Andrea’s back with her Brussels lace

In time for the season, Andrea Boekel will be holding a sale of exquisite Brussels lace and hand embroidered home linens on Saturday, November 17.

Held every two years, Andrea’s sale is a muchawaited event for all lovers of fine creations in textile, lace and hand embroidery. On sale will be a selection of stunning shadow worked tablecloths on organdie, fine hand-embroidered table linen, runners, doilies, placemat sets, pillow cases, cushion covers, napkin sets and a small selection of clothing. Brussels lace adorns most of these exquisite pieces. Every item produced is a painstaking labour of love as the lace and embroidery is a time-consuming process. The finished product nevertheless, has the feel and timeless elegance of an heirloom to be cherished for many years to come.

Andrea is no stranger to the world of textile creations. In the early ‘90s, she spearheaded a venture that employed women in a rural village teaching them hand embroidery and stitching of Brussels lace. Many of these women came from marginalised situations. The flexible working conditions allowed them to attend to their daily chores and earn an income as well. Incorporating a Board of Investment company and with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, these products were exhibited in major European capitals, Japan and Australia. The recession forced the closure of the entity, but Andrea’s passion and dedication towards her rural charges remained.

Recognising her talent, two of Australia’s best universities, the Australia National University, Canberra, and the University of Western Australia, Perth, invited her to deliver courses in “Textile as a Medium”. In doing so, Andrea promoted Sri Lanka’s textile design identity to a global audience in no small measure. She continues to promote Sri Lanka’s unique textile art by coordinating textile tours from the Southern hemisphere.

The very reasonable prices for high-quality hand-made items have been a unique factor of Andrea’s sales. She believes that nobody can sustain their love and passion for aesthetics by making profits the motivating factor. This is despite the fact that many hours of labour is invested in each piece and the highest quality of European linen and threads are used.

The sale will be held on Saturday, November 17 from 9 a.m. onwards at No. 16, Kinross Avenue, Colombo 4, for one day only.