Lamontagne Louise

Erika Glasberg
Standard-Freeholder
17 March 2011

CORNWALL - Tablecloths, veils and clothing are many things that can be made with
lace, but it's the time put into making the lace that makes it special.

Louise Lamontagne developed a passion for making lace after she and her husband
moved overseas to Germany. "My husband was in the Services and I was always interested in doing it. "When he got posted in Germany, there was a lady there who was doing it and I learned from her," Lamontagne said.

Over the next six years, she developed her skills as a lacemaker until coming back to
Canada where she was reunited with some people she had met overseas who were
from Montreal, and expanded her knowledge. The ladies from Montreal had suggested joining the Ottawa Guild of Lacemakers because it was more accessible than the one in Quebec.

Lamontagne creates the lace using cotton, silk or linen thread as well as a number of
wooden bobbins. By moving the bobbins in specific directions, the thread creates one of many patterns. Currently, Lamontagne is creating a bookmark with linen thread and has recently finished making lace to trim a bridal pillow.

The pillow was only seven inches by seven inches, with 76 bobbins and took over 200
hours to finish . "It really depends on the kind of lace you're doing,'' she said about the time it takes to create lace.

Lamontagne will be traveling to Ottawa on March 27 to the Ottawa Guild of Lacemakers 23rd annual Ottawa Lace Day where she will be showing off her creations. This year the guild has adopted the theme "feathers''. The theme challenges the members to use their imagination to create items that have to do with feathers. The guild will also showcase an exhibition about tea cloths with demonstrations and merchandise for sale. "(Lace making) is an art and you really got to live it," Lamontagne said.

For more information about the guild, please contact G. Thibeault at
g.thibeault@rogers.com or Louise Lamontagne at 613- 935-8544.