Print
E-mail
|
By Carrie Haderlie Boomerang Staff Writer
She sits in a little shop in downtown Laramie, patiently working her threads of silk and linen into old-fashioned lace. Her designs are both German and English and they end up as bookmarks, edging for handkerchiefs and aprons or on spools. Her tools are fine but her fingers work quickly, and the process, she says, is not altogether too difficult.
Nine years ago, Laramie resident Jude Michalak learned the art of bobbin lace.
“I was married in Denmark,” Michalak said. “We were married in Tonder, which is a lace-making area. I had never seen it before.”
But she said she will never forget what she saw in Tonder.
“There is this beautiful store in a little town,” Michalak said. “I just stared in the window. There were all these beautiful velvet pillows with these wonderful beaded bobbins. Tonder lace is fine, beautiful … there were a whole bunch of ladies sitting around making lace. I was mesmerized.”
For Christmas that year, Michalak’s husband bought her her first pillow, bobbins and thread. She taught herself the art from books ordered through Amazon.com.
Michalak now works on her lace at Miss Etta’s Gifts and Antiques at 155 Ivinson below Cowgirl Yarn. Her work is for sale in the store, which also sells handmade items including stained glass, vinyl-lettered window hangings, mosaic tiling and jewelry from 31 mostly local vendors.
To make the lace, you simply wind your threads onto wooden bobbins, Michalak said.
“You (use) different patterns, and you just cross and twist,” she said.
“Just cross and twist,” Beccie Buss, who also sells her own handmade items at Miss Etta’s, repeated with a smile — a smile that implied that there is a lot more to bobbin lace than Michalak says, including talent.
“Sometimes you have to use a magnifying glass,” Michalak said with a laugh.
The lace can be used for anything, Michalak said. She has been working on a spool of German utility lace, she said, for some time.
“They call it a peasant lace. It is made out of linen,” Michalak said. “This is not the fine lace.”
In the olden days, the manager of a lace shop — usually a man — would hire women to make lace in their homes that he could later sell in his shop.
“Anytime they had a minute, they would go and make lace,” she said. “But they would only make one pattern for their whole lives. They would get really fast at it.”
The lace they made, she said, would be put onto linens and aprons because it was durable and sturdy.
“I just really don’t want the art to die out,” Michalak said, noting that she also does smocking and quilting.
Michalak offers lessons to anyone interested, she said. She may start a class at Miss Etta’s, she said, if there is enough interest. To find out about lessons, contact Michalak at 742-6058 or e-mail judithmichalak@gmail.com.
“It is so easy,” Michalak said. “You can do it.”
Carrie Haderlie’s e-mail address is lbedit11@laramieboomerang.com
Nine years ago, Laramie resident Jude Michalak learned the art of bobbin lace.
“I was married in Denmark,” Michalak said. “We were married in Tonder, which is a lace-making area. I had never seen it before.”
But she said she will never forget what she saw in Tonder.
“There is this beautiful store in a little town,” Michalak said. “I just stared in the window. There were all these beautiful velvet pillows with these wonderful beaded bobbins. Tonder lace is fine, beautiful … there were a whole bunch of ladies sitting around making lace. I was mesmerized.”
For Christmas that year, Michalak’s husband bought her her first pillow, bobbins and thread. She taught herself the art from books ordered through Amazon.com.
Michalak now works on her lace at Miss Etta’s Gifts and Antiques at 155 Ivinson below Cowgirl Yarn. Her work is for sale in the store, which also sells handmade items including stained glass, vinyl-lettered window hangings, mosaic tiling and jewelry from 31 mostly local vendors.
To make the lace, you simply wind your threads onto wooden bobbins, Michalak said.
“You (use) different patterns, and you just cross and twist,” she said.
“Just cross and twist,” Beccie Buss, who also sells her own handmade items at Miss Etta’s, repeated with a smile — a smile that implied that there is a lot more to bobbin lace than Michalak says, including talent.
“Sometimes you have to use a magnifying glass,” Michalak said with a laugh.
The lace can be used for anything, Michalak said. She has been working on a spool of German utility lace, she said, for some time.
“They call it a peasant lace. It is made out of linen,” Michalak said. “This is not the fine lace.”
In the olden days, the manager of a lace shop — usually a man — would hire women to make lace in their homes that he could later sell in his shop.
“Anytime they had a minute, they would go and make lace,” she said. “But they would only make one pattern for their whole lives. They would get really fast at it.”
The lace they made, she said, would be put onto linens and aprons because it was durable and sturdy.
“I just really don’t want the art to die out,” Michalak said, noting that she also does smocking and quilting.
Michalak offers lessons to anyone interested, she said. She may start a class at Miss Etta’s, she said, if there is enough interest. To find out about lessons, contact Michalak at 742-6058 or e-mail judithmichalak@gmail.com.
“It is so easy,” Michalak said. “You can do it.”
Carrie Haderlie’s e-mail address is lbedit11@laramieboomerang.com
