A while ago I visited two lace making friends each in their separate homes in the company of my husband. He later remarked that they both had their lace on display and how impressive it looked.
Up until this point John had never really commented about my lace other than to admire a finished project and has managed to survive 30+ years of lace making virtually unscathed. The majority of my lace is either given as gifts or stored in folders and boxes and only seen when needed for display or to help a fellow lace maker. So you can imagine my surprise when he asked why my lace was not displayed and why after all this time, I had never made any lace for him.
His passion is sailing so it was inevitable that he should choose a boat. As well as sailing his own yacht he is involving in sailing and maintaining a historic Humber Keel called ‘Comrade’ and this was what he wanted, but as a silhouette mounted on red. This piece of lace was interesting to work but not on my ‘to do list’, which like most lace makers consists of several projects in progress as well as those ‘waiting’. These were all put aside to work on the keel. The finished piece is all made from lace except the tiny star at the top of the mast which is made from 6 very small embroidery stitches.
It is mounted and framed and sitting on the piano. I definitely have my friends to thank for this piece of lace. The question is do I dare take John back to the homes of my friends and if I do will I be making more pieces which need to be mounted and framed?
Anyone interest in seeing the original Keel will find Comrade birthed in Beverley Beck during the winter and Hull Marina during the summer unless she is out sailing on the Humber.
Humber Keel Blog Post Written and Lace made by Julie Medland