This is the third issue of Masters & Makers in 2022.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
This issue contains a mistake regarding the model page 52/53. Isabelle Chareyron is not the creator of this model. This model belongs to the collections of the Museum of Lace Manufactures in Retournac, France. It dates from the 1900s and was redesigned and made by Catherine Guilhermet, a lacemaker at the Museum.
Model 652 published in this issue is an emblematic model of Haute-Loire lace production. You can find the patterns available for sale here: www.dentelles-retournac.fr. You can also follow the Museum of Lace Manufactures on Facebook (Musée des Manufactures de Dentelles de Retournac) and Instagram (musee.dentelles.retournac).
About the Retournac Museum:
Nestled in Retournac, France, and situated in the Haute-Loire department in its original building, the Museum of Lace Manufacture is unique in the field of Decorative Arts. It preserves the entire range of work of a lace factory: sources of inspiration, models, machines, raw materials, and commercial archives. An impressive collection of more than 450 000 pieces are kept in the museum, including 100 000 different models. The museum opened in 2007. The tour begins with the European history of lace, from the appearance of the first pieces in the 16th century until today. Some are extremely rare old laces, which to date have no known equivalent in France and make this museum an essential center in the field of textile museums in Europe. The visitor continues his/her journey by meeting the women and men who have worked in this industry, their skills, and daily lives. The mechanical lace workshop, still in working order, is kept in its original location.
This exceptional collection also preserves collections of models from surroundings factories.
For more than 20 years, the Museum, with the help of the Friends of the Museum’s Society, has offered lacemakers the opportunity to make some of these old laces. The new edition of former models testify about the treasures the French lace heritage offers, with varied styles and different levels of difficulty. Each model is accompanied by historical information and, in some cases, patterns.