Women in Brazil have been tatting or making lace for centuries. Before the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur helped the women of Maceió organize into a cooperative, individuals sold their lace for a pittance to intermediary buyers. The intermediaries would then transport the women's handwork to city markets and export it overseas at an astronomical markup -- keeping all profits for themselves. The women's lace cooperative is now an autonomous organization, no longer relying on the Sisters' help.       

The Maceió lace makers carry their threads, pins, bobbins and pillows to the beach, where they create their wares while guarding their community land from developers. As long as the community occupies its designated area of the beach, no one may trespass or seize the land for development. This means round-the-clock vigilance. Watch a 35-second clip of lace making on the beach in Brazil.