Now I understood how embroidery can bring people together. We all left together on Friday afternoon in a small bus from the center of Bucharest, picking up the last participant ,who just landed in time, at Otopeni airport. The 4 hour drive to Viscri gave us the time to get to know each other.

We arrived around 7.30 pm in Viscri 125, just in time to find the women in the kitchen preparing us a delicious welcome dinner. Arriving in Viscri 125 is always as arriving at home for me.

After a good night sleep, and waking up with the sound of the cows going towards the field, we were ready for a creative weekend workshop.

weekend workshop - Romanian traditional embroidery.jpg

Romanian tradition keeps inspiring me. The motifs and the embroideries are such a rich source of inspiration. And these days a lot of fashion designers are being influenced by the beauty of this tradition. For sure you have even seen all the copies of the traditional vests or ia, the Romanian blouse, on the catwalks the last seasons.

Each region has its own colors, its own use of motifs, its own secret language. Little by little I find more information. Sometimes in an old bookshop you can find one or another book laying somewhere under the dust. Slowly you can see that Romanians start to get proud again of their heritage and new books find their way to the bookshop.

We studied different motifs, took out pen and paper and we were ready to start designing our own personal summer bag.

Being surrounded by nature, old costumes and staying in the amazing place Viscri 125 makes that we could find the patience to make one stitch after the other. We all did some embroidery when we were kids, and it was now even more beautiful to see how this is calming your mind.

It was very interesting to see how each of us would make a very personal interpretation, Small delicate and poetic embroideries for some, more bold designs for others. Reflecting each their own personality and inspiring each other.

We have been working intensively, concentrated and time was passing. Talking, listening to stories and creating new friendships.

The day started grey and rainy but by the time it was lunch we could enjoy to stay outside for the rest of the weekend, it was only in the evening after dinner that we continued working inside. Working till 11, 12 pm. Yes, we got addicted.

It is quite trendy these days to do handcraft works. I’ve seen it last year when we did the macrame during the Hygge workshop and the Christmas workshop, or the weaving with plants we did last year. In a time where we all are behind the computer, tablet or phone the whole day it is a welcoming change in our daily routine.

Walking around in Viscri, discovering what the locals make and having a limonade in a local cafe is a good break after working for long but creative hours.

When the sun goes down, the village goes to sleep. But we continued, stitch after stitch. The next morning we could admire each others work.

Everybody proud of the work they did, we are ready for summer to go to beach or wander around and discover a new city.

Lat year during the Hygge weekend I started dying the eggs with plants and vegetables. Why not trying it now with fabric. Tumeric is for sure the winner, it will dye everything, is very powerful. Red cabbage, red onians, hibiscus, coffee and more on the list to test.

A strong wind would dry our fabrics in no time.

Sunday was time to learn a bit more about Brancusi. A Romanian artist living in Paris but keeping his Romanian tradition. He was always dressed as a Romanain peasant and he would take the traditional motifs also as his inspiration. He is seen as the first modern sculptor, he has influenced a lot of other artists in his time.

So how to give a country side house a modern touch? By using neutral colors, add maybe a color touch and keep it simple.

Start making a project with making a floor plan, specially when the space is very small you need to see how everything fits in.

mood board of one of the participants- picture Sorin Iacob

Sonoro Musikland 2019 in fortified church of Viscri

And we finished our workshop by going to a Sonoro chambre music concert in the fortified church of Viscri.

We had an amazing weekend, hope the pictures will inspire you to do something with the Romanian traditional motifs, or with the traditions of the country you were born or live in. And maybe see you soon for another workshop.

Wish you a creative week.

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Last weekend in Viscri.