About us
Luisa
I like everything relating with crafts. I like lace, painting in fabric and wood, crochet, knitting, jewellery made in crochet, i.e. rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and all that is innovation.
On January 13, 1988, I had the opportunity to do a course in bobbin lace as part of a Conservation of Cultural Heritage program, which was hosted by the Silves Parish. This course was carried out by teachers Judite Pinto, who taught us the bobbin lace, and Margarida Ramos who taught us drawing techniques. The course took 2,588 hours to complete and it took place from January 13, 1988 to December 27, 1989. I finished the course successfully. The course helped to promote this art, which in my home town was almost lost. It was partly restored with very old drawings and research conducted with some entities and private people. After completing the course, I started teaching in 1990, initially with six students, and I continued teaching in the Enxerim Primary school and the E.B. 2, 3, school in Silves until 2012, when I already had over 50 students, aged between 8 and 18 years. This teaching was made possible by the Parish of Silves which promoted bobbin lace courses, thereby enabling me to teach young people to practice this art. All my students showed great interest in this art and made bobbin lace projects some more elaborate than others, depending on how long they had been learning. Often because they didn't yet have the experience to make more difficult projects, I had to adapt the pattern to the student. I feel that this is the profession I always wanted, and I thank the Parish of Silves for making this possible until 2012, at which time the teaching of bobbin lace in Silves schools was discontinued. |
Vânia
I'm Luisa’s daughter. Bobbin lace has been part of my family for many years. I remember, as a child, watching my grandmother doing bobbin lace, and I still have some items made for me at the time. I also remember, during my school holidays, going with my mother to Silves, when she was doing the bobbin lace course. For me it was lots of fun, and even more fun when she went on field trips and I could go with her. I thought this art was fun and pretended I could make lace as well as my mother
It was only later, after my twenty’s, that I become seriously interested in this art. I felt I should follow this tradition and keep bobbin lace alive in our family. I started by doing easy items and over the years, have made some more or less elaborate, although, because time doesn’t allow, I haven’t done to many projects. The end result of a beautiful work is always very satisfying. I remember two beautiful pieces of bobbin lace that my mother made for me when I got married, gloves and a garter. I had great pleasure and pride in wearing them. For me, these pieces represent the talent, hard work and pleasure that this art brings. Today I am happy to do this art and hope to follow in the footsteps of my family and continue promoting this art. |