It’s summertime, and the bugs are out.
The most insistent summer bug in my life is the travel bug, and I get bit by it every year. I don’t have a lot of opportunities to travel, but I do like traveling. And heck, if I can’t go in person, I don’t mind armchair traveling!
Last winter, you might remember, Anna and I went to Prague. We didn’t get much farther afield in Czechia because of time limits. It was a good “taster” visit, as it was the first time either of us had been there.
Of course I want to go back! But next time, I want to go to Vamberk.
Why do I want to go to Vamberk?
Let’s explore the reason together, shall we? And then I have some website & studio news for you…
Vamberk is a city located about 95 miles east of Prague, in the Czech Republic.
It is a city renowned for bobbin lace, an industry that began in the region back in the 18th century, brought there by Magdalena Grambová, a Belgian noblewoman.
By the 19th century, bobbin lacemaking was a thriving cottage industry in the region, and it remained so into the 20th century.
A lace school was established in Vamberk in 1889, and it still operates today!
Vamberk lace is beautiful! And I would have loved to visit Vamberk while I was in Czechia before Christmas last year, to see it in person. If you’re interested in lace and visiting the lace museum, though, summer is a better time to go. The museum is open June through September.
In fact, on June 26 & 27 this year, Vamberk hosts the International Lace Festival. If you happen to be traveling to Czechia this summer, maybe you can check it out!
You can learn more about the history of lace making in Vamberk here, at the Vamberk Lace Museum website. Hint: the easiest way to translate a foreign-language website is by using Google Chrome, and clicking the small G/A symbol on the right side of the website address bar.
You can read more about Vamberk lace – and it’s recently-achieved European protected geographical indication designation (the first Czech craft to receive the designation) – in this article from Prague Radio International.
There’s some general information about the lace museum here, on Visit Czechia, which offers all kinds of interesting travel ideas for the region.
And of course, if you drop “Vamberk Bobbin Lace” into Google images, you can find some beautiful examples of the lace from this region.
Exploring this type of lace, its techniques, history, and connections with other countries of Europe, is like falling into an ethereal rabbit hole! I hope you enjoy it!
Volume 7!!
And now, news…
To start off, we have the new Handpicked Collection Volume 7 arriving next week! Yay!
I know many of you have been looking forward to this book, and with good reason! We’ll take a close look at it together once it’s in stock, so keep an eye out for that!
Once it arrives, you’ll be able to find it here under Embroidery Books in the shop.
All the Floche
Finally, finally, we have all of our floche collections restocked and ready to ship!
Our floche collections are curated color groups with floche that’s conveniently packed in 1/3rd-hank twists, so that it is more affordable. Besides smaller color groupings (perfect for a “taster” selection), we also set the complete set of floche.
If you’ve been waiting on floche, you’ll find it here!
If you want to learn more about floche, check out this article.
Shipping Break
From next Wednesday, June 17th, through Wednesday June 24th, we’ll be pausing shipping from the shop. Anna will be out of town with her family, and I won’t have anyone to help out with Dad at home, where I’ll be keeping up with everything else Needle ‘n Thread – except shipping. The shop will still be open, and everything purchased during that time period will ship on June 25th.
If you’re in a hurry for anything in particular in the shop, please purchase before noon on Tuesday, June 23rd if you want it to go out before this break.
Thanks for understanding, and I’m very sorry about the inconvenience!
Thank you!
Lots of folks have written in lately, expressing concern about the recent storms passing frequently through our area of Kansas this spring.
Yes, we’re still above water here and we haven’t been blown away. We’re just soggy. But all is well. Thank you for asking!
Fingers crossed, we’ll have a semi-dry weekend, and I hope you have a terrific one!
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