A trip to Wellington for my appointment with the Eye Specialist gave me the opportunity to walk down the road a little way to visit Nancy’s Embroidery Shop. Started by Nancy Robb, the business has been open for 43 years. For those of us who have been around for a while, the shop used to be situated on the ground floor of the iconic James Smiths Department store. I can remember having a look through the shop when I started work in Wellington in 1960. In those long ago days, as a teenager the only sewing I did was to make new dresses with full skirts to wear over my stiff petticoats to the Saturday evening dances in the Lower Hutt Town Hall. Those were the days!
Nancy’s is now owned by Mary Self, and is situated in Thorndon Quay, Wellington. As the name suggests, the shop offers a wide range of embroidery threads and kitsets. There is a good range of patchwork fabric, patterns, kits, and magazines, as well as haberdashery lines. I had a good browse through the fabric, but being the world’s best procrastinator, couldn’t decide what to buy. I finally chose a New Zealand designed appliqué pattern featuring native flowers.
Nancy’s also offer many classes, featuring all the various types of embroidery. I have to admit that my skill level in fine embroidery is almost non existent, as my tastes run to red work and candle-wicking. Patchwork and knitting classes are also offered. Well worth a trip if you are visiting Wellington, to check out Wellington’s specialist embroidery shop.
And just to touch on my reason for being in the area, my appointment went well, and the specialist is pleased with my eye. A couple of years ago I suffered from a detached retina and I was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation. “We take eyes just as seriously as hearts”, I was told. I didn’t realise what the trouble was with my eye at the time, so I urge any one who experiences what appears to be a grey cloud coming down (or across) your vision to seek help straight away. I was told that if the tear in my retina had ripped right across, my eyesight would not be able to be saved. That would certainly affect my sewing, wouldn’t it.
2 comments:
Good news about your eye I'm pleased to hear Jenny, and I love the look of that shop - another for the "next time" list!
Hi Lis
We are very lucky with the number of quilt shops we have here in the Wellington region. There is a fairly new one that I haven't been to yet, so watch this space....
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