| Koniakow, the 500-year-old village in a strongly | | | | other eminent places.Then came G-strings. Last |
| conservative southwest part of Poland that | | | | fall, some lace makers trying to earn money spun |
| produced Pope John Paul II, is almost totally | | | | a racy twist to the art, deciding that underwear |
| unreachable during wintertime, particularly heavy in | | | | would sell better than doilies. Since, the town of |
| terms of snowfalls. For two centuries, the women | | | | 3,000 has been in an uproar, neighbor pitted |
| have hooked thread in intricate crochet patterns | | | | against neighbor over lace thongs."Lace making |
| to create lace tablecloths and altar ornaments | | | | has always been a way for people to earn |
| coveted by royalty across Europe. It was an art | | | | money here," says the 56-year-old mayor of the |
| taught by mothers to daughters, done at home | | | | village, "But since the strings started, the |
| after the daily farming chores were finished, | | | | community has been divided: about money, about |
| bringing honor and income to the small local | | | | morality, about tradition."Some traditional lace |
| population.Oval or round, made with tremendous | | | | makers accuse the renegade lace makers of |
| patience and skilled tablecloths reached tables of | | | | greed. Others say the thongs defile tradition, are |
| kings, aristocrats, bishops and all those with | | | | indecent and promote sex. "Our lace graces Polish |
| abundant amounts of money to spend and a | | | | altars, the office of our president and that of the |
| desire to live surrounded with splendor and | | | | holy pope in Rome," says the president of a local |
| beauty. Koniakow lace decorates tables in Vatican, | | | | craft guild of lace makers who has been working |
| Buckingham Palace, the White House and many | | | | with lace for six decades. |