Magyar News, 2001. szeptember-2002. augusztus (12. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2002-07-01 / 11-12. szám

Hungarian

local fabric

It is always good to get a call from people who are involved in Hungarian matters. Joan Pastor, who at one time, was a great help publishing the Magyar News. Now she is part of an embroidery organization. It is the Fairfield County Chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America, that covers the United States, and was formed in 1973.

This chapter now has 65 members and meet on the 4th Monday of every month at the Westport Library.

ing me to the two day event. The first day Enikő gave a lecture, the second day a workshop.

So who is Enikő Farkas? She came from Hungary and never gave up her spirit of the homeland.

In 1956 the citizens of Hungary staged an uprising against their government, which was controlled by the Soviet Union after World War II. During the rebellion, which lasted for several weeks, Enikő Farkas was living in a Budapest apartment which she couldn't leave for fear of Soviet tanks in the neighborhood. Coping with weeks of boredom, frustration and fear, she began teaching herself the art of Hungarian embroidery.

After the revolution failed, and life returned to a normal pace, her interest in embroidery persisted. Embroidery was popular in Hungary, and it was possible to buy designs from vendors at open air markets. Using those patterns and knowledge gained from experienced embroiderers, she improved her skills while she was still working as a

Left: Joan Pastor introduces Mrs. Farkas. Below:A matyó embroidery is shown and explained

Enikő Farkas shows and talks about the beautiful Hungarian embroideries.

geologist technician.

Then, with a line of some strange events, Mrs. Farkas arrived to America. She neither spoke nor read English, and like many immigrants uprooted from their own countries, she grew homesick and lonesome. Feeling that the experiences she was undergoing as she adjusted to life in America were changing her very persona, she turned to embroidery in order to keep in touch with her former self and to maintain a psychological link to Hungary. Immersing herself in the history of Hungarian embroideries, she studied many of the styles practiced in earlier centuries and learned to work in all of the many regional embroidery styles of modem Hungary. Mrs. Farkas has designed a cor-The members come from Bridgeport, Milford, Fairfield, Westport, Norwalk, New Canaan Ridgefield and Weston. All stitchers, let them be beginners or in advanced stage. Basikly the group is organized for educating, therefore teaching all the needlearts.

They participate in school programs, and also make knitted and sewn hats for cancer patients in Norwalk hospital. Also it furnished the Chemotherapy ward with warm quilts for the patients.

Once a year the Embroider Guild has a National Teacher come for a Lecture and Workshop. This year the guest was Enikő Farkas, a Hungarian, from Ithica, New York. Enikő is a well known teacher of Hungarian Embroidery. She also has a unique collection in all areas of Hungarian embroidery. She is a member of the Coming New York Chapter of EGA, and teaches and lectures throughout New York state.

Now you understand why I was extremely happy to hear from Joan, invit-Page 6