Crochet with Jenny King

This morning I did a class with the lovely Jenny King. I had bought a kit from Jenny at the last craft show and the instructions were a little more complicated that I had envisioned. Apparently there were several misprints so it wasn't me!!
Jenny is a lovely relaxed teacher and not only did she show me how to crochet the Thai flowers that I had been wanting to learn she also showed me how to do Bavarian crochet. Thanks Jenny I had a really lovely time with you!

Hong Kong Day 12

Today is the last day of our trip before flying home tonight! We lugged our bags down to the foyer of the Helena May and said goodbye to Anna and some of the other staff. Taxis transported us down to the IFC to the airport check in so that we could have a day free of suitcases. My bag was 8 kgs over the required weight but they let me through with out any problem so I was happy! We then went to the ferry terminal and checked our hand luggage into the lockers for the day. All ready to go we set off by bus up to The Peak and to Chris Halls' appartment. Chris has the largest Asian Textile collection in the world. He is a lovely eccentric man and we were there for nearly 3 hours. His home is like a museum and there are antique pieces everywhere.
On leaving Chris' we went to the Wet Markets. What a fantastic place! Fresh food and vegetables everywhere. I wouldn't eat the meat as it is hanging 'out there' unrefrigerated but the fruit and veg and eggs and flowers looked great. Also visited another market which supplied everything needed for the theatre. Great if you need a severed bloody arm?!
After that we went to gu's Embroidery shop again. It is the most marvelous shop. All of the embroideries are done with a single strand of silk thread onto shear silk. The back of the work is identical to the front.
We then caught the ferry and headed to Discovery Bay. The late afternoon and evening were spent upon Suzies' houseboat. Many westerners live on boats in the harbour at Discovery Bay. They are extremely luxurious and lack for nothing! 3 stories of luxury! Suzie had dinner prepared for us (or her house help did) and we enjoyed a relaxing evening watching the fireworks from Hong Kong Disneyland until it was time to go to the airport.
Off to the airport by bus and in plenty of time to get ready for our flight home to Australia.
A really fantastic trip but so glad to be home and to see the sunny blue skies of Queensland instead of the hazey smog. Still, I would go again in a heart beat!

Hong Kong Days 10 & 11

This morning we had some free time after our trip to China. We decided to visit the Post Office to send some things back home since our purchases were quite heavy. We met at Di Vinos for lunch and then headed off for our final book binding class. Many of the girls had finished their embroideries to mount onto the front of their books but I had decided to bind mine with chinese brocade and to finish the dragonfly embroidery at my leisure. The class went all afternoon and so we met again for dinner at Jaspers in Soho. The evening was spent shopping again in Soho were Jan and I visited the Gu Embroidery shop and made a few purchases.
The next day we travelled to Sham Shui Po by MTR to shop for beads, braids, laces and buttons. It really is a fantastic place with so much to buy with regards to craft. We spent the whole day shopping there and by the time we got back to the Helena May I really needed some time on my own. I went for a walk through Hong Kong Park which is just lovely at night and completely safe. I had a coffee at Pacific Place and after phoning home I headed back to the Helena May ready to tackle the packing for our flight home the following night.

China Day 8 & 9

This morning we left for Shenzhen in Southern China by limousine for 2 very "full on" days of shopping. We checked into the Century Plaza Hotel and then walked a short distance to the multi storied Lo Wu Centre. Five stories of 'shop till you drop' bags, watches, pearls, fabric, tailors, and so much more.
The same evening we had dinner in the hotel restaurant were we were treated to Peking Duck and Dancing Prawns. The food was fantastic and we had a private room. Whenever the waiters brought in more food there were Chinese people peeping through the door to watch us laughing and talking. They probably didn't know what to make of us!
The next day was shopping again until nearly 6pm where we were picked up once again by limousine and taken back to Hong Kong. It was like coming home and just lovely to be back at the Helena May once again!

Hong Kong day 6 & 7

The day began with a wonderful demonstration of trimming a cheungsam done by Nikki's Cifu. The Cifu is a master of his craft and this interesting man is one of the very last masters of his craft in Hong Kong and China. He is 67 years old and has been crafting these beautiful dresses since he was 13 years old. He worked on an old Singer treadle sewing machine with absolute ease and perfection!
Following the demonstration we had lunch in a Chinese restuarant. we were the only westerners in the restaurant and the meal was just devine and very traditional. Cifu joined us for lunch and was much amused by 10 women chatting and laughing.
The afternoon was another hands on demonstration of the beautiful chinese buttons to go on the cheungsam. It was very difficult to master in a short time and in the end I just preferred to watch the young girl and her swift fingers. I bought one of her beautiful buttons and am going to stitch it onto shear silk and have it framed. It is an orange blossom.
The same afternoon we went to the Man Mo Temple and to the Cat Markets were there are some fabulous antiques. In the evening we went on a Hong Kong Harbour cruise. It was fantastic! The lights of the buildings on the harbour were spectacular.
The following day we went to Repulse Bay for another textile talk and shopping at the Stanley Markets. It was a fun day and hot and sunny. I think we could almost see the blue sky through the smog for a change!
A quiet evening where Jan and I went to Pacific Place for coffe and icecream.

Hong Kong Days 3, 4 & 5

I just love Hong Kong! On day 3 we went to the beautiful Nan Lian Gardens to visit the last wooden temple in Hong Kong. There was also a wonderful exhibition on at the gardens of Guizhou Ethnic Baby Carrier Art. Just stunning! Girls would embroider these baby carriers for their future children learning these amazing skills from their elders at a tender age. The baby carriers are then used to carry their small children when they go to markets or visit friends.
After lunch we headed to Louise for the first class in book binding. We would finish the books the following week and so I will post a photo at a later date.
That evening we went to Therese Colemans' studio for a talk on antique textiles and to view her collection. Therese supplies mueums all over the world and the textiles she had to show us were fabulous!
On Day 4 we had a lovely morning with an American expat Emily who taught us how to make a Calla Lily using Chinese knots. It was a lovely relaxing class and great to come away with a finished article. The afternoon was free and so spent SHOPPING!
Day 5 began with a trip to the pearl markets which was an Aladins Cave of gems and precious stones as well as pearls! After our purchases we went to the home of Jamilla for a pearl stringing class. Another finished project and something to wear as well!
Back then to Shen Wa for a talk on weaving looms and of course more textiles!

Hong Kong Days 1 & 2

We arrived in Hong Kong after an overnight flight crammed into economy class on Cathay Pacific. Any other time I would have gone straight to bed but I was so excited and Hong Kong just overwhelmed me! I don't think that the city ever sleeps. It is just so vibrant and alive!

We were shown around the very elegant Helena May Ladies Club when we arrived and unpacked. It is a beautiful old colonial building and we were very lucky to be staying there as you have to be a member of this very private club. Nikki Delport Wepener, one of our tour guides and embroidery teacher, is a member and hence she organised our stay. After a welcome meeting some of us went for a walk through Hong Kong Park to the Tea Ware Museum, another old colonial building, Flagstaff House. This was the home of the Commander of British forces in Hong Kong until 1978. There we saw a demonstration of tea making and various tea sets from the Song (960 AD) to the Ming (1664 AD) dynasties.

The same afternoon we all went to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for high tea. What a fantastic experience! Such elegance and opulence!

Still really excited we went back to the Helena May for a quiet evening. We had to get ready for our second day which was to be a quiet day of classes.

The second morning in Hong Kong we began our first embroidery class with Nikki. It was dragonflies embroidered on dupion silk. Some of the ladies were to finish the embroidery and use it as the cover for the address book we were to make in our book binding class the following week. I chose not to do this as I didn't want to feel pressured in to finishing something in a hurry.

After lunch at the Helena May we had a tassel making class with a lady called Lyn, an English expat. It was a fun class and great to have something finished at the end of the lesson.

That evening we caught the tram up to The Peak which is high above Hong Kong. The views are fantastic and I had to overcome my fear of heights. We had dinner up there at a lovely restaurant and sat outside in a court yard amongst the fairy lights.

Hong Kong Textile Trip

I am home after the most fantastic fabulous trip ever!! I saw so many amazing things. Private textile collections, antique textiles in fabulous shops in Hong Kong, private talks and classes with experts in their field. I learned how to string pearls, cover and bind a book using chinese brocade, chinese knotting, tassel making, and an embroidery class with Nikki Delport Wepener. As well we went to shopping markets not only for clothes and bags but also for pearls, jade, beads, trims, fabric and laces. I loved everything about the trip!

Textile Tour Begins Tomorrow!!

I fly out to Hong Kong this time tomorrow night! Myself and 8 other keen embroiderers will embark on a textile tour of Hong Kong and Southern China. We arrive in Hong Kong on Monday morning and after unpacking head off to a traditional tea ceremony. It will follow in the afternoon by a High Tea and a quiet evening ready for a "full on" program of embroidery classes, visiting private antique textile collections, market shopping, harbour cruising and lots more. Will be doing a class with Nikki Delport Wepener as she is one of the tour organisers. I have done classes with Nikki before at Koala Conventions. I am feeling very excited. Almost packed! I wont be posting again until I get back in 2 weeks.