Valerie Hearder on the art and soul of quilting

Visiting the Winterveldt

 

We are in South Africa and visiting the wonderful embroiderers of the Mapula Embroidery Group in the Winterveld . Mapula means Mother of Rain. We love visiting the Mapula ladies with our tour group. I've known these ladies for the past 10 years when I was importing their goods through my business African Threads. Their embroidered tapestries are highly collectible and noteables from Queen Elizabeth to Obama have pieces.  If you want to add a piece to your collection, I can help you find a piece directly from the group. You can lean a bit more the embroiderers here.

Off to South Africa again!

I'm working flat out to get my To-Do list clear, packing, re-packing and getting more excited about leading my 4th tour to South Africa. We leave next week to spend a month in South Africa. Aside from deciding which cool clothes to take, I'm taking bags of donated embroidery threads and reading glasses/magnifiers. We share these with the various women's craft groups and AIDS Centre we visit on our journey. Thanks to so many who donated threads and glasses for me to take, they are so appreciated by the women we visit.

One grandmother who received a pair of reading glasses said it changed her life. She'd had to stop sewing because of poor eyesight, and that was the only income for her family of 10 she was supporting. Now, with those magnifier glasses, that cost under $10, she was able to start sewing again. This meant food on the table. The glasses were the thin divide between dire poverty and making ends meet.

I have a group of interesting people who are coming with me: quilters, teachers, two chocolatiers, a women's rights advocate, researcher and writers. It is a thrill and an honour to show people around the country that I love so much. We're going to see so many things beside visiting the textile groups. If you're interested in joining the group coming next year, please check out www.africanthreads.ca

Keep in touch with me on Facebook and this blog. I hope to post pics on the road in South Africa.