Maria C. Vallejo

The art of lacemaking is a manifestation of grace.  This is expressed in each artifact, which brings the same polish and poise to any other object or person to which it is attached. For many makers, a practice of quiet stitching provides a state of grace in its own right, with the rhythmic, meditative movements offering a space for processing life’s challenges. As Maria well understood, saving these representations of the hands and heart is, in itself, an act of grace. 

Born in Columbia, South America in 1947, Maria was introduced to the needle arts from birth. She was christened in a baptismal gown hand-embroidered by her mother, a gown which has been further worn by her seven younger siblings and their descendants. Maria was educated, as her mother was, in a Catholic School system in which young girls were taught to embroider by the nuns. Maria emigrated to the United States with her family at the age of 19, settling in California. While working in Los Angeles, Maria would visit thrift shops, estate and garage sales, and antique stores where the array of needle arts was plentiful. Often, the opportunity to expand her collection occurred unexpectedly. 

Maria once purchased a basketful of treasures – napkins, coasters, pillowcases, and monogrammed sheets – each with embroidered and crocheted embellishments. It represented a lifetime of exquisite handwork created by a woman who was being moved to an elderly rest home. With this as her first significant purchase, Maria’s appetite only began to grow. She also inherited precious pieces from friends and family – for example, “Betsy’s Collection,” which was given to her by a friend who knew that Maria would respect and care for the work of her grandmother’s “happy and colorful crochet doilies and edgings.”

Maria’s collection now stands at approximately 500 pieces. The Center for Knit & Crochet is pleased to present almost 350 of those creations in Saving Grace – The Maria C. Vallejo Lace Collection.