‘Age and education are unimportant to us – all of us are on familiar terms,’ says Małgorzata Tomaszewska, one of the initiators of workshops. She adds that it is important what the participants bring in and what they want to show to others. ‘But please don’t call me the boss, because each of us is actually a boss and an expert in something. For instance, Jadzia is an expert in paper wicker, Danusia specialises in quilling, and I’m knowledgeable about tatting. We learn from one another, and we share what we have found on websites or in various handicraft magazines,’ says Tomaszewska, whom everybody calls simply ‘Małgosia’.
They want to spread their passion to others
The ladies meet every two weeks on Fridays, from 4:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m. The place of their meetings is the Branch no. 10 of the Municipal Public Library at ul. Jelenia 7. ‘We inaugurated Workshops of Ladies with Creative Fantasy in October – the idea was actually originated by our two senior readers: Małgosia Tomaszewska and Jadzia Petlic,’ says Anna Tomaszewicz, the manager of the library. They also participated in ‘Seniorzy dzieciom’ (From Senior Citizens to Children) campaign under the Third Sector, i.e. the Wroclaw Centre for the Support of Non-Governmental Organisations.
Jadwiga Petlic: ‘We taught small children, for example, how to make various wonders from paper. They were thrilled and showed much interest in these works. They were very happy that they could make a decoration by themselves and then take it home and show it to their parents.’
‘Once we used to spend much more time at home doing needlework. ‘It was from my mother that I learned most of the things that I can do today,’ says Małgosia. ‘I sewed a lot, I knitted, I crocheted – mainly to have something to put on, to use at home, or sometimes to give to someone. Today, unfortunately, these skills are vanishing. It’s too bad that this tradition is not passed on.’
‘For us, this is not only an exchange of experiences, but also an opportunity to meet and talk to other women who have similar artistic interests and have kept their works in the sock drawer so far. Here, they can count on full understanding and genuine admiration,’ adds Jadwiga, whose works have already been exhibited a few times. Her needlework pictures can be watched in the Dwie Listwy Gallery, which is located in the library, till the end of December.
The workshops are addressed mainly to other senior women. ‘Our meetings are open and free of charge,’ says Anna Tomaszewicz. ‘Everybody can come if they want to, regardless of their sex and age. Gentlemen with creative fantasy are welcome, too!’
Friendly and creative atmosphere
‘I can’t handle the shuttle properly yet. I’ve got the last thin thread, does anyone want it? You can make it from a basic shape, I’ll show you this. Teach me how to wrap rolls,’ such conversations can often be heard during workshops because the women are willing to share their talent and skills. They reveal the methods of performing a given work without any restraint.
‘You could say anything about these workshops, but there's one thing for sure: these ladies don't work in silence,’ laughs the library manager. ‘It’s incredible that these meetings bring so much joy to us.’
Danuta Janus learned about the workshops during the celebration of the Senior Days. ‘I read in the programme that such activities are organised, so I came along with my friend Basia, and I brought also Bogusia to the subsequent meeting. Today I’m also with my 8-year-old granddaughter Hania, who learns how to make the basic shape for quilling. Danuta stresses that she became enchanted with the friendly atmosphere of the workshops from the very beginning.
‘We have even homework to do,’ laughs the participant. ‘Oh, for example, Aldona has come today for the first time. She showed us how to make beautiful Christmas balls from a foamed polystyrene ball and a decorative band. I must try this at home!’
Learning to make a 'quilling' agent It is not a waste of time for us
All the things that they bring to show them during workshops are small works of art. It must have taken a lot of time to make them. Among these works there is a paper wicker Christmas tree, Christmas decorations made with the use of the quilling technique (strips of paper rolled into coils of various shapes and sizes), tatting angels (tatting is a kind of lace of linen thread) or incredible pictures with cross stitch embroidery. ‘We do this on evenings or at another spare time. It is not a waste of time for us – we can even burn the midnight oil to finish something beautiful,’ state Ladies with Creative Fantasy together.
Two hours of the meeting have passed instantly. The ladies tidy up their workplace and eventually exchange their phone numbers and e-mail addresses. The manager of the library, who is taking photographs during the workshop, informs us that they will be available on the Facebook page of the library.
’At the workshop in January, I’ll show you how to plait paper wicker baskets,’ announces Jadwiga. ‘So I’ll certainly be there!’ declares Danuta’s granddaughter, the youngest participant in the workshop.
Some of the ladies are still professionally active, whereas others take care of their grandchildren, but all of them have a lot of work to do every day. A retired architect, a HR department employee, a designer, an accountant or a housewife. They live in different parts of Wroclaw and outside it. All of them, however, have a common passion that they love to share.
Text and photographs by Iwona Szajner
