Thanks to Elisa Reutinger, Bead Study member, for planning the April field trip to the Bay Area. The weather was beautiful and we couldn’t have picked a better day to travel by car. Six people in two cars ventured to visit two stores with outstanding goods to buy.
First stop was the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse in Oakland, on Telegraph Street. We found a variable collection of old junk, paper, buttons, beads, fabric, and loads more. We all found something wonderful to take home. We had lunch at a Mexican restaurant nearby called Cholita Linda. We also enjoyed a plant store in an alley on 49th Street, with converted horse stables housing trendy shops on each side.
Lacis, the second shop we visited, was beyond description, a wonderful store, actually three stores under one roof. Lacis is in Berkeley, a short distance from our first stop. The first room upon entering is stocked with yarns, embroidery thread, fabric, handmade doll forms of all sizes, needles, fabric, patterns, hat forms and findings, ribbons. This store is a dream come true for anyone interested in textiles and lace, as the inventory is immense and unique. Classes are also offered. The second store was a collection of vintage textiles and lace. Rows of vintage lace lined one wall, antique aprons were lined up on another wall along with vintage jewelry, crinoline skirts hanging down from the ceiling and all merchandise is for sale. The last store is called the Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles. This store was established in 2004 to share and sustain the extensive collection of Kaethe and Jules Kliat’s collection consisting of lace, textiles, costume, a library, and the tools of the textile arts. The Kliat collection of laces and textiles represents 40 years of preservation of the finest human handiwork. The collection includes thousands of pre-Colombian and European countries specimens. There also is an extensive library focusing on lace and textiles.
Thanks to Elisa Reutinger and Yvonne Warren for driving to the Bay Area. Thanks to Carolyn Granados for the summary and photos.