Berta stands and teaches. " My English is not the best so my teaching is speaking with hands too."
The students were eager to learn more about this delicate technique.
"I like to share as I've won so many awards with Oya attached to my bears, which brings attention to not only the bears, but also to the Oya lace flowers my bears were wearing," Berta said. |
One of the best-known and most innovative designers of crochet today, Berta Hesen-Minten, made a weeks stop in Chicago in August, to teach the first class on old-world needle lace technique called Oya Lace. The day she arrived, Chicago was experiencing some of the worst thunder storms ever!
"I received several requests to teach Oya, and I thought our trip to USA would be great to combine with teaching an Oya work-shop." said Berta
Using nothing more than a sewing needle and silk threads, Berta designed this unique corsage pin for a small group of Thread Animals’ Online Group members, who flew into Chicago from all over North America to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. All were successful in learning the stitch, although not all attendees finished their corsage before the day was over.
Almost every student brought lights with magnifiers, "we were not taking any chances of wasting precious minutes of this day with Berta, by having to unraveling knots!" said Bobbie.
Day one passed with loads of laughter, good food and renewed friendships with friends we’d previously known online through online chatting.
Day two was Bobbie’s turn to teach; a needle felted panda called Roly Poly.
Our second workshop day was capped by a pajama party, during which Don (Bobbie's husband) was banished to their son’s home. Bobbie was the first party pooper, heading to bed at the stroke of midnight. Fairies and elves came in during the night and straightened up the dining room table and kitchen!
On the third day all the gals made a quick getaway to a few of Bobbie’s favorite places; a wonderful bead shop, and a Chicago favorite – Portillo’s Beef for lunch.
"A good time was had by all and when Berta and her husband Leo return in two years, we may plan another ‘Retreat!" said Bobbie.
Berta Hesen-Minten
ThreadTeds
Member since March 2005
Bobbie Rippenger
Creative Design Studio
Member Since May 2005
The ThReAdTeDs Oya Guide© used in the workshop is now available for everyone who is interested to learn this technique.
Contact Berta at threadteds@xs4all.nl |
The group photograph where they proudly wore the signed t-shirts. (Top) Donna Armstrong, Bobbie Ripperger, Debbie Nicolas, Berta Hesen-Minten (sitting) Rebecca Alcorn, Therese Preece, Tammy Martin, Deanna Kiel.
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Debbie Nicholas, Berta and Bobbie in the kitchen waiting for the corn to cook in the steamer.
One of Don's early morning stops, before picking up our students,
was at the Farmer's Market. Tammy Martin declared herself an
expert corn shucker. She is indeed: there was not a single strand of
silk left between the kernel rows!
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Berta NEVER had eaten corn on the cob before this day.
She declared that it was "very, very good!"
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3428 Hillvale Road 
