The Lace Guild Summer School

Urchfont Manor is set in 10 acres of beautiful parkland in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside a few miles south of the historic market town of Devizes. The grounds include a walled garden, orchards, croquet lawns and magnificent mature trees. The Manor lies on the edge of the picturesque village of Urchfont with its thatched cottages, duck pond and village green — an oasis of calm.

Have you been making bobbin lace for a while? Would you like to try other types of laces? Well this is your opportunity. Net laces include Coggeshall, tamboured lace, Limerick and Carrickmacross. Carrickmacross and Limerick lace are worked in the hand using needle and thread. Coggeshall and tamboured lace has cotton net mounted into a frame and is worked using a tambour hook to make a continuous chain stitch to outline the design and create the fillings. All levels of ability are welcome from complete beginners, who may have been unable to find a class, to the more experienced who would like the chance to be more adventurous. If required, patterns and materials will be available for purchase for all laces taught at Summer School.

Sue was taught lacemaking as a child by Miss Kate Waters, an aunt, and through her has a link to the lacemakers of Olney in the late 1800s, namely her teacher Sarah Whiting. Sue teaches Torchon, Bedfordshire, Maltese, Bucks Point, and Honiton to advanced level and can help with Bruges and Milanese. She started teaching lace in the early 1980s and still continues to have weekly classes and residential courses. Sue is willing to teach beginners, even those who have never made lace before. If you know anybody who would love to learn lacemaking, but can’t find a class, the Lace Guild Summer School would be an ideal place to start.