KETTERING LACE GROUP
1st LACE PROJECT
In the early Winter of December 2019, it was suggested that we undertake a group project. Patterns were found in previous issues of The Lace Guild Magazine, and we started making lace bunting. The bunting when completed would be strung together and displayed when demonstrating at various venues around Northamptonshire and at our Annual Lace Day on the third Saturday in May. Little did we know how important this project would become.
Rumblings of a new virus spreading around the world, was already appearing in the news and by early March of 2020 Corona Virus was in every headline. Covid as it commonly became named led to a complete lock down on 29th March 2020. Our weekly meetings were halted with no idea as to when we could get back together again. Many of our members lived alone and would not get to see their families for many months and some,years. However, there was always hope, and our lace making became an important asset.
The Kettering Lace Group had for some time been promoting lace making within Northamptonshire as a positive skill for Mental Wellbeing. How right we were. Many of our members told us that their lace making helped them cope with loneliness and potential boredom, during this time of stress. Many progress discussions, threads and colours used or reverse lacing due to errors took place by phone and for those with the latest technology, face to face online meetups.
When we finally got back together in August of 2021, we were delighted to see the number of bunting pieces that had been finished, and in so many wonderful colours of threads. Marion Sherriff the mentor of our group collected them in and very patiently sewed them together. Their first outing was in the many times delayed April 2019 Lace Day which finally took place in September of 2021.
A few of our KLG members helping to display our Lace Bunting
We have since started a new K.L.G. project, which every member of our group is taking part in. Details of which will be revealed in a further article.