Quickie Question: Where Would You Go?
By Twistie
See that picture? That’s in Brussels, Belgium. Not to be confused with Brussels sprouts.
Delicious, but not quite the same.
I would love to go to Belgium. Why? Mostly because it’s long been a major center of bobbin lacemaking. I would love to see some of the historic pieces in the museums, and I would love to see the women and men who still make lace every day for the tourist trade and for the fun of it.
So what is your dream crafts vacation? Is there a country, major annual conference or show, or a periodic retreat that calls to you?
January 3rd, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Oooo CRAFT travel? Oh man. Japan because I think Tokyo, just walking the streets there, would provide SO MUCH crazy inspiration for all sorts of projects. France to see all those tapestries at my own pace and the castles. I may not have a related craft but I just LOVE those detailed tapestries.
January 3rd, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Hmmm…. a very good question. I think I’d love to go see the Bayeaux Tapestry in Britain. And there are great spinning/knitting options there as well. Maybe they can even help me figure out continental knitting!
January 3rd, 2011 at 3:30 pm
Sarah, I want to help with the continental knitting. If you’re gonna knit, it’s the only way to go! Do you crochet? The motions of the hands and fingers while crocheting are the same motions used in continental knitting. Unlike that other, most unfortunate method, there is no switching of needles from one hand to the other, no wrapping of the yarn and no handing the needle back to the hand where it’s needed.
Bet you could find a video of how to do it on UTube or eHow or any of those sorts of sights. I’ve learned some cool origami techniques that way.
January 3rd, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Sarah, here ya go, lots of video knitting instructions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9XImtoQmZ8
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:30 pm
There is so much out there, I don’t even know what my “dream” craft vacation would be. It would probably involve Scandinavia somehow. I love both old Norse art and stranded colorwork knitting.
In a more focused way I am keeping my eye on the Sock Summit website. I didn’t hear about Sock Summit 2009 until the weekend it was happening, and I really want to go to Sock Summit 2011.
January 4th, 2011 at 4:29 am
I’d love to have a weaving holiday in Finland or Sweden. On the other hand – every trip is rife with inspiration: the colors of Venice (not to mention the patchwork patterns to be found in the floor mosaics of St. Mark’s Basilica), the lace on altar cloths and curtains in Tuscany, the lacemakers (bobbin lace!) in front of every second house in Le Puy in France, balcony railings just about everywhere (lovely embroidery and quilting patterns and great inspiration for henna tattoos as well), to mention just a few.
And should crafters come to Switzerland, I can recommend the textile museum in St. Gallen – their exhibition on knitting was superb and gave you the impression you could knit everything, including a Christmas tree, and their permanent exhibition is great as well. And the straw museum in Wohlen with its straw altarcloths and straw lace is definitely worth a visit (even if it does have weird opening times)!
January 4th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
You guys have some fun ideas about places to go.
@dinazad: I love your take on the question! Truly there is inspiration everywhere if we have the imagination to see it. And you know, I’d never really thought about Switzerland, but the museums you mention have me wanting to pack my bags right now.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
I’d love to go to so many! SOAR – the Spin-Off Autumn Retreat; the Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool festival; Maryland Sheep & Wool; pretty much anyplace with a museum – especially if they have textiles; the Shetland Isles; Iceland; India; Scandinavia.
Now I’m having want-to-go-itis.
January 6th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
I’m late to the party, but I would go to England and most probably hit up Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall. Chatsworth because it’s lovely, and Hardwick because it has what is probably the largest extant collection of needlework done by Mary, Queen of Scots. I also want to see the “Heroic Women of the World” wall hangings. 🙂
January 8th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
Hey, Twistie, no fair making me homesick for Brussels. *hmmph*
I’m an inspiration girl. I’d pick someplace I’d never been and let it simmer as to how the influences could be used.