Lace Quotes & Poetry Page


"I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky, and I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin." 

Coco Chanel, April 29, 1939
A Homage to Lacemakers

Dear Ladies, how lovely is your work, 
Above all friends of lace, 
Carefully copying your patterns,
Bringing birth to these eternal marvels.

You are not just people of times past,
But you are here to show us clearly
How with interlacing threads,
The old designs are e'r renewed.

By means of the tool called a pillow,
In throwing the little bobbins about,
Joyously pure beauty appears before our eyes,
Which your hands transform into gifts.

It is through your painstaking diligence, 
Helped by our community,
You offer us consideration
And show us your finished masterpieces.

May you long set your hearts, 
To your work, in this ageless craft,
For wise daughters are you all,
Truth and beauty your faces illuminate.

Whether you are making black or blonde,
Either will bring you profound joy,
Which will allow you to dance a roundelay
At Craponne, worldwide and beyond.

by Edouart Lagrifolle

Translation by Tess Parrish and Lori Howe

 
 
Why I Like To Make Lace
by Noelene in Cooma

In today’s busy world
Where life is one rush
And it seems to me speed is the norm.
When people can’t stop
To hear a bird sing
Or thrill to a thundery storm –

In a quiet little nook
Just my own little space
I like to make time that’s just mine -
With pillow and thread
And pattern all pricked
And bobbins all neatly in line.

There’s something so good
To place thread over thread
And slowly see lines making sense
To cross and to twist
And to put up a pin
And forget all about feeling tense

So when pressure is on
I retire from the world
Leaving troubles behind in my wake
To create something of beauty
So calming and quiet
And marvel at what I can make

 

 The Seasons in Cooma
by Noelene -February 2002

There's a joy in springtime weather
The garden's all ablaze.
Springtime bulbs and flowering fruit -
So many lovely days.

I love to rise so early
That the sun is rising too
With mug of tea just sit and look
and absorb the glowing view.
Then settle at my lace desk
And let the threads unfold,
Their pattern hidden under pins
Outlined in gimp thread bold.

But summer is a different time
Where here the sun beats down.
The grass turns brown, the flowers wilt
And dust blows through the town.
Then evening is the time for lace
As the sun begins to set.
With cooling breeze upon my face
Day's troubles I forget.

Autumn is a golden time
And full of busy days.
There's leaves to rake and fruit to pick;
Preserves in racks and trays.
I still find time to sit and lace
At my window in the sun;
And treat myself to time alone
When all the work is done.

And when at last the winter comes
Cold winds, and fires are lit
Now that's the time when lace is queen
And I have time to sit
To make the most of time that's mine
To plan, and read, and sew
To finish lacy projects
I started long ago.

This world still has its beauties
Despite its frantic pace.
Take time to watch the season's joys
And say thank you for your lace!

 
 
My Pillow
By Lori Howe

Gossimer wings take flight across my pillow
But not In dreams.
For my pillow’s made of linen and straw 
And lace lies there.

 
TIME AND THE TATTING BUG

There's dishes in the kitchen sink,
There's dust upon the floor.
The pets have all been fed today
But the cat still wants some more.
There's a garden with some flowers
Which are overgrown with weeds,
But if the Tatting Bug has got you,
Then you're deaf to all these needs.

'Cause the book just in from Stateside
Has got new ideas galore.
And the lass that buys my bookmarks
Has says she wants much more.
So if I want to lash out
On that new, expensive thread
Then I'd better get my head down
And give up some hours in bed.

But perhaps there's just a moment
To try tatting with some beads.
Or that new, exquisite butterfly
Or just go where fancy leads.
'Cause all you need's a shuttle
And a ball of cotton fine,
And a quiet little corner
AND SOME HOURS TO JUST CALL MINE.

by Noelene Lafferty
The Tatters Guild of N.S.W.Inc.
Gazing
By Lori Howe

My skyward gaze
Sees tree’s tracery.
For fine branches intertwined
Are nature’s lace.

 

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