Lace in Italy

Yes, I had promised my lacemaking friends. My appologize for taking so long but it is not easy to whittle the many photos down to a smaller number. Which photos are most relevant? All those beautiful things we saw. 

My husband James and I started our trip on September 14 by flying to Malta. If you want to read about all our adventures in Italy, feel free to CLICK HERE!

Of course being a bobbinlacer I have heard about Maltese lace. I was on the look-out for lace on this trip. And yes, one little shop in Valetta on Malta had bobbinlace (and other) for sale. They claimed it was handmade. One gentleman in our group tried to tease me "oh yes, made in China" but my answer was that if they had been able to teach the Chinese to bobbinlace than they had done well. The shop lady told me that the lace is being made these days in the next little island Gozo but there was no time to go there.

Every so often in the beautiful churches in the beautiful towns we were visiting had lace on the altar. Here examples.

And then our trip ended in Venice. Our guide knew that I kept looking for lace. Was it chance that we went to the island of Burano and not Murano? The famous glass is made in Murano but Burano is famous for lace. Needlelace to be exact. Not bobbinlace. But I had a course on making needlelace so I learned to admire it even more.

And this is the Lace Museum!

We were asked to put our bags into a locker. Good that we didn't have a schlepp our hats and other stuff around.

The exhibition was fantastic. We were both very impressed. James also liked it. 

The display cases were awesome and worked so well. But here only a few of my photos. So much eye candy. 

And then we came to the class room. Somebody was demonstrating. I could get really close and tried to talk with her but she did not speak any English or German.

I had asked and she did not mind for me to take photos. But it was only a brief moment and then the big boss came and put a rope up for me to stay outside. He also did not speak English or German. What a shame. I had plenty of questions. 

In this area next to the demonstrator was a different kind of exhibition. Modern lace in different techniques and from different countries. It looked like it had been a competition of some sort. Here also only a few examples. 

You can only look at so many things like this until you are on overload. And we didn't know how long it would take us to be were we were supposed to be for lunch with the group.

Right across from the museum was the cathedral with the leaning tower. We had a little time left and decided to go in. Yes, of course, more lace.

Do you see the vase with the white flowers in the middle of the altar?

Those are all 3D lace flowers. 

It was so much fun to walk criss-cross around the island. So colorful.

Well, and there was even a lace shop. Do I really need another lace pillow? I refrained. 

At the lunch place James and I sat opposite. He had a view of ....

... a lacemaker behind me.

Every day was a wonderful day but this day was "kinda special" for Christa. 

If you would like to see more about this Italy trip, click on the Main blog tab on the top and there on the Travel Report tab on the top. 

And I appreciate if you leave a comment (or critic).