Where
better to find a shop to spotlight Color, then "south of
the border" in Mexico, with its rich native traditions and
artistic heritage born of the marriage of European and Indian
cultures. We transport you to Mexico City to discover "L'Aguja
Loca," where can be found some of the most colorful, vibrant
and fanciful examples of embroidery and other types of needlework
that can be seen. Located in the heart of one of the residential
areas of the city is this needlepoint shop, "which was specifically
designed to show and teach handwork of various kinds using as
many different yarns, threads, colors, techniques and stitches
as possible," according to owner Sonya S. Fitzgerald. It
is situated not far from the city's famed Archeology Museum and
also nearby is the well-known Chapultepec Park with its castle
from the days of Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota.
L'Aguja Loca translates to "The Crazy Needle." Sonya
wanted a name that had a "funny ring to it and also a double
meaning." As l'aguja loca can also refer to the wobbling
spindle on a weaving machine, the choice suits her requirements
perfectly. Generally, shops in Mexico are not given unusual names
and Sonya's store has gained a certain notoriety solely by virtue
of its moniker. Often, from inside the shop, Sonya can hear passers-by
commenting on it and laughing. L'Aguja Loca is an anomaly in
other ways as well. In Mexico City, full needlework shops do
not exist. There are shops, which specialize in particular handwork
pursuits. This places L'Aguja Loca in a class by itself because
the choices of supplies, materials, tools, accessories and classes
offered are so comprehensive.
Mexican
culture has traditionally been extremely family oriented and
festive holidays are celebrated with family get-togethers. In
the countryside one still finds people donning charming folk
costumes decorated with typically bright and colorful embroidery
on these occasions. In urban areas this is less common but the
family dinner table and other surroundings are often decorated
with embroidered tablecloths, table runners and door hangings.
Cross stitch and surface embroidery are still the favored types
of needlework but needlepoint is making great inroads since it
has become more widely available, due in large part to the pioneering
spirit of dedicated teachers like Sonya.
Sonya is not your typical proprietor and acknowledges that her
shop was started quite accidentally as a result of a "simple
twist of fate." She hails originally from Austin, TX and
studied medicine as a career at Baylor, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins
Medical Schools in the U.S. She then practiced Family Medicine
in Houston, surely a far cry from needlepoint and never dreaming
of landing up in Mexico. In her earlier years she had devoted
considerable time and energy to other pursuits in writing, journalism
and art and even won awards in these fields, though she ultimately
followed her father's footsteps into a scientific career. Her
father was a famed geologist at various U.S. colleges.
But,
as life has a habit of taking many strange and often unexpected
turns, a mutual friend introduced Sonya to the man who would
become her husband, while he was in Houston on business. After
she married this handsome gentleman, she moved to his home in
Mexico City. Initially, she continued her medical career there
and together with her husband traveled every corner of the country
and much of Central and South America as well. Before relocating,
Sonya had not engaged in any kind of handwork to speak of. She
first picked up a needlepoint kit just to pass the time en route
while traveling, as an option to reading. It was on their extensive
journeys throughout her adopted homeland that Sonya's love affair
with the colors, handwork and native arts and crafts of Mexico
began. She became so intrigued with them, that she began to research
the subject and also started dabbling in handwork herself. She
was even motivated to help sponsor the Embroiderer's Guild in
Mexico City. While on this artistic odyssey, her enthusiasm and
interest only grew stronger as her own knowledge and skill increased.
Soon her friends began to call on her for some of the unusual
and not readily available supplies she had uncovered in her quest
to satisfy her own newfound passion. Thus, the very natural evolution
to a business came about.
The
focus of the business has always been needlepoint. From this
specialty it has never varied, but the addition of supplies and
instruction for latch hook, cross-stitch, hardanger, blackwork,
knitting and crochet now complete the total dimension. L'Aguja
Loca carries a full line of Persian yarn, tapestry yarn, a large
assortment of cotton threads, Caron Watercolours, Rachael, Rachelette
and other overdyes of many varieties, complete latch hook equipment,
AIDA, linen, canvas, Mexican and imported knitting yarns, bags,
scroll frames, chairs, and footstools, along with many other
items. Sonya strives to capture and maintain the intrinsic beauty
of the Mexican soul as expressed in the country's indigenous
folk art, while introducing her clientele to the multitude of
new materials available. She also instructs them in how to interpret
through needlepoint contemporary style and design influences.
Combining the best of the new with the best of the old is an
ongoing challenge and goal.
Originally,
Sonya invited experienced faculty from the U.S. and England to
teach their specialties at her shop, but since the multitude
of currency devaluations, this is no longer feasible. The last
guest to teach a class was Marion Schouler and it is largely
because of her excellent courses that Hardanger has become immensely
popular, especially in conjunction with the the Watercolour threads.
Another problem with visiting staff is that most of Sonya's clientele
are native Mexicans, who speak no English, so that providing
a translator was necessary. Fortunately, Sonya has become adept
as both needlework designer and teacher and is more than qualified
to fill the gap. Estela Rolon, Sonya's long time and very knowledgeable
assistant, is also well versed in the needlearts. As color is
such an important element in all Mexican arts and crafts, the
overdyed threads are among the most popular with Sonya's clientele.
Many repeat customers come to learn how to employ them to best
effect and integrate them into their needlework projects. Sonya
comments, "I too continue to watch with fascination as Lois
Caron develops and adds to her line of fabulous threads,"
and she herself eagerly plunges in to use them as each new fiber
or color is introduced.
The
shop offers classes in all types of handwork. For quite sometime,
The Flower Market, a needlepoint canvas by the late DeGrazia,
a well-known Mexican artist, has been the most popular teaching
piece. DeGrazia is the only native Mexican artist whose work
has been adapted to needlepoint. One photo shows Midge Mares
working on her version using Watercolours, Rachel, Rachelette,
silk ribbon and raffia as she listens to pointers by Estela Rolon.
Another very popular design is the Virgin of Guadalupe. The "Dia
de Guadalupe" on Dec. 12 is a holiday which is celebrated
nationwide and actually heralds the beginning of the Christmas
season in Mexico. This occasion commemorates the appearance of
the Virgin of Guadalupe to the Indian Juan Diego in 1531. 
Pilgrimages
from far and wide make their way to the shrine located in the
northern part of the city. Processions can be seen for miles
around on all the roads leading from the countryside into the
capital, the celebrants decked out in their colorfully embroidered
garments, carrying banners, flowers candles and other religious
symbols
As with all self-owned businesses the time for relaxation
and indulgence in other outside
interests is hard to come by. Sonya and her husband grab whatever
opportunities they can to head for their home on the beautiful
bay of Acapulco. While there, her husband devotes much of his
time to deep-sea fishing for sailfish and marlin as well as international
tournament bill fishing. Since retiring he desires only to be
known for his own consuming passion as a bill fisherman. Aside
from being a business helpmate to Sonya in the shop by doing
computer work, helping with inventory and pitching in whenever
they are short-handed, he has intriguing handwork skills of his
own, making fishing rods embellished with woven designs of fish
and names. Even though Sonya cannot take any credit for this,
she proclaims his fishing rods to be true works of art. In Acapulco
Sonya gravitates to her beloved orchards of limes, papayas, mangoes,
pomegranates, guavas, bananas, zapotes, and other fruit bearing
plants. Because of the scarcity of water Sonya has had to limit
herself in her gardening pursuits, but still manages to produce
a substantial harvest and learning much about the horticulture
of tropical fruits in the process. Sonya, sacks full of limes,
papayas, zapotes and bunches of bananas in hand when returning
to the city, is always a welcome sight to her friends since she
brings this bounty back to share with them.
Sonya invites stitchers to pay a visit to her enchanting shop,
L´AGUJA LOCA to see for themselves the colorful, playful
and intriguing Mexican spirit embodied in needlework. You will
see proof positive of Sonya's avowal, "Teaching and introducing
new ideas and materials is my love…all else has been
secondary."
L'Aguja Loca
Vosgos 125
Colonia Lomas Chapultepec
Mexico City, D.F.11000, Mexico
Phone: 011-52 5 5202507
Fax: 011-52 5 2824057
e mail: agujaloc@mpsnet.com.mx
- STORE
FOCUS ARCHIVES
(For
previous month's features)
-
- Ruth's Stitchery, in Colorado Springs,
CO
Mrs.
Titchett's Eye, in Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada
Pocket
Full of Stitches, in Lubbock, TX
- Sophisticated
Stitchery, in Carteret, New Jersey
Hardanger
House, Stettler, Alberta, Canada
Nordic
Needle, Fargo, ND
- Needlemania,
in Cranston, Rhode Island
- The Country
Cross-Stitcher, Woburn, Bedfordshire,
UK
- Amy's Golden
Strand, Memphis, TN
- Needle in
a Haystack in Alameda, California
Tri
Thy Needlecraft Centre, in North Wales,
UK
Fils
Du Temps in Strasbourg, France
Stitchery
Source International / Rainbow Picture Framing in Miami, Florida
Nettie's
Needlecraft in glamorous Beverly Hills,
California...
Island Needlework, Key West, Florida...
The
Summer House Needleworks,
Oley Valley of Pennsylvania
Evening
Star Designs, mail order specializing
in Quilting supplies
Ginger's
Needlearts and Framing, Austin, Texas
The
Needlewoman East in Falls Church, Virginia
Hook-n-Needle in Fairfield County, CT
The
Needlepointer, Everett, Washington
Haus
Tirol in Williamsburg, Virginia
Crafty
Lady in Macomb, Michigan
It's A Crewel World in Salem, Massachusetts
Exclamation Point!in Saratoga Village, California
Thistle
Needleworks in Glastonbury, Connecticut
