates: 4 Mondays – March 13, 20, 27, and April 3, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 12 noon Pacific
Registration Fee: $120
Students Must Provide: Supply list (pdf)
Second Camera: Useful if you want the lace seen. Not required to be used over the work. Photos can be sent for closer examination.
The Lester Leaf: A Study in Pictorial Bedfordshire
Instructor: Holly Van Sciver
Course Description: This course will begin with a presentation of the development of Thomas Lester lace and what makes his designs truly unique in the guipure family of laces. It will put into context and describe the difference between traditional Bedfordshire lace and the pictorial Lester lace which combines skills and designs from Honiton, Beds, Bucks, Russian, Point de Gaze and more.
This beautiful mid-19th century midlands English lace features motifs of cloth stitch flowers, leaves, fruits and animals. It is worked continuously with a plaited (guipure) ground. Additional skills learned will be starting in two directions, crossing and joining trails, invisible starts and finishes, adding and deleting pairs, gimped veins in cloth-stitch, square and rolled tallies, passing the gimp in the Bedfordshire, Bucks and Honiton traditions, plus pattern interpretation and design.
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: This class is attractive to anyone with good foundation skills in bobbin lace
Dates: 4 Tuesdays – March 14, 21, 28, and April 4, 2023
Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm PDT
Registration Fee: $140
Kit: About $14
Kit Description: A 16-page booklet including the pattern and describing and diagramming the techniques used will be available for purchase for about $14 directly from Holly at https://www.vansciverbobbinlace.com/.
Students Must Provide: Supply list (pdf)
Second Camera: Not required. Students will be offered the opportunity to send close-up photographs of their work to be critiqued between classes.
Bedfordshire Egg
Instructor: Louise West
Course Description: A Bedfordshire egg pattern incorporating optional color. Worked in Presencia Finca 60 with optional Coats Cotton 50 (or equivalent) for colored workers. Pattern takes approximately 55 pairs.
Level: Continuing Beginner, Intermediate
Prerequisite: Experience with Bedfordshire lace, including knowledge of cloth stitch, half stitch and leaf tallies.
Dates: 2 Wednesdays – March 29 and April 5, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 11:30 am PDT
Registration Fee: $65
Kit: $11
Kit Description: The kit is a laser-cut, ready-to-work pricking with the pattern sheet, photographs, some instructions and a postcard of the finished lace.
Students Must Provide: Usual bobbin lace equipment with bobbins wound before class.
Second Camera: Required
Sprang Lace Techniques
Instructor: Carol James
Course Description: We will explore several lace stitches, including edge stitches, ropes, and doubles. Class time will be divided between theory and supported practice. Pattern reading and pattern writing will be presented as tools to facilitate planning and to record structures. Carol will share with you the method for writing sprang lace patterns that she developed, indicating the position of each thread. We will work from these patterns to create some basic designs. We will also look at images of historic sprang lace pieces and Carol will take you through the steps she would follow to derive the pattern for these pieces.
Level: Continuing Beginner, Intermediate
Prerequisite: Must be comfortable with warping the frame and making basic sprang stitches.
Dates: 3 Wednesdays – April 5, 12, and 19, 2023
Time: 10:00 am – 12 noon PDT
Registration Fee: $75
Students Must Provide: Pencil, paper, and scissors, yarn. A sprang frame from previous experience is required.
Second Camera: Not required
Studies in Antique Lace with Elizabeth Kurella
Elizabeth Kurella is offering two series of monthly classes covering a wide variety of topics in antique lace. Classes are interactive and often Elizabeth invites students to send photos from their collections ahead of time so they can be included in the class discussion
Series 1: The Many Faces of Lace: Elizabeth will discuss a different well-known lace each month, focusing on its evolutions and revolutions in style and technique. Some stories span 40 years and others 400 years. The next several topics are Alençon , Russian, Duchesse, Burano and Point d’Angleterre laces.
Series 2: Exploring Antique Lace: Elizabeth will share the history, details, stories, and sometimes intrigues of a variety of lace topics. Delve into Mending Antique Lace, The Many Lives of Lace, Copycat Lace, How Old Is That Lace? and Fan Leaves.
Duration: One session of two hours per topic.
Registration Fee: $25 per class or four for $80
Detailed Descriptions, Dates, Times and Registration: Click Here
A 12-Hour Introduction to Bobbin Lace
Instructor: Karen Thompson
Assistant: Linda Kay Benning
Course Description: An introduction to bobbin lace basics from winding the bobbins and learning the basic movements to making 4 samples, each building on the skills already learned. Each session is preceded by a 45-60 minute practice session that covers 2-camera setup, kit contents and how to wind bobbins before class.
Level: Beginner
Prerequisites: None
Registration Fee: $75
Kit: $75 All supplies are available in a kit OR you can use your own bobbin lace tools.
Note: If current sessions are full, please fill out this form.
Workshop Dates: 4 Thursdays – March 2, 9, 16, and 23, 2023
Workshop Time: 9:00 am – 12:15 pm PST / PDT
Practice for this session: Thursday, February 23 from 9:00 am – 10:00 am PST
Register
Workshop Dates: 4 Sundays – March 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2023
Workshop Time: 9:30 am – 12:45 pm PST / PDT
Practice for this session: Sunday, February 26 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am PST
Register
If you have the time but not the funds to pursue the heritage art of making your own lace with bobbins and threads, here is a solution.
The Lace Museum is offering one scholarship for supplies per Introduction to Bobbin Lace online workshop session. To apply for the scholarship, write a paragraph (250 words or less) explaining why you would like to learn this skill and email it to lacemuseum@gmail.com.
Internet connection is necessary for the workshop.
Skill Building Workshops for Bobbin Lace
Instructor: Karen Thompson
Course Description: A 2-session Just Beyond the Basics class and eight or more mostly 1-session Skill Building classes in Torchon lace follow the 12-Hour Introduction to Bobbin Lace. Different skills or different combinations of techniques are taught in each class.
Level: Continuing Beginner
Detailed Descriptions and Currently Available Dates: Click Here