RuthMary's Tips

When Neville and Ruth-Mary Beach returned to Wellington after several years overseas following large engineering projects, they bought 12 acres of land on the outskirts of the city. Alongside Neville's engineering work and Ruth-Mary's work as a secondary school teacher, they brought up their four children and to fill in their spare time(!) they became enthusiastic sheep farmers and one of the first people in New Zealand to breed angora goats. As the fibre of the goats improved they looked for ways to use it. Ruth-Mary was interested in needlework and learned to hand spin the wool and mohair grown on their property. She decided to develop a unique thread and so this business was born.

STRAND thread was used extensively in the magnificent Stage Hangings which New Zealand embroiderers stitched for the reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.

STRAND threads have been used by other needlework designers. In New Zealand Mary Self designs and Denise Knipping's Art Deco designs use STRAND thread extensively. In Australia they have been used by designers whose work is featured in Inspirations".

Most of STRANDs own designs are directed towards the tourist market. As kitsets, they make ideal gifts for visitors to take back home or give to a friend. Our most popular series is of NZ birds and we are regularly adding to this. Other topics we feature are of favorite beauty spots like Aoraki/Mt Cook, the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, and LakeWakatipu. There is a series covering historic NZ buildings.

STRAND thread is suitable for tapestry weaving, kilim weaving, tablet weaving, crochet and knitting. We are currently in the process of developing knitting patterns to support the release of a range of colours in 25gm balls.
We welcome enquiries from any one who is interested in using STRAND thread in any work of their own.

"I have enjoyed working on your kits and the wool was very nice to work with .....And again I cannot rave enough about your kits and wool."
Lorna Teske, Canada, January 2006