Blog #64 - Preparations for Fili Senza Tempo

Saturday, 2 September 2017

I leave for Italy tomorrow!   What's not done now - won't get done!!


For the last couple of weeks
I’ve been creating kits
for my design,
"Hem Your Blessings Poche” -
that is, choosing various
coloured linens
and cutting the fabric
to the size required,
choosing appropriate
Silk Pearl
overdyed) thread colours
for the linen fabric colour,
choosing the appropriate
coloured
Coton Perle #12 thread
for the colour
of the linen fabric
and
special silk thread colour

and winding ball after ball of the Perle cotton onto cards,

 

 and then choosing & cutting colour co-ordinated printed cotton fabrics

to be used for creating the internal pockets & bias binding edge of the pouch. 

 

And finally, folding all items neatly and tying all together

and placing everything into cellophane bags.  

In all, created just over 30 packs.

 

 
Below is a pic of some of these finished packs in blue/green tonings.

And too, a pic of fabrics and threads being prepared for ‘Josephine’s Fob’ packs.

 

Time is marching on  -  and so will have to leave off
and continue this when I get back home.
 

Saturday, 30 September -

Arrived back in NZ from Italy on Wednesday, the 20th of September.

But will go back to Sunday, the 3rd of September. 

 

This is the date that I flew from Napier to Auckland, a few hours layover

(as I don’t like to be rushed) and then I left New Zealand -

flying Emirates from Auckland to Dubai (17 hours).

 

 

Ah - so lovely

to put my feet up

after all the

busyness of preparations

and packing,

 

enjoy a complimentary

glass of champagne
& a delicious dinner

(more champagne)

and a peaceful sleep.

   

A layover of 5½ hours at Dubai and then a 6½ hour flight to Bologna, Italy

to be met by a chauffeur provided by Emirates
and taken to my hotel located in the centre of the city.
A long tiring trip.

During the flight when I wasn’t sleeping,

(and at other spare times during my time away)

stitched alphabet letters.

 

Stitching of this series is taking longer than I had anticipated. 

I guess it is because each design is so similar

(it’s not so must fun stitching a design over and over) -  and so many to do!

 

 

 

 

I wasn’t able to stay at the same hotel

as the one Elizabeth & I

had previously stayed at

due to it being renovated,

but stayed at a sister hotel

just a couple of streets away from it

and the central city square - Piazza Maggiore. 

 

Wandered to a little restaurant in the square 

for dinner that evening. 

Next morning I explored the city on foot

(retracing my 2015 steps).

  

Wandered up and down all the shopping streets  -

found the absolutely fabulous fabric shop that Elizabeth & I had found last time

(Valli : all Italian manufactured fabrics over 100 Euros a metre),

revisited the ancient communal city water well,

twin towers (built by two families competing against one another,
one tower having to be stopped due to its lean) 

and revisited the town hall which houses

the most glorious pieces of needlework, lace & art. 
 

The photos of the needlework and lace pictured below
I actually took on my last trip in 2015.

It wasn’t until this trip that I saw the sign - no photography! 

Whoops!!

 

 On my walking tour I discovered what is behind 

those beautiful big doors of the buildings.

A marbled entrance / lobby,

from which stairs and walkways lead

to all living apartments for lots of families

and these apartments

surround an enclosed  garden.

 

 

 

In the photo you can see the garden through the grilled gate.
Really lovely.

 

 After lunch I toured the city via the ‘Hop On, Hop Off’ bus

sitting next to two husband and wife couples from Hamilton!

Small world, isn’t it?! 

At 3pm, Flavio (the driver of a private tour company) picked me up from my hotel

and drove me to my next hotel, Hotel Guerro, at Castelvetro di Modena

which is about a 45 minute drive from Bologna. 

 

On arrival discovered they only served breakfasts at the hotel

and there were no eating places nearby. 

 

After the receptionist and I struggled to understand one another

-  neither of us spoke each others language -

managed to ascertain that all restaurants

were across the road at the top of the hill

in the old walled town that could be seen in the distance.

 

 

And so - off I went, wondering all the time, “Am I going in the right direction?”

I went across the road and then across the bridge,

round the corner,

down the street for quite some ways,

 

past the gift shop  (which was closed by this time)

round that corner,

 

 

up the hilly street,

 

past lots of houses,

and more houses,

to the first set of steps.

Up the steps,

across the road,

up more steps,

past the carpark

(no cars allowed in the town),

up the residential street,

to a small square and tiny quaint cobblestone streets

in which there were several restaurants.

 

Chose one that served a delicious pasta with a glass of red wine.
 

By the time I had finished my meal it was very dark.

 

A little bit unnerving walking back to the hotel on my own.

 

At least it was down, down, down and not up, up up!

 

More next time   .....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blog #63 - I'm Off Again Soon

Monday,  21 August 2017

 

Those of you who have been my friend for a long time and have been reading my blogs

for years know that I was very blessed and fortunate to travel throughout Italy

for four weeks with my Auckland friend, Elizabeth Darrah,

and then going to stay with my awesome Italian designer friend, Giulia of GPA Designs and then travelling to Belgium to meet up with other needlework designer friends, Monique and Gigi, and to exhibit at a needlework show in that beautiful country.

 

I loved the trip!  And the country of Italy!! 

I was so impressed by the beautiful architecture and statues

as well as the magnificent scenery.

Each area of the country had it's own unique features -

so much so that I couldn't say which area I loved the most.

 

  However, have to say that I almost became a statistic in that country.

 

I was so impressed by the huge doors.

 

Looked up the street in Rome  (Nationale Street) to see if there was any traffic -

none, and so stepped out onto the road

as I couldn't get all of the doors into my photo above into the camera frame -

 

but I had looked the wrong way and stepped out in front of a bus.

 

Didn't realise it until I felt my dress swishing around my legs and wondered why!

 

Many of you wrote before and after my trip requesting I write all about our experiences and I truly planned to do this.

 

I faithfully kept a daily diary and took lots and lots of photos -

but when I got home there were so many tasks to catch up on that my wonderful experiences on a daily basis never did get written.

 

 However, I did touch on them in Blog #44

and I have recorded a summary - 10 pages - of my awesome time.

 

If you would like to look at this, it can be read on my website in PDF form - www.barberryrow.com/blog/blog.home.html

The title of the blog is -  Italy 2015

 

Below are a few pics that are not included in that write-up -

 

Beautiful shops in Florence!

 

 

In the shop above, hand-stitched samplers were hanging on the walls.

Worked by the shop owners grandmother and aunty.

 

Elizabeth just had to buy from one of the exclusive

(ring the bell for admittance) jewellery shops

located on the Vecchio Bridge -

 

and it was SO hot we had to have a fruit juice and gelato!

 

Treated ourselves or rather, indulged ourselves,

with a special afternoon tea at one of the cafes/gelato shops

located in the San Marco Square, Venice.

 

 

Venice, 

 

 Burano

 

&  Murano

 

 

I had a spend when on the island of Murano.

 

My purchase had to be shipped home -

it was too large for my suitcase!

 

With Giulia

at Di Porto Venere,

before being taken by her and Mario to the walled town of Lucca

 

& to historical Pisa.

 

At the needlework show in Belgium - my site

and delightful Gigi.

 

And at quaint Bruges,

 

 

with my other delightful friend

and wonderful tour guide, Monique.

 

 

I am now preparing to return to Italy.

 

Tania - the organiser - and designer friend, Niky of Niky's Creations

invited me when I visited Fili senza tempo in Formigine during my last trip to Italy

to participate in their needlework show.

 

I was not able to do it last year.

 

I feel very privileged to have been asked

and, as I am to be their guest,

overwhelmed that almost all my expenses are being paid.

 

I'm SO excited !!

 

Here is a photo of the 2015 show poster

 

and me outside the venue -

 

This year the show is to be held at a different location to the 2015 show.

 

Still in an historic castle, but this time at a castle built in the late 900's

near Castelvetro de Modena - about 45 minutes from the city of Bologna.

 

Below is a pic of the advertisement.  Doesn't it look fabulous?!

 

I truly am blessed.

 

For those of you who have known me most of my life

will know that for me to be travelling overseas to a foreign country

- especially on my own -

is something I never thought would ever have happened

or that I ever dreamt of doing.

 

I was always such a timid, shy person.

 

I can still remember the words Pat Carson

(of 'Designs by Gloria & Pat')

spoke to me when she came to stay with us in 1994

and I had organised a special evening for her at Manuel's, Taupo.

 

I was so anxious, nervous and worried about having to introduce her.

She said, "You're a scared little bunny, aren't you?"

 

If my grandmother were alive today,

I do hope that she would be pleased and proud

of the person I have become

and of what I have done with the inheritance that she left to me.

 

She was such a confident, entrepreneurial lady.

 

More news in my next blog.

Blog #62 - Sampler Gathering 2017

Wednesday,  9 August 2017

As I wrote in my 2015 Sampler Gathering blog - a wonderful few days for sampler lovers

to get together with other sampler lovers to enjoy a shared interest

and to stitch their choice of one of three projects being taught.

 

Fabulous Venue   :   Fabulous Food   :   Fabulous Samplers

 

Awesome Tutors   :  Interesting Lectures

 

 

Mid afternoon of Thursday the 3rd of August Keith and I travelled to Taupo

and while Keith unloaded all the crates containing stock from the car

I began dressing the tables with props and cloths

and sorting out in my mind where and how I would set up the displays.

 

Layout of the room was quite different this year

due to a larger number of class attendees

which necessitated more teaching tables and less room for me.

 

However, it wasn't a concern as managed with several single tables

rather than a connected row of tables,

which in some ways was easier to display,

as able to create a theme for each table. 

 

Here are a few pics -

 

Several ladies allowed me to display their 'Family Quaker Sampler' -

our 2016 mystery sampler project - which I have written about before.

 

Sadly I messed up when I took the photo of Dorothy's lovely sampler.

(Didn't focus it properly).

 

My sincere apologies, Dorothy.

It truly is a lovely piece of work.

Below is a pic of the samplers by Fiona (Hamilton) and Sharon (Napier).

 

Each sampler is so different and therefore each one unique

and meaningful for each needleworker.

 

In addition to the choice of layout

and content of each sampler

and the choice of motifs,

it's amazing the difference

that the fabric and thread choices have also made. 

 

Both samplers shown above have been stitched with Sampler Threads

by 'The Gentle Art'.

 

Fiona's sampler (greens - Green With Envy)

has been stitched over two fabric threads

 

and Sharon's (turquoise/teals - Mediterranean Seas)

has been stitched over one fabric thread.

 

One of the many highlights during the weekend

was the lecture by Priscilla Lowry of Auckland,

who for seventeen years was the director of the Schuster Gallery in London,

has a degree in Medieval History from London University

and for many years has been a lecturer in all aspects of the history of silk,

art and medieval history in both the UK and NZ,

and who regularly holds exhibitions of her work.

 

There was a parade of exquisite hand-made jackets made by Priscilla.

 

Pictured is my friend, Joy, modelling one of Priscilla's beautiful pieces.

The jacket went home with her!

 

I especially love the Sunday mornings of this special weekend  -

"Show and Tell"

 

All sorts of samplers are shown.

 

Antiques   :   Reproductions   :   Own Designs

 

Truly stunning.

 

Next Sampler Gathering is to held in 2019.

 

Plan to be there.

 

I assure you that you will have a wonderful time!

 

 

Blog #61 - Snug As A Bug In A Rug

Saturday,  29 July 2017

Three years ago this month my mum passed away.

 

Our family had previously planned a weeks holiday together

but this had to be cancelled due to a funeral

and my being responsible for sorting out the family estate.

 

Somehow the family vacation never was rescheduled

and Keith and I had not taken a holiday together.

 

We finally made arrangements for a weeks vacation this month at Puka Park -

a secluded retreat amongst the bush at Pauanui Beach on the Coromandel Coast.



Pictured below is the resort restaurant, guests lounge, library, etc.

The day before we were due to leave for our holiday

bad weather affected the whole country - snow, wind and rain.

Woke on the day we were due to travel

to the Napier/Taupo highway still being closed with snow,

so too, the Desert Road with snow

and there had been a slip on the Gisborne/Whakatane highway

that closed that road.

 

All three quickest routes from the Hawkes Bay to our destination impassable

and no possibility of any of the routes being opened later in the day

and possibly not the next day either.

 

Late in the afternoon we decided to go the long way to our destination

and so travelled to Wanganui for a night

and the next day travelled from Wanganui to New Plymouth,

to Te Kuiti, to Hamilton, and then across to the Coromandel Coast.

 

A very LONG trip, finally arriving at our destination late afternoon.

 

But what a beautiful and peaceful location!

 

Our double chalet was nestled into the bush

and therefore very private and was very cosy.

When sitting in the lounge there was a view out to the beach/inlet.

Keith had a much needed rest - reading, sleeping and taking long walks

and I spent the days occasionally computer charting more alphabet letters

but mostly stitching.

We rearranged the furniture to accommodate me and my passion!

 

Here are a few pics of us -

me snuggled up in a blanket and doing what I love

 

and Keith resting.

I was tired of stitching alphabet letters

and so the piece I was working on was one of Gigi's designs.

A sampler reproduction.

Design Title:   Susie Pierce 1889

Designer:  GigiR

Design Code:  GR:SP

Design Price:   NZD 32.50

 One of the days Keith and I travelled to Whitianga for the day

to the home of Margaret - president of the local Embroidery Guild.

 

Margaret had arranged a special stitch day and luncheon

for myself and other ladies from Whitianga and Coromandel.

A lovely day.

Unfortunately I forgot to take photos.

 

It is a small world though.

 

Nearly 50 years earlier Margaret and I were bridesmaids together.

My lovely cousin, Kevin, married Margaret's equally lovely sister, Merrill.

Where have those years gone?!

Bride:  Merrill

Groom:  Kevin Pepperell

Bridesmaids:  Margaret Dawson & myself

Best Man:  Howard Martin

Groomsman:  Ken Stephenson

Junior Bridesmaid:  Sandrea Dulieu

Flowergirl:  Gillian Dulieu

 

Sandrea  &  Gillian  -  sisters

and cousins to Kevin and myself

 

Pepperell is a well-known Upper Hutt name.

 

Kevin is the son of Cliff & Vi Pepperell.

Cliff Pepperell Ltd  -  menswear store & later, womens too)

 

Sandrea & Gillian's parents owned and operated a sports shop in Upper Hutt

and my Mum & Dad owned and operated a taxi.
(Due to my Dad's war injuries he was not able to fulfil his dream of being a builder)

 

My mum was one of the first female taxi drivers in New Zealand.

I was seven years of age when she began driving.

Before doing this she used to do all the clothing alterations for Uncle Cliff's shop.

 

Today - Kevin & Merrill own and operate a fabulous café in Upper Hutt.

Café Blume  -  14 Main Street, Upper Hutt.

 

Kevin & Merrill do all the cooking and baking.

Food is delicious and café décor gorgeous!

 

One of my favourite roses

(and I have several in my garden)

is 'Margaret Merrill'.

 

I wonder why?!