I am just back from an awesome trip to Nepal with Sew Many Places and, as this blog is published, I am heading off to Houston for Quilt Market (and still jet-lagged). Yes, it can at times be quite tiring but the best part of my job is the wonderful people I meet along the way. I don’t have time to write much today but I just wanted to tell you a quick story about one of the ladies on my Nepal trip. I promise that next week I’ll tell you more about Nepal and, also, Houston.
I met Barbara Suess several years ago. Barbara is an expert on Japanese Temari. Temari is an ancient Japanese folk craft which came from the desire to entertain children with an embroidered toy thread ball. I have had Barbara to the Studio to teach and have carried her books. The designs are beautiful!
Well, Barbara was on the trip to Nepal and brought along a bag of Temari balls she and some of her students had made. Barbara was graciously giving these balls away. One day, we were at a cooperative where local woman worked on crafts for sale (more on this next week) and Barbara gave her one of the Temari balls. The woman put it in her hair and proudly wore it for the day.
Despite language and cultural differences, it was special to see these two women, who love to create things of beauty by hand, share this moment.
Enjoyed meeting you today Jenny at the shop hop, and so excited to hear about your trip to nepal! Enjoying these photos of these lovely people that have had to live with so much destruction! I forgot to mention some special ladies in Katmandu that work on beautiful necklaces ..blessed hope nepal… Since seeing this photo just wondered if you ran into these sweet ladies that craeate beautiful beaded neclaces? Linda
I didn’t meet those ladies, but met others who were making beaded jewelry. Great people in that country!