Happy 1st Birthday Whangarei Community Tapestry!

One year ago today on the 10th April 

The Grand Opening Ceremony 

 officially commenced the birth of 

The Whangarei Community Tapestry.

A celebration of the first years progress was
held last night at The BACH with Whangarei 

Mayoress Sheryl Mai attending the festivities.

The Priests, who provided the fleeces for the wool

chatting with Mayoress Sheryl Mai in the centre.

 Jill Hartles kicked the evening off with a 

warm welcome and thanks to all for coming... 

Jill Ruddell (far right) one of the hostesses spoke briefly as well.

Tapestry Master, Beverley Compter shared a little about her role

and involvement over the year and thanked all concerned...

Sue Gillardspoke about her involvemen

t during the 12 months as well.

After singing "Happy Birthday"....

...it was time for chatting over nibbles as 

we mixed and mingled with each other.

 Councillor Sharon Morgan and Jill Hartles 

It was a lovely evening of celebrating.

Early April 2014....

On the 3rd of April Ange McLean came and worked

 on the Whangarei Community Tapestry for a bit.

 Ange is an art student at NorthTec and last 

time she did any weaving, it was at school!

***

Sunday 6th April 2014

This lovely family are from Brazil. The Vandeveld's are living 

and sailing around the world in a boat  called "Kanaloa"

From left to right:  Jacqueline, Jose (obscured) Eliza and Priscila.

 Priscilia having a go at tapestry weaving.

Niece Jacqueline did a row as well. Jose and Eliza said

 they would be back! It's so nice to meet travellers and talk to them 

about their journey and learn a little bit about their adventures.

Thank you for taking the time to stop and work on our tapestry.

***

We'll, we've been going almost a year now.

Here's a photo of where we'are at...

...and close up of the "Town Basin" (below)

Thanks to all who have contributed over the year!

The weekend 22/23 March 2014

Sorry about the delay in getting these photos loaded!

SATURDAY 22nd March:

 Gina Watt is from Onerahi and came in the
previous week to do some of the tapestry. Gina
enjoyed it so much she came back to do some more!

 Megan Bleech, 14 lives in Auckland and was
 up in Whangarei with family visiting a relative
 in hospital.That's her Dad standing on the left.

Megan worked on the tapestry for a while

so she must have quite enjoyed it...

SUNDAY 23rd March:

 Nikola Ilic (in front) is visiting New Zealand
from France. We hope you enjoy our
beautiful city here in Northland!

 Alyssa, 11 from Whangarei Heads 

has a go on one of the mini looms..

 ..while older sister. Marlies (14) 

works on the community tapestry.

 Bev is also from  Whangarei. She came in the previous

 week and enjoyed it so much she had to come back! 

 It was Bev's first time tapestry weaving and she said it 

was a nice, relaxing way to spend some of her day. 

She also thinks the community project is really inspirational.

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20 March 2014

Annie Hackett has enjoyed helping with tapestry so much

she has come back again - this was her fourth time!

Awesome - love it!

Friday 14th March 2014

 Maui Wipe, from Whangarei, thought the community

tapestry was wonderful. It's always good to see men 

having a go at tapestry weaving as it's not just 

something for the women. Historically, it was the men 

who did the weaving, while the women spun the yarn

 (and probably and tale or two!)

 Danielle Fryer, Maui's partner worked on the letter E 

***

 Karel Novackova takes a photo

of his wife working on the tapestry.

Veronika and Karel are from Czech Republic. 

 In the background are other visitors come to look at the tapestry.

***

Also to have a go at tapestry weaving was Tania Langen.

Thank you too each one of you for being part of the 

Whangarei Community Tapestry Project!

***

Saturday 8th March 2014

The boat sheds are almost finished....

....and work has started on the girl!

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 Sisters, Freya and Maddie Doherty.

They live in Onerahi, Whangarei 

and were in town for the day. 

 Maddie (front) is 15 and Freya, 10 years old.

 Freya liked working on the tapestry.

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 Moana (left) is a local, her friend Helen (right) 

was up visiting from Auckland.

 Moana thought the tapestry was beautiful!

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 Naoko had a lovely display of the 

green wool for all to admire!

 The many different shades are all hand-dyed by Beverley Compter.

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 Joan Robertson (in red) listens as Naoko shows her how 

to weave while Hugh, her husband of 68 years watches.

 Joan is 93 years young and is sight-impaired.

Her husband, Hugh is 95. They live at Jane Mander 

Retirement Village and were out and about with

 their niece.  Thanks for taking part Joan!

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 Joanna Gilby has a go at tapestry weaving while her Mum

chats to Naoko about the Community Project.

 Joanne is 12 and lives in Tauranga though her 

Mum is originally from Whangarei. They were up 

visiting Joanne's Great-Grandma.

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 Zak Rogers (left) takes instruction from Naoko while his 

cousin Callum works at the other end of the tapestry.

 Callum (15) is a local and lives in Kamo

 His cousin Zak (14) lives in South Auckland

but up in Whangarei visiting for the weekend.

Thanks for your participation, guys!

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 Sae Morishima, from Japan weaves a few rows

while host-mum Nora Elson-White looks on.

 Sae is a Japanese Art Student at NorthTec.

Nora worked with Jackie and Jill at NorthTec in the 90's

It was Sae's last day in New Zealand 

and she liked working on the tapestry.

  Candy, from China is also an international

 student at NorthTec and staying with 

host-mum Nora Elson-White in Whangarei.

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