Lace Guild

This exhibition is now closed.

Displayed at the Queen Victoria Art Gallery from 22 September to 28 October 2018. 

The 2018 Australian Lace Guild Triennial Award displayed with highlights from QVMAG's collection of historic lace. 

The Australian Lace Guild (ALG) was formed in 1979 to bring the lacemakers of Australia together. Each state has a branch and within the branches there are numerous local groups. This allows members to enjoy meetings, workshops, newsletters, demonstrations, displays and other activities.             

The committee managing the ALG rotates from state to state every three years. The committee is in Tasmania from September 2017 to October 2019. This means that the annual week-long conference, which concludes with the Annual General Meeting,  will be held in Launceston. Approximately 100 members are expected to attend the conference. 

Because of our connection through Princess Mary, Australian Lace Guild members were invited to be part of the project to make a set of placemats as an anniversary gift to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of Queen Margrethe II and Crown Prince Henrik of Denmark. on 10 June 2017. Tasmanian member, Joyce Mackey, designed and made a mixed bobbin lace pattern of Tasmania's floral emblem of bluegum leaves and flowers against a lattice fence over eighteen months.  

In the central year the Guild runs the Triennial Lace Award. This year the theme is "Footsteps". It is interesting how members choose to interpret the theme. Work can be entered in one of eleven categories: bobbin, needle, tatted, crochet, knitted, embroidered, knotted or net based laced or a mixture of different lace techniques. There are also categories for group entries and for members with less than three years experience. For our junior members we offer the annual Nimble Fingers Award.

Members of the Australian Lace Guild will demonstrate the art of lacemaking in the exhibition space from 10.30am - 3.30pm on the following dates:

Wednesday 26 September
Friday 28 September               
Saturday 29 September          
Wednesday 3 October            
Friday 5 October                    
Wednesday 17 October            
Friday 19 October                    
Wednesday 24 October            
Friday 26 October

If you would like more information on lace or are interested in becoming a member of the Guild please visit the ALG website. 

Pic: Venetian Gold by Melanie Bartlett, Tasmania. Needle Lace and Judges and Member Winner 2015 Triennial Awards.