This article has been published in Bulletin 3/2001and was updated in May 2005. 

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OIDFA Study Group Northern Netherlands

How does the "Linnenkast" group work?


By now, most OIDFA members know the origin of the OIDFA Study Group Northern Netherlands. If not, it can be found in the prefaces of the published folders.
Our work is described as the study of lace on household linen found in linen cupboards in the Northern Netherlands. Over the last several years we have published four folders containing patterns of these laces and pictures of the old and the newly reconstructed laces.
In this article we will explain how we start and arrive at our final results.

The material
The reason for our existence lies in the household linens from the past, especially those found in the old linen cupboards ('Linnenkast'), and particularly from the northern part of the Netherlands: the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe.

What do we find in those linen cupboards? A woman's dowry and her trousseau - sheets, pillowcases, napkins, a supply of linen on a roll, and also shirts - all were stored here. Lace was sewn onto the sheets and pillowcases, and sometimes on the shirts. Lace entre-deux was used to join widths of narrow linen together to make a sheet wide enough to cover a bed. It was also used as decoration for pillowcases and on the borders and cuffs of shirts. Fortunately, examples can still be found in museums and in private collections.

When we began, we started by placing notices in different regional newsletters asking people to search their cupboards or to ask their families. And so, our call passed from mouth to mouth.

We sometimes find material accidentally. Once we talked to a group of beginning lace makers about old linens. One of those present said that she had some in her cupboard, 'But it isn't very special.' It turned out to be a whole pile of antique lace-trimmed pillowcases, which we have shown many times!
Northern people are rather conservative and proud of their family property. That is why it was saved at home or offered to their local museums.

Thanks to several exhibits in these museums, we came across old linen shirts with narrow laces along their borders and the cuffs. Needing more information, we contacted the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden (province of Friesland) and were given permission to photograph the laces.

It is a wonderful experience to visit the archives of a museum: to open boxes and look at the contents, and to be allowed to handle it all freely! One time, we discovered an unsightly old piece of lace, probably from the 16th century. The curator had tossed it into a box of miscellaneous clutter! 

The beginning and the working method
We make photos of all laces that might be interesting to have in our folder. Then at our first meeting together we use these pictures to decide with which laces we want to start. Each one chooses a lace and takes it home to make a diagram.

The group meets once a month. At these meetings we discuss the diagrams that have been made. We don't always agree. There are often two differences of opinion: one person or group prefers to make the lace as much as possible like the original, the other wants to adjust or change it to a more modern form. Discussing the results of the diagram, we may find that one time the thread is too thin, or another time too thick; or that the holes are too large or the lace needs to be made more dense. It is often said in justification, 'Perhaps the original lace had been washed many times!' Sometimes the pricking needs to be reduced or enlarged by only 5%! Then we go home and try it out again in another way. This can happen up to five times before the group agrees that it is correct!

When we have finished 'proofing' the different laces, we decide which ones are suitable to be included in the folder. Not only is our own preference important, but also that of those who will buy the folder. A variety of patterns is also necessary. There needs to be something for everyone. During our work, which takes months, we also come up with the names for the laces. Sometimes a name is immediately the right one, as 'de konijnen van Jo', which was finally simplified to 'konijnen' ('rabbits').

The cover and the printing
At last the time comes to think about the cover of the folder. To date we have published four different folders: 'De Linnenkast 1' with a picture of the linen cupboard from the 'Verhildersum' mansion in Leens; 'De Linnenkast 2' with the lace and embroidery of a very beautiful sheet from the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden; 'De Linnenkast 3' with an old lace from the Drents museum on the front cover and the diagram of this lace on the back and finally 'De Linnenkast 4' with a Dutch lace (detail of the Peony - the pattern is included) from a private collection.  We are very proud to say that we also included both the prickings and diagrams of all the laces in these folders.

Next we must make the contacts needed to get the folder printed. The first time it was very exciting. We had nothing: no money, no experience, and no example. But we were very enthusiastic. After many efforts we succeeded in finding a sponsor who would handle the printing of the cover. We decided to copy the contents ourselves. This turned out to be a lot of work: making double-sided copies for around 25 prickings + diagrams + pictures for 1300 folders using the sponsor's copier and paper. There were 6 A3 format papers for 1300 folders to be folded by hand, amounting to 7800 folds! And after that the papers had to be collated. So, we followed each other around the table in single file picking up the sheets in order and then putting the sheaves into the folders.

This was done the first time, but never again! However ... the folders were ready at last to be sold. We were very proud of our accomplishment, and OIDFA was very glad: the group brought money into OIDFA's pocket. Two years later we finished our second folder. This one was printed in Bruges, Belgium, by the printer of the OIDFA Bulletin. Distance was a problem, but fortunately one of the members of the group travelled twice to Bruges as she was taking a course there.

For our third folder we had chosen a printer in our neighbourhood. In May we sent the pages as we wanted them to be printed. Time was short as it had to be ready in August to be sold at the Congress in Ghent in 1998. We corrected the proofs, but we had the feeling that things had gone wrong. So we went to the printer ourselves and explained what we wanted. We usually like people who take the initiative. But when the next set of proofs came back we were shocked: they had enlarged or reduced prickings as they liked it and even printed them backwards! However, despite these setbacks, the folder was ready in time.

For our fourth folder we had chosen again an other printer in our neighbourhood. Despite some setbacks again, the folder was ready in time.

The sale of the folder
The folders are always presented for the first time at an OIDFA Congress. 'De Linnenkast 1' was presented in 1992 in Utrecht. Two years later our second folder was published for the Congress in Barcelona. Our third folder came out in 1998 in Ghent. 'Linnenkast 4' was presented in 2002 in Nottingham. That meant that during the Congress a nice sales stand was needed that had to be staffed by members of the Study Group. Josephine had worked out a perfect schedule for the three days. However, it did not always turn out properly due to circumstances beyond our control, such as because of meetings that lasted too long. However, we were flexible and were able to find solutions to any problems that arose. 
To make the stand attractive we made up special examples using the laces from the folder.

1500 'De Linnenkast 3' folders were prepared. In Ghent we sold 505 of them. We gave a folder to each of the museums from which we had published laces. 1250 folders 'De Linnenkast 4' were printed. 'De Linnenkast 1', 'De Linnenkast 2' and 'De Linnenkast 3' are not available any more and will not be reprinted. At this time only a few folders 'De Linnenkast 4' are left.

Finally
It might look as though we took nice trips at OIDFA's expense. But no: the only gain for the members of the group were the four folders per person! So it was indeed 'Charitable work.' But we also had many nice meetings and learned a lot about the techniques of old laces.

The members of the group are: Marieke Bellinga, Jo van Doorninck, Ans Fakkert, Josephine Groeneveld, Anny Jongbloed, Fenna Muntinga, Victoria van Strik and Elly de Vries.