INTERNATIONAL LACE MEETING NEAR CAEN :
entelle : LACE 
and EMBROIDERY in Normandy : CREULLY 2007
-In the castle of Creully ( 13th century)
CREULLY - Calvados, Normandy, FRANCE
PROGRAM
See the French program, please
A letter from a visitoron 2001 July.
" Dear Spiders,
I have belatedly discovered that an enthusiastic posting about a wonderful
weekend event which I attended in France on July 7-8, never reached Arachne
although I thought I had sent it three weeks ago.
This event was so enjoyable and instructive that I think you will want to
know about it even now, on the better late than never theory.
It was organised by the Association Dentelles et Blondes, Caen et
Courseulles-sur-Mer; I will certainly do my best to attend future events of
this group. M. et Mme Bouvot could not have been nicer to 'foreign' visitors
and, in fact, Pompi Perry and a group of English lacemakers were there with
their pillows and beaded bobbins to demonstrate English lace. "
2 years to prepare... and now, it's finish :
Claudette Bouvot, lacemaker and organisator,
with Mathilde, who loves to play with bobbins !
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3 catalogues made by Claudette and members of DBCC association.
Clic on it to see inside...
" I was offered wonderful hospitality by a local lacemaker and her husband who provided
transportation to and from the venue which was held in the grounds of a
former "Baronnie" which once belonged to the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel and
is now a very pleasant center for various cultural events. Off the courtyard
was a registration area, and places to sit for lunch or drinks, as well a
stand selling antique lace. Inside one of the adjacent main buildings there
was an excellent group of other traders from various countries as well as
Pompi's group who were demonstrating English lace. A display of old Norman
bobbins was particularly interesting. In another smaller building were other
exhibitions-- for example, an instructive display showing how the various
Norman caps are pleated and a stand with the new book featuring the
Polychrome lace of Courseulles. Both this book and the former one have full
English translations which make them totally accessible to those who read
English but not French. They are highly recommended.
On Saturday night there was a magnificent banquet featuring authentic Norman
specialities and an exhibition of dancing between courses by an excellent
group of folk dancers. These dancers changed their costumes several times
during the evening and we were delighted to see many lace-trimmed Norman caps
and Sunday-best dress as well as more simple peasant-type dress.
Those who wished could sign up for various 4-hour afternoon classes on both
Saturday and Sunday. On offer were classes in Cluny, Danish lace and Bayeux
as well as the very special Polychrome de Courseulles. This was my choice as
I have always been fascinated by the coloured Chantilly that was made in
Courseuilles for a short period in the late 1800's.
There was an optional excursion on Saturday to the lovely Chateau de
Vendeuvre as well as a nearby museum of iron, both of which had special lace
on display for this occasion. There was also a guided visit to Caen and its
museum on Sunday."
Dentelles Normandes, Polychrome de Courseulles
Clic on this picture to see some pages of the book...
"This event was organised by Michel and Claudette Bouvot for their local
association. and held at the Barronie Bretteville/Odon, a small community
just outside Caen.. These are the folk who produced the wonderful Norman
lace book --Blonde Lace of Caen-- a couple of years ago, and this year, had
created an even more beautiful Dentelles Normandes Polychrome de Courseulles
in a limited edition of 1000.
At one time, there was a museum in the small village of Courseulles-sur-Mer
where one could see the coloured Chantilly lace that won many prizes at the
turn of the last century. This Museum is now closed due to a problem over
the building where it was housed. However, the gentleman who owns the
collection will show it by special appointment. I was very lucky when my
hostess was able to arrange for me to see the lace on Sunday.
In addition to the coloured lace, there are wonderful pieces in silver and
gold metallic thread in the collection, all of it salvaged from the attic of
original factory which had closed when lace production ceased to be
commercially viable in the early 1900's. Before the second World War, there
were many more pieces of this very special lace but the building where they
had been displayed was destroyed by fire.
The shading and colour in the motifs comes from a single bobbin wound with
fine threads of varied colours that works across the design in half stitch.
This special bobbin is paired with one of the bobbins of the net ground which
is wound with the finest silk thread I have ever seen. It's an interesting
lace to make and the few pieces left to see are very beautiful. I have
signed up to take another class from Mme Bouvot who will be teaching at the
studio run by Diane Claeys next summer. Four hours was much too short a time
for such an interesting lace.
Elaine Merritt (LACEELAIN@aol.com)"
Information : bouvot@libertysurf.fr
or : M. Bouvot
Le Petit Lieu - 14430 - SAINT-JOUIN - France
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