Mid-March 2015

Sorry for my absence.. I had surgery in February, hence the lack of updates.

 Here's a few recent photos of our tapestry project and a newspaper clipping with the story behind an amazing cake presented to the Tapestry Committee Members by Diana Johnson from the Whangarei Cake Decorators Guild. Click on the article below to enlarge....

(edit to apologize for the small font of the print. I will scan 

the newspaper article clipping for easier reading shortly!)

 

Thank you to the Whangarei Cake Decorators Guild

for choosing The Whangarei Tapestry Team to 

receive The GOOD SORTS Cake Award !

Some photos of where we are at...

 Some close-up pics...

 ..of the left-hand side of the tapestry..

 the center...

and the right hand side.

January 2015

With many visitors in the area and the festive season behind us 

it's time to "dust off" the camera and get "clicking" again.

 Our hostesses have taken a much needed and deserving break

over the New Year so there's been a lot of viewing but no partaking

in the Whangarei Community Tapestry Project for a couple of weeks.

We rely on our hostesses to oversee the project as well as explain
how to weave with the correct weft tension. The weft is the yarn
that is woven in and out of the warps (vertical threads)

It was very fortunate for visiting English weaver Hilary O'Connell,
co-editor of Woven Art and member of The British Tapestry Group.
 She was thrilled to see the Whangarei Community Tapestry Project
 and it was seeing an article about it in the Northland Art Trail
brochure that brought them here to visit Whangarei. Weaving
hosts, Nancy and Jill were here to talk to Hilary about the project.

Annie another of a regular volunteering hosts talks with
Jonas while his friend, Shelly works on the tapestry.

 

Shelly and Jonas are from Germany.

Helen Wilson (seated) from Devonport,
Auckland was fascinated to see another
community tapestry project on the go.

Apparently the new library in Devonport
has a tapestry being made as well. Helen used to live in
 Whangarei and was a teacher at Maunatapere School.
Standing by Helen is Jill Purdom from Northcote.
She was here in Whangarei visiting a friend who had
just relocated from Auckland.

 Rebecca and Steve are from Southern Oregon,
 and  travelling around New Zealand on holiday.

Naoko oversees Rebecca's technique
while she has a turn at weaving.

We are so grateful to all those who have a go at
 weaving. Thanks for contributing to the
Whangarei Community Tapestry Project.

Saturday 27th December 2014 photos

Here's an update of where were at, at the end of 2014:

The Letter N in WHANGAREI is almost completed and

 the boats above OUR PLACE are being worked on.

The water is a wonderful blend 

of many shades of blue wool...

..and work has commenced on the sun's reflection

on the water. An exciting mix of yellow and gold

gives the sun's "glow"  radiance and glimmer.

A closeup of the boats on the water..

..and a photo showing the detail of the sun's reflection.

On Christmas Eve we had a returning visitor from the UK.

Catherine Davis had first seen our tapestry in May 2013.

It was fabulous that she made a point of
calling in again to see the progress!

The weekend after Christmas brought in many

 travellers in the area who were out and about

visiting the Town Basin in Whangarei.

Xan Guiness from Mt. Maunganui 

was up visiting his Grandmother.

Ruth Merriman (above) from Hamilton was up

visiting Whangarei before heading North to Kaitaia.

Below, Naoko shows Ros Morrison, from Devon, 

Torquay in England the technique of weaving.

Ros looks stunningly-summery in a locally made

sunhat purchased here at The Bach, Town Basin.

Ros has travelled to New Zealand for Xan's wedding

to fiancee, Sarah (third from left) Sarah's Dad, Brian

(far left) joined the happy couple for the day's outing.

Naoko shows Sarah who to weave

Sarah; the "bride-to-be" stops to smile for the camera!

Angelique, from Auckland is 

originally from the Philippians.

She has been living and working in Auckland for 8 years.

Angelique said she was on holiday with her Mum, Men 

(seated, below) who lives in Pakuranga, Auckland.

They both enjoyed their weaving experience.

Vivian Xu (above) from China is studying 

Human Resource Management in Hamilton 

and visiting the North while on study-leave.

John David (left) and Mum, Leyda are from Auckland. 

They have been there for 3 years, originally from the 

Philippians and have been on holiday up North. 

John David and his Mum enjoyed Christmas in the

 Bay Of Islands and were on their way back home.

Thanks for stopping in to The Bach and working

 on The Whangarei Community Tapestry with us. 

Thanks for being part of the project!

December 2014 update

Well, the tapestry is roaring along and so is the year...

Christmas is nearly upon us! 

Here's a few photos of where we are up to...

Isn't it looking FANTASTIC!!

A close up of the OUR PLACE lettering...

..and we've reached the top of the mountain!

Working on the letter N now...

Another update coming soon!

Mid-November 2014 Update...

Over the month of October 2014 

work continued on the mountain ...

 ...but also on the wording "Our Place"

We didn't have many people from the 

community  working on the Tapestry and

 Naoko, our Assistant Master Weaver took a

 break from hosting while visiting her family 

in Japan. We sure did miss her though!

Host Ellie shows Holly Baker Herenmia 

 from Hikurangi how to weave on one of the 

coloured blocks on the right-hand side.

 Holly mastering the "art" of weaving..

...look like she's really enjoying it too!

~000~

Ellie with Lynne Banton

 from Headland Farm Park 

Lynne said "I loved to be able to add to

 our local tapestry project. I really

 enjoyed putting in my few stitches!

November 2014 heralded in some warmer

weather and more visitors stopping into

The Bach to view the Community Tapestry.

 We are almost at the top of the mountain!

 Naoko working on the letter P of "Our Place"

Ray Morrisey from Nelson visiting 

the North while on holiday with his son.

Ray with son, 10 year old Ruben Morrisey-Trill. 

Ray Morrisey points to the area

 on the painting that he wove.

 

 

Maria Martin from Dublin came to New Zealand

to visit Alison Sullivan who now lives in Kamo, 

but originally lived in Dublin, Ireland too.

Naoko explains to Pamela Carmichael, who used to live 

in Whangarei 10 years ago, how to weave on the tapestry.

Pamela and her husband now live in Taupo and she is up

in Whangarei visiting her friend Deb Thornton (standing

 on the right) who has just relocated from Taupo.

 Weaving tension is really important. We are very grateful

 to all our volunteering hosts who come in each day

 to assist the community with the tapestry project!

Maureen Excell (front) from Gravesend in Kent, England

is here visiting her daughter Jan Christian from Maungatapere.

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by The Bach to see

the Whangarei Community Tapestry Project and many 

thanks to all who have worked on the tapestry so far. 

We couldn't do it without you!