Blog #13 - Preparations for 'Beating Around The Bush'

Monday,  2 October  2014  -

September was another busy month. 
One day of the first week several ladies from the Dannevirke Probus Embroidery Group came to visit the Needlework Gallery.

(You may recall me writing in a previous blog
that their planned visit in June had to be postponed
due to the funeral of an aunty).

As per usual they came to wander
through the house,
enjoy some morning tea
and to have a look
at all the new items
that had arrived at the gallery
and see all the newly finished
needlework pieces
since their previous visit. 




This group of ladies 
I do not consider customers -
but very special friends.



They have been coming to the gallery every year since we have been here
and they have enjoyed watching the progress of the house renovations
from the derelict house it was into the peaceful home it is today.

The first Saturday in September was taken up
with being at my mum’s villa with my brother and his wife
who live in Cambridge for them to sort out
and to take home some of mum’s possessions that they wanted.
They also sorted out the larger items that they wanted
but these they would have to come back to collect in November.
Like us, they lead very busy lives with business commitments.

And so everything was left for me to do,
but as I was going to Adelaide, Australia to attend needlework classes
and exhibit at the ‘Beating Around The Bush’ event
at the end of the month, only spent a couple of days sorting out
what was to be given to the Salvation Army
or the Cranford Hospice shop;
what was to be sold at auction, what was to be disposed of;
what I would like to keep; and if there was an item or two
that I thought a friend or other family member would like.
 A lot of the lovely things that I just wasn’t able to keep
I placed on the dining room table and invited
a few of mum’s friends to the villa for them to choice a piece or two
or three that they would like for themselves.

Many days were also spent stitching as much as possible
as wanted to finish the stitching of -
but not the actual finishing of - two new designs
so that I could take them with me to show in Australia.

These two pieces were - The Orford Sampler and Eleanor : A Crinoline Lady.
The sampler is a reproduction of one in my private collection
and the lady is an original design to be worked with the
Fisherton de la Mere technique.

Here are a couple of pictures of The Orford Sampler.

 

 

The first picture (above) was taken on the 15th of September
and this second one taken on the 25th of September.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thus, you can see how much stitching I did in those 10 days!

To date no instructions have been written, but the charts are done.
When the instructions have been typed up, the designs will be printed,
however, I have been taking orders.

And too, many of those September days were taken up
with the designing and printing of signage, brochures,
order forms and price lists for the exhibition booth
at ‘Beating Around The Bush’ and the packing up
of stitched models, designs, threads, display cloths and display items.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I left NZ on Friday, the 25th of September with three suitcases -
all weighing the maximum of 23kg!

And was pulled aside by Australian Customs.

All my experiences at BATB will be related in my next few blogs.