Emotional embroidery wins
A piece of embroidery originally created as a gift to an inspiring teacher is also a prize winner.
Rosalia Lyons created the piece to give to her embroidery teacher Glenis Reynolds as a thank you for teaching her the art, as the Upper Hutt Embroiderers Guild run classes for young people once a fortnight at the Wesley Centre on Benzie Ave.
Reynolds was able to enjoy the gift for about a month before dying of leukemia in January of this year.
She had asked that it was gifted back to the Heretaunga College student who then entered the piece in the biennial Association of New Zealand Embroiderers’ Guilds conference in Auckland, which ran from July 14-21.
The needlework took the 14-year-old 15 months to create and won her first prize in the 13 to 18-year-old category.
There were challenges with making the piece as the glittery gold thread would fray.
The Wallaceville resident said her mum sent her to the classes, which she has been doing for four years.
She said the joy of completing something was what kept her interested.
Lyons said she had two items she wanted to make with her prize- a Bernina sewing machine.
‘‘My friend bought me a dress so I want to make her one.’’
The year 10 student also wanted to make herself a ball dress for her Year 12 ball.
Another embroidery classmate, Grace Tilley, won a merit award at the conference for her freestyle stitching.