Yvonne Scheele-Kerkhof

Paragon

Lacemaker

©Corrie Verstappen

©Yvonne Scheele-Kerkhof

©Tine Oderkerk

©Corrie Verstappen

Lacemaking as a springboard

Yvonne uses antique bobbins as a catalyst
Her lacework is like painting with threads
A lacemaking publication is one of her highlights

Yvonne Scheele-Kerkhof’s journey into lacemaking began whilst living in England. She would regularly pass the same antique shop and each time her eye would be drawn to an antique set of wooden and bone bobbins. She eventually purchased them, intrigued at what she could make with them, having completed a course in fashion in Guildford. The bobbins inspired Yvonne to take lace-making courses that have since led her to create textile art works using a combination of Floral Bedfordshire and a Dutch technique called Withoff Duchesse. An experimental approach to lacemaking has led her to incorporate embroidery techniques into her garments and textiles, producing intricate textile paintings such as a peacock embellishing a cape and a detailed Chinese dragon.

Interview

©Tine Oderkerk

What are your specialities?: I would say teaching, as I want people to see that there is more to lacemaking than just following a pattern. That it is possible to do your own thing. There is room for creativity, using the techniques that you’ve got. I combine my lace with embroidery and other techniques.
What do you love most about lacemaking?: The making. When I’ve finished, I’m slow to remove the piece from where I’ve been working. With the cape, which took almost three years, I was teaching myself. The bird on the cape started out as a rooster and transformed into a peacock. I didn’t want the making to end.
What are your sources of inspiration?: I’m interested in Chinese art and culture and I like to recreate Chinese pictures in lace. I also love looking at art books, I'm particularly interested in Art Nouveau. The grasses I produced were inspired by a visit to a museum in Vienna. I make pieces up based on what catches my eye.
Can you recall a memorable moment from your professional life?: My Chinese pieces were made into a book called 'The Beauty of the Orient' painted in thread which I presented in Amsterdam at the Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis. My son and daughter-in-law – who are professional singers – performed, while one of my students played the lute.

Yvonne Scheele-Kerkhof is a master artisan: she began her career in 1986 and she started teaching in 1982