Activities

We hold a Lace Day each year during September when most of our members attend and play host to other Lace Groups in the area. We often arrange to have a Speaker who talks on a related subject and Lace Suppliers are also in attendance.

At our last lace day 22nd September 2007 Suppliers in attendance were:-
Bee Inspired, craft materials www.beeinspired.co.uk
Jenny and Graham Hudson, Bobbins
Lilian Harper
Barry (bobbins) from New Zealand

Lilian Harper gave a very informative talk on Victorian Beadwork and brought many beautiful samples for us to see.

Lilian Harper speaking

On Saturday 29th March we are hosting a Pillow and Chat in Denton Village Hall from 10am - 4pm.
Tea and coffee will be served all day and tickets costing £2.50 are available from
Anne Major (Address below)

Our next Lace Day is on 20th September 2008 for ticket information go to Tickets

Many of our members also attend other lace days in the area.

On Tuesday and Wednesday 22nd and 23rd January 2008 The Living Archive presented the 'OurPlace:MK' exhibition, celebrating the Pioneers and Heroes who have played a part in the development of the Milton Keynes area.The exhibition took place in Middleton Hall, Central Milton Keynes.

Nichola working at the Pioneers and Heroes Exhibition

Our Lace Circle demonstrated lacemaking as part of the display put on by The Cowper and Newton Museum. This display featured Harry Armstrong – a lace dealer who formed the Cottage Workers’ Agency in 1906. He tried hard to help the lacemakers of the town earn more money by encouraging the gentry to buy their lace.

Pioneers and Heroes Exhibition in Middleton Hall

Some of the other Heroes and Pioneers of this area included Alan Turing, a code breaker at Bletchley Park, who managed to break the German Enigma codes and probably shortened the war by 2 years. Also featured was Lord ‘Jack’ Campbell who secured the existence of the Open University and was also the first Chairman of the Milton Keynes Development Corporation; and Jim Marshall  who was a pioneer of guitar amplification and based in Bletchley.

Elsie and Sue working at the Pioneers and Heroes Exhibition

In August 2007 the Lace Circle took part in a week of demonstrations in a courtyard off the Olney marketplace which attracted much attention from passers by. Unfortunately the British weather was a challenge on some of the days!!

In July 2007 a group of us visited Coton Manor Gardens, where some people bought plants and almost everyone had lunch in the lovely restaurant!

Coton Manor Gardens

Olney has links with Newton in Sierra Leone, named after John Newton, a local clergyman who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace. In March 2007 our group took part in a skills day in support of the Olney - Newton project which raises money for needs in the African town .

Prevous years

In September 2002 our Lace Day Speaker was Margaret Tite who brought Victorian costumes for us to admire. Audrey (our Chairman at the time) and Lesley (our Secretary) were asked to be 'models' and were dressed in the many layers of clothing a Victorian woman wore.

Audrey (left) and Lesley

A Black Magic Cake made by one of our members proved very popular at our lace day. If you would like to see the recipe click here.

Back to Projects of 2004

Back to 'Future Projects'

Other Lace demonstrations which also feature on our calendar include local village fetes, country shows and fairs. These are enjoyable days out and beginners as well as experienced lace makers demonstrate. (Non-lace makers are always so impressed by our skill and they have no idea whether we are making lace or undoing it!!) We recently demonstrated at the Olney Campus of Ousedale School on 24th November 2007.

At the beginning of February 2005, two of our members went to a school in Wellingborough armed with four practice pillows so that a class of 10 yr olds could see how lace is made. They were studying the Tudors in history and had been discussing the use of lace in those times. The children were interested and attentive and all managed to have a turn. A week later we received letters thanking us, written by the children.

In summer 2005 some of our members made lace at the Cowper and Newton Museum Olney on 1st and 3rd Sunday afternoons during June, July and August

Niki and Iris working in the sunshine

In the past we have demonstrated at Ousedale Secondary School, Newport Pagnell at their Christmas Fayre held in November. The 2006 summer fete at Milton Keynes village saw us dressing in Victorian costumes as part of their historical display.

We take the occasional trip out. Our most recent ones being to Luton Museum to see the special collection of lace and Cecil Higgins Museum Bedford, which houses the Thomas Lester Collection. In July 2006 we visited Aylesbury museum and apart from the interesting exhibits enjoyed our lunch in the lovely garden on a beautiful hot sunny day.

A few of our members on a trip to Luton Museum earlier this year

The next Lace Day on Saturday 20nd September 2008 will be at Stoke Goldington Village Hall. See map

Tickets for this event are £3.50. If you would like to come and make lace with us send an SAE to:
Anne Major
Treasurer, Olney Lace Circle
7 Wareing Lane,
Denton, Northants NN7 1DS

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