Gone to the IOLI Lace Convention 2011

This was the week of the annual IOLI Lace Convention. Every year somewhere else in the USA organized by the local lace guild. This year: in Bethesda, Maryland ... driving distance. Gail, one of my new friends from the Colonial Lacemakers Guild (since I moved to Virginia), wanted to be there for Wednesday and asked whether I would share the hotel room. So we drove up on Tuesday and came back today (Thursday).

Aahh, so much to see.

After we arrived and checked in, we went to the vendors room. Beautiful bobbins, beautiful threads, a huge selection of lace books, etc., etc., but what drew me close again and again this time was the stand with the Orenburg Knitted Lace.   

Then I took the elevator up to room 914. I was invited to the HLG gathering, the guild I founded in Kentucky more then 20 years ago.

It was great to see my lacemaking friends of many years.

And the nibbles were nice too.

I found out that Brenda was in the Orenburg class and we were talking about knitting. She expressed that she would like to learn to knit the "continental" way but the class had been filled. I showed her and she was doing it within minutes. Hope she will show me what she learned in her class.

And then we rushed to the "Teachers' showcase". The teachers displayed some of the lace they had made/designed. "Wow" is all I can say.

I was very happy to meet Lia Baumeister-Jonker from Amsterdam again. She has been in my house and I have been in hers. She does incredible work.

(I stole this picture and the next from HLG member Pam Crouch. Hope she doesn't mind. Thanks, Pam).

Here are pictures of other things which impressed me. There was just so much.

There were many tables of many teachers highlighting what will be offered next year.

Impressive?

Close-up.

And then there was the Display room.  On the very back wall were the entries for the yearly competition. All exceptional and we were all asked to cast a vote for the most popular. No photo-taking allowed.

Otherwise on display were pieces members have made and are proud to show (rightly so) or antiques.

This lace was framed with drawings of the same motif as you can see of the close-up in the next picture.

Fine and tiny work.

This picture of a needlelace duck is for you, Jill (my sister-in-law in England who loves ducks).

A wedding dress displayed by Lia so I am sure all the lace was made by her.

The World in Lace !!!

The fun at these conventions is that you talk to everybody as if you were friends forever. We chatted with this lady who had lace-painted fingernails.

Gail and I had both signed up for the Wednesday morning half-day class. We made butterflies in Lia's class. Nothing challenging but it was fun.

Lia is very good with thread-drawings. This explains it.

Almost done. Not traditional. With paper twists 'thread'.











My name tag with the finished butterfly brooch.

And then there is dinner. Mary had arranged for Lia, Lia's husband Guus and us four Colonial Lacemakers to go to a restaurant recommended by a local friend. Clyde's was very nice. The decorating theme must have been 'transportation'. Model cars, model planes, trains everywhere and some big ones too.

This was right above me.

The model train came by a few times ... overhead as well.

Carolyn had some questions for Lia.

A vintage jaguar.











I have been to several week-long conventions starting with Atlanta 1986, Denver, Oklahoma, Indianapolis, San Antonio etc (not in that order). This was the first time that I only 'dropped in'. It is not the same. But still, it was nice to meet lacemakers again I have met here and there over the years or have corresponded with. It is always a big hello.