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For anyone wanting to add everlasting interest to their home, you can’t look past velvet! This is a fabric that’s as rich in textile history as it is in texture with incredible durability that may surprise you.
Velvet fabric fuses a historical sense of luxury and indulgence with a plush, … View moreFor anyone wanting to add everlasting interest to their home, you can’t look past velvet! This is a fabric that’s as rich in textile history as it is in texture with incredible durability that may surprise you.
Velvet fabric fuses a historical sense of luxury and indulgence with a plush, practical comfort that has a timeless style, sure to outlast any momentary design trends. With its silky sheen and rich colours, velvet holds a specific seductive quality that no eye for elegance can resist the allure of.
For a fabric that feels like a soft, buttery hug the unique piles have a hard-wearing quality that will ensure your velvet curtains, cushions or furniture will continue to be loud and daring or subtly sophisticated for years to come.
History of Velvet
The history of velvet is one of luxury and meticulous construction. It is believed the material was first introduced in Baghdad around 750 A.D. The original velvet material was made from silk and therefore naturally reserved for royalty and other notably wealthy classes that could afford the exorbitant cost.
Velvet eventually travelled to Europe on the Silk Road and gained popularity during the Renaissance. At the same time, new loom technology lowered the production costs and therefore widened the availability to fabric lovers of all classes. Fast-forward to the 21st century and velvet fabric can be found in almost every home, transcending and outlasting interior trends to suit any home decor for years on end.
How is Velvet Made?
Velvet is made in a very unique way. It is woven on a double piece loom that makes two pieces of fabric simultaneously with the velvet pile encased in the middle. It is then separated, creating the three-dimensional texture velvet is known for.
While the first velvets were made from silk, more recent adaptations in the production process means velvets can now be made from natural or synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon, viscose, or rayon.
Classic plain velvet will then be sheared to ensure the pile is a consistent length and often brushed while moist to achieve a nice uniform grain across the fabric. If the fabric is destined to boast a pattern, at this point in the process it will be crushed, embossed or snipped to different lengths to ensure this pattern is part of the pile’s identity for the life of the fabric.
Velvet is then dyed to produce amazing, rich colours that are accentuated by the three-dimensional texture.
Durability of Velvet
Due to the aura of luxury surrounding velvet and the fact that it was originally made from silk, there’s a preconception that it’s delicate and requires gentle, loving care to stay pristine. We’re here to set the record straight!
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
Dear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for asparagus recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz before August 21, 2022.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Vegetable … View moreDear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for asparagus recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz before August 21, 2022.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Vegetable Growing Made Easy.
Maths Week is a week-long celebration of all things maths! ?
It is a premier mathematics event in the New Zealand school calendar, and sets out to encourage children to pursue maths by promoting a more positive and inclusive approach.
Visit the Maths Week website to learn more! … View moreMaths Week is a week-long celebration of all things maths! ?
It is a premier mathematics event in the New Zealand school calendar, and sets out to encourage children to pursue maths by promoting a more positive and inclusive approach.
Visit the Maths Week website to learn more! www.mathsweek.co.nz...
Making it onto the first rung of the property ladder can be an incredibly rewarding journey – and Stuff is here to help you through.
Stuff Homed has launched the First Time Buyers’ Club, an email series to help you navigate the equal-parts exciting and terrifying process of buying your first… View moreMaking it onto the first rung of the property ladder can be an incredibly rewarding journey – and Stuff is here to help you through.
Stuff Homed has launched the First Time Buyers’ Club, an email series to help you navigate the equal-parts exciting and terrifying process of buying your first ever home. When you join our six-week LearnStuff course, you’ll get an email every week giving you all the basics on what you need to know, who you need on your side, and what you need to do at each stage of the journey.
We can’t make the houses any cheaper, but we can guide you through the process, share some tips from the experts, and help you avoid some of the trips and traps.
Sign up (it's free) and get started on your house-buying journey.
Another FULL House. Tidy Patios & Outdoor Furniture. Large Mirrors & Clocks. Collectable China. Lounge & Dining Suites etc etc
Viewing & Bids Welcome: Mon 8-5, Tue 8-6 & Wed from 8am
More Photos www.mafa.co.nz... & facebook
NB. Next Antique Auction 29 September
It’s easy to age a brand new terracotta pot using Karen Walker Chalk Colour and Vintage Wax from Resene.
Find out how to create your own.
The countdown is on! Make sure you’re enrolled and your details are up to date by 12 August to make voting in the local elections easy.
Visit vote.nz or call 0800 36 76 56 to find out more.
As I can't add too many pics to one post, here are more from the team protecting Napier Heritage today.
The Best Value art gallery is open on the First Sunday of each Month. Come along on Sunday 7th August from 10am to 1pm. Browse or buy. Reasonable prices.
Look for the Purple House at 122 Vigor Brown St, Napier South. New members welcome.
Thank you to Diane, Lyn and Derek who joined the NZ Remembrance Army cleaning graves in the Napier Hill cemetery today. What lovely people you are and what a difference you made.
Some graves are a huge effort but in a lot of cases, 15 minutes can restore a long neglected grave. NZ … View moreThank you to Diane, Lyn and Derek who joined the NZ Remembrance Army cleaning graves in the Napier Hill cemetery today. What lovely people you are and what a difference you made.
Some graves are a huge effort but in a lot of cases, 15 minutes can restore a long neglected grave. NZ Remembrance Army do the soldier graves in the cemeteries but they are a fraction of what is required. All of our local cemeteries have graves that need some cleaning.
Some of our team will be back at the hill cemetery on Sunday morning (for most of the day). Please join us if you can spare even half an hour. We'll show you how we do it with a few tools and just water.
Bring a bucket, scraper and two scrubbing brushes (one soft and one firm), a brush and pan. If you are driving, a broom is good too.
Looking after your washing machine will maximise its life and performance.
Our member surveys indicate that the average life expectancy of a top loader is seven years, and 12 for a front loader. A little care and maintenance can go a long way, so here are some tips to help you get the most from … View moreLooking after your washing machine will maximise its life and performance.
Our member surveys indicate that the average life expectancy of a top loader is seven years, and 12 for a front loader. A little care and maintenance can go a long way, so here are some tips to help you get the most from your washer.
Watch out for keys and coins
Keys and coins kill washing machines. Check pockets before washing, and look for dirt and objects left in the drum, or hidden in the rubber seals after each wash.
Check your pump filter
Many washing machines have these as a last line of defence against foreign objects. Look for a small hatch low down on the outside of your machine. Check this monthly and clear anything that shouldn’t be in there — use a towel or tray to catch the water when you open it up. If your machine isn’t draining, this is the first thing to check before calling for a repair.
Limit your washer's spin speed
Keep this to 1200rpm, even if your machine goes up to 1400 or even 1600rpm. Higher speeds reduce the life of belts, drum bearings and door seals, without removing much more water.
Don’t use fabric softener with laundry detergent
Fabric softeners react to create a waxy residue called “scrud”. No one wants “scrud” – especially as it clings to unseen parts of the machine, such as under the agitator. If blobs break free, they can leave greasy marks on laundry.
Regularly clean the detergent dispenser
Check the manual to see how to remove it, and wash it thoroughly in warm soapy water.
Clean the door seal
Remove water from the door seal after each wash (if you notice mould, wipe the rubber seal with hot water and detergent). Between washes, leave the door and detergent dispenser open – that lets the interior dry.
Use the service cycle
Many machines have a specific “service” or “cleaning” cycle. It helps your machine smell fresh, prevents detergent build-up, and keeps it cleaning at its best.
If your machine doesn’t have a service cycle, run a hot wash with a full-strength powder detergent once a month.
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
It doesn't matter how much you fall, the most important thing is how strongly you try to get up and try again. ?
It’s time to start thinking about what you can do to help out those who need it most this Christmas. 1 in 5 Kiwi children are currently living in households that don’t have enough food. Christmas Box is a food box that caters to a family of 4-6, helping supplement breakfast, lunch and dinner … View moreIt’s time to start thinking about what you can do to help out those who need it most this Christmas. 1 in 5 Kiwi children are currently living in households that don’t have enough food. Christmas Box is a food box that caters to a family of 4-6, helping supplement breakfast, lunch and dinner meals over a week.
For just $40 you’re not only providing food essentials and treats but you’re also giving hope to families in need.
To sponsor a box, go to christmasbox.co.nz.
Hi, I have 2 large flax bushes and a NZ Cranberry/Chilean Guava bush that I would like dug out please. If you can do it or know of anyone, or would like to have the plants when they're removed, please let me know. Thanks,
Sandy
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