Posted on April 8, 2024
April 8th was a special date in the New School of Lace. On this day, for three consecutive years of 2018, 2019 and 2020, we celebrated an opening of the lace|heart|art, International Online Exhibition of Handmade Bobbin Lace in Colour . We took delight in sharing beautiful lace creations from all around the world with online audience. Each heart reminded us of our dear friend, Barbara Jean Jones, whose memory the lace|heart|art challenge was dedicated to.


The following years brought another kind of challenge, rather devastating to small artisanal workshops. While the New School of Lace was closed, the lace|heart|art competition was put on hold. Unfortunatelly, it was not possible to reopen the school and resume all related projects.
Yet the lace|heart|art challenge still lives on this website. The free patterns and working instructions are still available and are frequently downloaded by many visitors. That makes us think that the heart patterns are still doing their magic, inspiring lacemakers to explore colours in handmade bobbin lace. With instructions offered in fibre as well as wire medium, lacemakers are encouraged to explore both materials. Making the heart in traditional threads and then in wire provides a wonderful comparison between the two mediums. I often recommend it as a self-study project to lacemakers who are asking questions about wire lacework.
Barbara first learned lacemaking with fibre, like most of my students, and she enjoyed working on patterns of torchon, bucks point and tape lace. And then she really wanted to learn how to work with wire. Because she loved colours, she was attracted by brilliant hues of coloured copper and also by potential of embellishing wire lace with crystal beads.
Barb’s slender hands had a delicate lacemaker’s touch, and she found working with wire difficult at the beginning. With her characteristic enthusiasm and perseverance, she practiced new tensioning techniques on a simple heart pattern until she succeeded. Handmade bobbin lace in wire proved to be a perfect match for young lacemaker’s imagination and creativity, and she enjoyed the fine craft as long as she could.


Today would be Barb’s thirty seventh birthday. She remains in our hearts, and her positive attitude lives on as an inspiration for us to face life challenges with acceptance, equanimity and love.
Let’s keep the lace|heart|art alive for present and future!
Free Patterns :
1st lace|heart|art challenge 2018 – free pattern and working instructions
2nd lace|heart|art challenge 2019 – free pattern and working instructions
3rd lace|heart|art challenge 2020 – free pattern and working instructions
Online Exhibitions :
1st lace|heart|art online exhibition
2nd lace|heart|art online exhibition
3rd lace|heart|art online exhibition
Category: Blog Tagged: bobbin lace in wire, exhibition, free pattern, handmade bobbin lace, lace heart art
Posted on April 29, 2020
April 29, 2020

Prizes from Barkonie to all Europe-based recipients have been mailed and we hear that some of them already arrived!
We wish all recipients, the winners of 3rd lace|heart|art challenge 2020, a lot of inspiration for many creative projects with those wonderful threads:
We really appreciate Barkonie‘s generous sponsorship of our event. Especially now, when due to restrictions caused by the worldwide pandemic, business has become very challenging for many small firms. Despite that, they kept their word to us and to you. That is admirable, and we are very grateful for their commitment.
Family owned and run companies, like Barkonie s.r.o., have been historically very important for lacemaking. Their attention to quality and product innovation have helped generations of lacemakers to achieve perfection in their craft and create the most amazing works. Many of those artifacts survived centuries, as a testimony to human ingenuity and artistry.
We need superior threads for our work today as well, because they make a huge difference in results. If we put so much time into each lace piece, it makes sense to use the best quality materials possible. Not only for the lace to look good, but also to last as another precious heirloom.
To find where to purchase Barkonie, please contact the factory directly at barkonie@barkonie.cz and they will point you to the nearest dealer.
Please, support our generous sponsor now, so they can thrive and produce more amazing treads for many beautiful, colourful lace creations.
❤️❤️❤️
lace|heart|art team
Prizes from the Wire Lace Supplies in Canada are ready, but waiting for Canada Post to resume international parcel deliveries. Hopefully, they will dispatch soon.
Category: Blog, lace|heart|art Tagged: barkonie, coloured threads for lacemaking, handmade bobbin lace art, lace heart art, sponsor
Posted on April 27, 2020
April 27, 2020

Unfortunately, our exhibition cannot open due to coronavirus lockdown. We have started to prepare this event two years ago, and considered ourselves lucky when we were selected by the Crescent Beach Pop-Up Gallery committee to present our event this year. We will try to re-schedule – if we are lucky again, the exhibition might happen next year.
Our online exhibition is open to anybody with online access. In the last three weeks it has been viewed almost a thousand times!
Please visit the 3rd lace|heart|art online exhibition, and share the link with your friends.
❤️❤️❤️
lace|heart|art team
Category: Blog, lace|heart|art Tagged: crescent beach pop-up gallery, exhibition, handmade bobbin lace art, lace heart art
Posted on February 16, 2020
Our big thanks go to all lacemakers who created and shared their beautiful sun-filled lace hearts. With 45 entries form 9 countries on 4 continents the jury will have highly enjoyable, and also very difficult, time to select the winning hearts. It’s wonderful to see so much creativity, skill and joy manifested in a simple heart pattern! With gratitude, we now accept the challenge of producing the 3rd lace|heart|art International Exhibition of Handmade Bobbin Lace in Colour.
lace|heart|art online exhibition will open, and winners will be announced, on April 8, 2020.
The prizes provided by our sponsors, Barkonie and Wire Lace Supplies, will be mailed to the winners after the announcement.
With
❤️❤️❤️
lace|heart|art team
Category: Blog, lace\heart\art Tagged: challenge, exhibition, free pattern, lace heart art
Posted on April 4, 2019
The 2nd lace|heart|art international challenge entries were juried and the winning hearts have been selected.
Here are the prizes, provided by Barkonie s.r.o. (Czech Republic) and Wire Lace Supplies (Canada) for our winners :
2nd lace|heart|art winners will be announced, and the online exhibition will open, on April 8, 2019.
❤️❤️❤️
lace|heart|art team
Category: Blog, lace\heart\art Tagged: barkonie, challenge, exhibition, free pattern, grand prize, lace heart art, lace|heart|art, prizes for winners, wire lace supplies
Posted on March 1, 2019

Thank you for your wonderful lace|heart|art challenge entries! We look forward to producing our second online show. We will keep you updated about the progress 🙂
lace|heart|art online exhibition will open, and winners will be announced, on April 8, 2019.
Winners will be contacted and the prizes provided by our sponsors, Barkonie and Wire Lace Supplies, will be sent in the following weeks.
❤️❤️❤️
lace|heart|art team
Category: Blog, lace\heart\art Tagged: challenge, exhibition, free pattern, lace heart art
Posted on July 21, 2018
We are pleased to present the 2nd lace|heart|art Challenge and Online Exhibition of Handmade Bobbin Lace in Colour, dedicated to memory of Barbara Jean Jones.
In 2019 edition, a theme of the giving heart is symbolized with a bouquet of flowers.
Simple lace tape outlines the heart shape. Flowers grow from the bottom of the heart and blossom with love. They are wrapped with a bow and offered as a gift, with joy and gratitude for creativity, lace and life.
While the simple heart outline is provided, the blossoms are open to creative interpretation. We invite all lacemakers to fill the pattern with colours and textures, and create truly original flower arrangements. Simple or elaborate, we will accept all heart bouquets, and include them in our celebration.
Read more about the 2nd lace|heart|art challenge and download a complete kit, with a free pattern and working instruction for fibre as well as wire media.
We encourage everybody to try both materials and explore their colour potential.
If you have not participated in the previous edition, you can read the Story of Barb’s Heart and view the 1st lace|heart|art Online Exhibition 2018 with sixty beautiful lace hearts from all over the world.
We are looking forward to receiving your lace|heart|art #2 entries before February 14th, 2019!
lace|heart|art team
Wendy MacKinnon, Lenka Suchanek, Pat Wrigley
Surrey, BC, Canada
Category: Blog, lace\heart\art Tagged: Barb's heart, colours, fibre, free pattern, handmade bobbin lace, international lace challenge, lace heart art, wire
Posted on April 7, 2018
We are honoured to open the 1st lace | heart | art International Online Exhibition of Handmade Bobbin Lace in Colour, and to announce winners of the lace | heart | art challenge 2018.
Category: Blog Tagged: international lace challenge, lace heart art, online exhibition
Posted on March 15, 2018
Spring delivers fresh energy we’ve been waiting for, and sets the best example of natural beauty, creativity and vitality. Let’s look, experience, enjoy and get inspired!
New School of Lace
Weekly classes in fibre and wire lace are in full swing. Everybody is having good time and learning a lot. With more light and warmth the lace on our pillows is going to blossom, there is no question about it!

May Workshop has been confirmed. We are going to work on a special “Old Tree” pattern, which is suitable for any media. Some seats are still available, so whether you work in fibre or wire, or both, come and join us on Saturday, May 26th, in Ocean Park Community Hall in South Surrey. As always, we will learn and share and talk… this time about wisdom of old trees and old lace…

Workshop: The Old Tree
Day and time: Saturday, May 26, 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Location: Ocean Park Community Hall, 1577 128th Street, Surrey, BC
Skill level: intermediate
Registration: laceaway@gmail.com
The Old Tree design is based on basic torchon lace pattern, but it offers much more. It will make your creative juices going like tree sap responding to the season’s call. The pattern is open to colours which can be matched and mixed, and even dyed over (fibre) or coloured and patinated (wire). Tree branches, trunk and roots are finished in a free hand techniques (braiding), which means that every tree will be different, because it will be made with different hands. In this workshop you will learn how to create truly original lace art.
And it is about time, because there are two very exciting events coming up!
Exhibitions, Lectures and Other Events
Artist call for bobbin lace makers:
FIBER and LACE
Calling all bobbin lace makers who would like to present a piece in the Langley Art’s Council’s-Art in Found spaces, Fiber and Lace show. The exhibition will run from September 19th until October 2nd, with an opening night reception. This will be held at the Langley Civic Center (Township of Langley City Hall). All works must be hung and no greater than 16”x20”. This space can hold up to 20-24 works of art, we may be able to include more if there are many smaller works, or if we utilize the upper floors. Mixed media, fiber lace, bobbin lace, anything goes, as long as it is lace based. I would like to showcase the amazing work and talent of our local lace makers. Many people aren’t aware of hand made lace, and we can change that!
Please include a write on your piece complete with how long this piece took you (estimates are fine), how long you have been practicing for, and the inspiration of your piece. Also, please include what you used (fiber, wire, paint, photography, glass, etc.) and if this piece is for sale. All works must be submitted by August 31st to Sybille, please contact her at
kisssyb at gmail dot com, or via New School of Lace email
laceaway at gmail dot com
INCOGNITO
The Langley Arts Council also has their annual fundraiser November to December called Incognito, which can be a fine opportunity to support an organization that supports local lace artists! Any type of work can be submitted as long as it is 10”x10” and 1.5” wide. Another great place to show off your amazing lace talents. All pieces are sold for $50 with $25 going to the artist and $25 going to the Arts Council. All work must be unsigned as it’s Incognito. Once the piece is sold, the buyer will find out the artist’s name and can request a signature. Please contact the Langley Arts Council for more information and to submit your work. Submission date TBA.
New School of Lace Display in Semiahmoo Library is being wrapped up this week, and three Bookworm Bookmarks will go to the lucky contest winners. Handmade lace mini-exhibit has been well received, and live lacemaking demo well attended. As a result, the New School of Lace has one brand new student-lacemaker!

New School of Lace Display in Ocean Park Library is still on till the end of March, so if you are in vicinity, stop by and see how well do lace and spring go together!

lace | heart | art
It’s been very exciting time for the lace|heart|art team to review all submissions for the 1st International Challenge.
We received many entries from all over the world, and were amazed by creativity of lacemakers, and their wonderful interpretations of Barb’s Heart. It’s been a very special experience, but also very difficult, because we had to choose winners in each category. We did our best, and are looking forward to sharing the results with you.
The lace|heart|art online exhibition will open soon, on April 8, 2018.
Stay tuned!

Before that, we are happy to present a lace|heart|art lecture and slide show at FibresWest:
Join us for presentation on importance of traditional crafts in families and communities, and a tribute to a young woman whose love is reaching lace makers all over the world. Traditional crafts facilitate connecting, sharing and healing in today’s society. Our message, perhaps needed now more than ever, contributes to an important discussion about the value of handwork and crafts for the overall well being of women and their quality of life.

FibresWest 2018
Cloverdale Exhibition Grounds, Surrey, BC
Saturday, March 24, 11:45am
For more information, visit FibresWest
Wire Lace Supplies & Patterns
As some of you already noticed (and followed up), two New School of Lace Patterns & Tutorials were published:
1/ “Snail” Pattern & Tutorial was added to BASIC series. Dedicated to Cloth Stitch and Whole Stitch in Wire Lace, the pattern offers thorough explanation and instruction of stitches that pose perhaps the biggest challenge to lacemakers who transition from fibre to wire lace. Add it to your wire lace library, and you are covered!
2/ Chicken Egg Stand Pattern & Tutorial opens a new ANIMAL series. Animal images are popular in lace, and in wire lace they come alive in 3D form. The Chicken is not only cute, but also a fully functional egg holder. It is one of those little projects that bring about big smiles. The complete step-by-step tutorial will help you along, so you can create unique decorations for Easter and all upcoming spring celebrations.
Both new patterns are available exclusively in my WireLaceSupplies Shop on Etsy.
While there, you will notice that wires in all colours were fully replenished and the wire lace student kit is back in stock.
Is you prefer to shop live instead online, the next sale event is coming soon:
WireLace Supplies will be at BC Gem Show Tailgate Sale, in Abbotsford.
Besides the regular stock of fine wires for lacemaking, I will have for sale wires in thicker gauges, that are good for wire wrapping, jewellery making and sculpture. Please visit, and bring with you your craft friends!
BC Gem Show Tailgate Sale
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Building #2-32470 Haida Drive
Abbotsford, BC
Looking forward to seeing you at any or all spring lace events! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at laceaway at gmail dot com.

Happy spring and happy lacemaking!
Category: Blog Tagged: bobbin lace, lace heart art, Lenka, new school of lace, newsletter, wire lace supplies
Posted on February 15, 2018

Thank you for your wonderful lace|heart|art entries! We look forward to producing our first show.
lace|heart|art online exhibition will open, and winners will be announced, on April 8, 2018.
Category: Blog, lace\heart\art Tagged: challenge, exhibition, free pattern, lace heart art
Lenka's Way of Lace