Project Lace - the European Network is part of the European Union programme Socrates - Grundtvig 2.

The aim of the project is in European cooperation between organizations and is founded on the philosophy of lifelong learning. The Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes - CMEPIUS (available at: www.cmepius.si) is in charge of technical support and the execution of the programmes.

The coordinator of the project is

• REGIONE ABRUZZO, from the Italian town L'Aquila, Italy (more information available at: http://www.regione.abruzzo.it/portale/index.asp)

The other partners are:

• FORUM ALTE SPITZE, from Ubach-Palenberg, Germany (more information available at
  http://www.forum-alte-spitze.de)

• SANCHEZ APARISI, from Valencia, Spain (more information available at
  http://www.realce.es/la_encajera/home.htm)

• ASSOCIATION DENTELLES ET BLONDES, from Caen, France. ( available at
  http://blondecaen.chez-alice.fr/presenta.htm#ASSOCIATION.htm)

• IDRIJA LACE SCHOOL, Idrija, Slovenia.
  http://www.cipkarskasola.si
  

The programme lasts three years. We began work in 2004-2005 and we are concluding the programme in this year. As the topic of our project we've selected the reconstruction of old point ground lace and one of the main aims is the publication of a book where patterns and drawn instructions will be published. In this way we will preserve old patterns and spread knowledge of making point ground lace of all the participating countries.

Our work takes place in the form of meetings in towns and countries of the partner countries where we always review the set tasks and set goals and plans until the next meeting. At these meetings we have been exchanging the knowledge on point ground lace, visit museums and various workshops. These meetings are often accompanied by local events of the host country. In Idrija we have organized this meeting right before the Idrija Lace Festival, included our guests in the events and enabled them to see our festival. This was similar in the hosting countries. Therefore, all the participants have had a chance to get to know the local sights, the cultural and lace-making heritage of the participating countries.

In the first and second year we have been dealing primarily with the reconstruction of the lace and preparation of the materials for publication. Thus, at our first meeting in the third year, which took place in October in Italy, we have already been able to have a look of the publication Point Ground Lace and held the first public presentation.

The third year is intended primarily to the spreading of result, and we are also making arrangements for the publication of a CD-Rom with lace-making tools which we are planning to produce this year.

During the duration of the project we have prepared several workshops of our point ground lace, till and also point ground lace of our partners.

We hope that we have revived the point ground lace and that they will appear more often on the pillows of our lacemakers.