Pearce-ingtogether needle

Pearce-ing together NEEDLE AND THREAD

How do you amuse a sick seven year old when there is no television, no mobile phone loaded with games and no internet? You teach her to embroider, ofcourse!

“Fancy workwe called it,” says Julie Pearce, who clearly recalls the bout ofpneumonia which laid herlow for several weeks in 1949.

“My mother relieved my boredom by teachingme needleworkand it’s been a bigpart ofmy life ever since.”

Today, Julie’s home is a showcase ofintricate and beautifully crafted cross stitch artworks which first time visitors often mistake for paintings.

Her artfully framed ladies in elegant eveningdress are quite breathtakingbut add to that her series on flowers, hats, horses, stiletto shoes, farm scenes and much more, then the extent ofher skill –and patience –becomes obvious.

While some items reflect her own personal taste, some cater for the interest offamily members –especially her grandchildren –and some are works oflove for others. At present she is workingon a blanket made up of30 squares, each containinga beautiful image ofa bird, animal, flowers or specific scene. has started the blanket. She has completed two rows but is too ill to finish the project. Unfortunately, I don’t have a pattern to workfrom, just a picture so I have go forward quite carefully. But, I believe it will be rather beautiful when finished.”

On castingan eye over the vast number ofworks Julie has completed it would seem she has time for little else. But this energetic Papakura senior doesn’t sit still for long. Apart from embroidery –“I sew and knit too” –Julie is a member oftwo embroidery guilds (Counties and East Auckland) a Probus club and a luncheon club.

However, it is the needlework which keeps her particularly busy especially now as she prepares for an upcomingdisplay in Howick.

“I’m just decidingwhat new pieces to enter and while I do some hardanger and a little leskara lace embroidery, I much prefer cross stitch although seeingthe work ofothers always stimulates new ideas. That means I’m unlikely to stop stitchingany time soon.”

The East Auckland Embroiderers’ Guild is hosting a major public exhibition at the Malcolm Smith Gallery, Uxbridge Arts and Culture in Howick from September 3-7. It will showcase a wide range of embroidery styles including some of Julie’s work.