Textile Center in
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2026: September 1–14
Availability: only 6 places left We have 20 years of experience running tours in Italy for curious travellers, especially those who appreciate textile arts. We're delighted that the Textile Center of Minnesota has asked us to design a tour specially for you.
We've divided it into two halves in order to show you the rural delights of Tuscany combined with the urban offerings of Milan, the fashion capital of Italy, and Venice, a living museum of traditional design and crafts. A journey for those who cherish elegance, detail and the poetry of things made by hand. To request a booking form email [email protected]
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Part 1: Wine to Dye For
Designed and led by Erica Jarman, Director of Sapori & Saperi Adventures
This textile and food tour takes you to the cities of Pistoia and Pescia and the Renaissance hunting reserves of the Medici dynasty in Tuscany. Our game is their textile and culinary traditions, both preserved and renewed. You encounter rich silks woven for the church and aristocracy and the handiwork of peasant women. In Florence you learn about silk velvet and brocade. You try your hand at the vanishing art of making watermarked paper, learn to knot a fishnet and embroider it and do workshops with a young man who has discovered the magic of using his wine as a mordant for dyeing leather and fabric. You'll dine in private homes and at a biodynamic vineyard and analyse what green tastes like during an olive oil tasting.
Part 2: Threads of Elegance
Designed and led by Nadia Albertini, embroidery designer, fashion historian and leader of her own textile tours
From couture ateliers hidden behind discreet Milanese courtyards to the shimmering canals of Venice, this journey traces the artistry of Italy’s two iconic cities through the hands, stories and heritage of makers who continue centuries-old traditions. You’ll step inside embroidery studios, historical silk archives, fashion and textile museums, and the world-renowned Homo Faber, the craft biennale. You’ll meet artisans whose fingers coax beauty from fabric, thread, glass, beads and pigment. You’ll wander the beautiful neighbourhoods of Navigli and Brera, stroll through Verona’s old workshops, float toward a Venetian island and dine each evening with your fellow travellers, who share your love of textiles, fashion, beauty and craftsmanship.
Designed and led by Erica Jarman, Director of Sapori & Saperi Adventures
This textile and food tour takes you to the cities of Pistoia and Pescia and the Renaissance hunting reserves of the Medici dynasty in Tuscany. Our game is their textile and culinary traditions, both preserved and renewed. You encounter rich silks woven for the church and aristocracy and the handiwork of peasant women. In Florence you learn about silk velvet and brocade. You try your hand at the vanishing art of making watermarked paper, learn to knot a fishnet and embroider it and do workshops with a young man who has discovered the magic of using his wine as a mordant for dyeing leather and fabric. You'll dine in private homes and at a biodynamic vineyard and analyse what green tastes like during an olive oil tasting.
Part 2: Threads of Elegance
Designed and led by Nadia Albertini, embroidery designer, fashion historian and leader of her own textile tours
From couture ateliers hidden behind discreet Milanese courtyards to the shimmering canals of Venice, this journey traces the artistry of Italy’s two iconic cities through the hands, stories and heritage of makers who continue centuries-old traditions. You’ll step inside embroidery studios, historical silk archives, fashion and textile museums, and the world-renowned Homo Faber, the craft biennale. You’ll meet artisans whose fingers coax beauty from fabric, thread, glass, beads and pigment. You’ll wander the beautiful neighbourhoods of Navigli and Brera, stroll through Verona’s old workshops, float toward a Venetian island and dine each evening with your fellow travellers, who share your love of textiles, fashion, beauty and craftsmanship.
Accompanied throughout by Karl Reichert, Executive Director of Textile Center of Minnesota
>>>For more information please click on topics (Highlights, Itinerary, Group Leaders, Accommodation, Price & Stuff, What People Say, Map) and read what appears in the window below.
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Itinerary at a glance Pistoia Day 1 — Meet Erica Jarman, your guide for Tuscany, at Florence Airport and transfer to Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia, by private motor coach Day 2 — Get acquainted with Pistoia (European Capital of Culture 2017), visit embroidery museum and take a private walking tour of Pistoia, bistecca fiorentina at Pistoia's best restaurant Day 3 — Day in Florence with visits to: Fondazione Lisio which is dedicated to weaving velvets and brocades by hand, Scuola di Cuoio which carries forward the leather tradition of Florence in modern designs and Paolo Carandini who creates stories in parchment-covered boxes Day 4 — Hands-on dyeing workshop with designer Tommaso Cecchi de’ Rossi who teaches you how to get vibrant colours on fabric and leather using wine as a mordant; tour of 18th-century paper mill and make a piece of watermarked paper Day 5 — Tour, wine tasting & lunch with owner of a biodynamic vineyard; meet the Etruscans Day 6 — Olive oil tasting, Filet a modano (embroidery on fishnet) workshop at Medici villa, tour of villa Pistoia to Milan Day 7 — Depart Pistoia for Milan with a stop at Pontremoli for testaroli (a hybrid pancake-pasta) and the strange standing stone statues of the Lunigiana, meet Nadia Albertini, your guide for Milan and Venice Milan Day 8 — Hands on at a couture embroidery atelier to practise Luneville techniques, explore the Armani/Silos Museum before wandering the Navigli neighbourhood Day 9 — Fashion Museum at Palazzo Morando, vintage shop visits in the Brera neighbourhood, fabric and yarn shopping at iconic historical shops Day 10 — Day out at Como to explore the rich silk tradition of the area, lunch on the lake and silk scarf shopping opportunity Milan to Venice Day 11 — On the way to Venice: lunch on Lake Garda and fabric flowers in Verona Venice Day 12 — Visit Homo Faber Biennale, a celebration of craftsmanship, and Fortuny Museum Day 13 — Visit Palazzo Mocenigo, home to Venice’s costume and textile collections, and a mask maker, a glass bead artist or a mosaic workshop (to be confirmed) Day 14 — Departure For more details, please click Itinerary tab above and read text in window below it Highlights of tour Fibre & Craft Experiences
Gastronomic Experiences
History, Art & Architecture
Other Activities
For more details, please click Itinerary tab above To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Pistoia Day 1: Tuesday Arrive at Florence Airport where Erica will meet you. Transfer by private motor coach to Palazzo Puccini, a boutique hotel in an elegant 18th-century palazzo inside the old city of Pistoia. Introduction to the tour and dinner in quirky restaurant Il Capitano. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: dinner Day 2: Wednesday Since we’re spending the next five days in and around Pistoia, today we become acquainted with its charms. Today is the weekly market and you have some free time to look around the stalls before we divide into two groups for our activities of the day. Just off the main piazza is the Palazzo Rospigliosi where one group has a private tour of a collection that calls itself an embroidery museum, but is far more than that. The objects ranging from undergarments to handbags to a stunning depiction of the Miracle of the Madonna del Letto (Madonna of the Bed) gives us an insight into the daily lives of women of only a generation or two ago. Meanwhile the other group meets Michela ‘Miky’ Ricciarelli who was born and bred in Pistoia. The love of her city radiates from her eyes and her smile as she takes you to some of her favourite places and recounts the history and legends surrounding them. After a light lunch the two groups switch activities . Dinner at Ristorante Rafanelli, a beacon of good eating in Pistoia since it opened in 1927. After nearly a century, it is still run by the same family. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 3: Thursday Today we're off to Florence for private tours of Fondazione arte della seta Lisio and Scuola di Cuoio. Both institutions were originally set up as private charities to provide skills and employment for young people, and they continue their mission today. The Lisio specialises in hand-woven velvet and brocade, while the Scuola di Cuoio carries forward traditional Florentine leather craft. We also stop by Paolo Carandini's bottega where he creates his wondrous parchment boxes, representing his idiosyncratic interpretations of classics of English literature. We return to Pistoia for a seafood dinner at Ristorante Corradossi (non-fish dishes are also on the menu). Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 4: Friday Travelling west along the base of the Pistoia Mountains we arrive at Tommaso Cecchi de’ Rossi workshop at Pescia. Tommaso studied agronomy at university in preparation for taking over the family vineyard and olive estate at Marzalla. During the grape harvest he accidentally spilled vinaccia (grape skins and seeds left after pressing grapes) on his favourite leather bag. After recovering from his dismay, he became fascinated by the resulting colour. He started experimenting, finally patenting the method and designing his own collection of bags and suitcases. In this session you choose a colour and Tommaso helps you mix it and dye your leather and cloth. While half the group is with Tommaso, the other half goes to the Museo della Carta (paper museum) for a tour of an 18th-century paper mill. When it closed in 2015, it was the last mill in the Pescia Valley producing handmade watermarked paper. Now a new generation of papermakers have revived the old skills. They show you how they stitch a watermark design onto a copper screen, and you make a sheet of paper to take home with you. Tommaso's wife Chiara has prepared lunch for everyone, after which group 1 goes to the paper museum and group 2 works with Tommaso. We return to Pistoia for dinner in a rustic restaurant recommended by Chiara and Tommaso. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 5: Saturday Today we visit the biodynamic wine estate Fattoria di Bacchereto inside the walls of a Medici hunting reserve. Weather permitting, we lunch in the garden, and the charming owner Rosella Bencini Tesi leads us on a personal tour of the estate and the cellars. Not far away at Pieve San Michele, Carmignano, we stop to see the gorgeous swirling garments in The Visitation by Renaissance painter Pontormo. Before Rosella's family and the Medici's and even the Romans, this land belonged to the Etruscans. We'll visit a 7th century BCE tomb and the Archeological Museum of Artimino displaying daily artefacts and exquisite grave goods. It's time for aperitivi, and then dinner at the Osteria dei Mercanti in Carmignano, where mamma presides over the kitchen. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 6: Sunday A lazy Sunday morning before the next treat of the tour. My friend and professional olive oil taster Elisabetta will meet us at Caffè La Corte to introduce you to the universe of extra virgin olive oil. Lunch at the Caffè. It was Elisabetta who sent me a link to this enchanting video about an exhibition of filet a modano needlework at Villa Magia, yet another Medici villa where there was a filet school for young women in the 1930s. We have a hands-on workshop with women who still practise the art of embroidering on fine knotted nets, as well as a tour of the villa and gardens. Elisabetta and her husband cook our final feast in the Pistoia area. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Pistoia to Milan Day 7: Monday Say farewell to Pistoia and Erica as you travel by private motor coach toward Milan. On your way up the Magra Valley from the Tuscan coastal plain, you arrive at Pontremoli to meet Nadia Albertini, your guide to Milan and Venice. It's also the home of two strange things. One is the testarolo, a cross between a pancake and pasta. You visit Testarolando and meet Alessandra and Fabrizio, who cook the testaroli on a griddle over a wood fire. They can only produce ten an hour! You will lunch with them on their precious product. The other strange objects of Pontremoli are the standing stone statues of unknown date, which are housed in the Museo delle Statue Stele. Whatever your theories about their origin. they are moving works of art. Check into our hotel in Milan in the early evening and settle into the rhythm of the city. A convivial welcome dinner awaits steps from our hotel—our first Milanese evening together. Accommodation: UNA Hotels Galles Milano | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 8: Tuesday Couture & Canals: Two Sides of Milan We begin the day by dividing into two small groups to allow intimate, hands-on experiences. One group is welcomed into a couture embroidery atelier to practise Luneville techniques under the guidance of expert artisans who work for the most renowned Italian brands. The other explores the Armani/Silos Museum before wandering the Navigli neighbourhood, discovering its artisan workshops and curated boutiques. The Navigli takes its name from the navigable canals dating back at least to mediaeval times. We reunite for lunch along the canal before switching activities for the afternoon. Dinner all together near the hotel. Accommodation: UNA Hotels Galles Milano | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 9: Wednesday Fashion History, Hidden Shops & Fabric Hunts A morning visit to Palazzo Morando reveals Milan’s fashion history through its refined costume and textile collections. After lunch near the beautiful and iconic Duomo, we stroll through Brera’s atmospheric vintage shops—an irresistible treasure hunt. Later, we browse Milan’s most iconic fabric and yarn shops, where shelves brim with silks, wools and colours that have dressed generations of Italian designers. Dinner is on your own tonight (Nadia will provide a list with her favourite addresses for you to explore either on your own or with fellow travellers). Accommodation: UNA Hotels Galles Milano | Meals: breakfast, lunch Day 10: Thursday Como: Where Silk Begins We leave Milan by private motor coach for the shores of Lake Como, an hour drive away. A guided visit of the silk museum offers insight into Italy’s most storied textile. After lunch by the lake, we visit one of the largest and richest textile archive belonging to a silk printing factory—drawers filled with motifs, centuries of design at your fingertips. We end the day at a silk outlet for scarf and fabric shopping before returning to Milan for dinner together. Accommodation: UNA Hotels Galles Milano | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Milan to Venice Day 11: Friday Lake Garda, Verona Artisans & Venice at Sunset A free morning to rest or enjoy last-minute shopping. Late morning departure by private motor coach to Lake Garda for lunch in Desenzano, overlooking the water. We continue to Verona for a visit with a third-generation maker of fabric flowers—delicate, sculpted blooms created with techniques nearly unchanged for a century (to be confirmed; alternatively: an artisan-focused walking tour of Verona’s historic district). By late afternoon, we head to Venice. We arrive at our hotel and check-in. Dinner all together. Accommodation: Hotel Continental, Venice | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 12: Saturday Homo Faber & the Spirit of Fortuny We begin with Homo Faber, the world’s most inspiring celebration of craftsmanship. We board a vaporetto at Piazza San Marco to cross the Grand Canal and go to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Nadia introduces the highlights of the biennale, and then you continue at your own pace—workshops, exhibitions, demonstrations. Lunch is on your own at the island restaurant where you will find great meal options before you drift back toward Venice for independent visits and shopping. We meet again in late afternoon at Piazza San Marco to continue to the Fortuny Museum, a temple to colour, pleating, and Venetian fantasy. Dinner all together. Accommodation: Hotel Continental, Venice | Meals: breakfast, dinner Day 13: Sunday Costumes, Masks, Mosaics & Farewell In the morning we visit Palazzo Mocenigo, home to Venice’s costume and textile collections—a deep dive into the city’s elegant past. After lunch, we meet artisans who shape the soul of Venice: a mask maker, a glass bead artist, or a mosaic workshop (schedule to be confirmed). Accommodation: Hotel Continental, Venice | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 14: Monday Departure Farewell after breakfast and check-out at 11:00. Time to carry home your inspirations, fabrics, ideas, and stories. To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Erica JarmanFollowing Heather’s careers as archaeologist, orchestra and artist manager and chef, she Italianised her name to Erica and came to Lucca to pursue her passion for traditional artisan food. During her search for food producers, she kept tripping over the dying embers of centuries-old crafts and created her first Tastes & Textiles tour. To her surprise, under the ashes, were new sparks: young people with the ingenuity and determination to figure out how to make a living in the modern world while preserving the past. Her tours, inspired by her infectious curiosity, open captivating new worlds to her guests.
Nadia AlbertiniNadia Albertini is an embroidery designer, fashion historian, and passionate guide to the world’s textile cultures. Based in Paris, she has spent her career researching archives, collaborating with ateliers, and teaching the next generation of makers. Her expertise has led her to design and lead programs for the Textile Arts Center in New York, Selvedge’s Paris tours, Hand & Lock London’s Paris Immersion, and the Textile Arts Council of San Francisco tour of Paris and Lyon. Today she curates intimate trips to France, Italy, India, Uzbekistan, and other regions where textile heritage is still alive in the hands of remarkable artisans. Nadia also teaches university courses and designs online workshops that blend couture techniques with historical context. Warm, curious, and deeply committed to craftsmanship, she invites travelers to experience textiles not just as objects—but as stories, communities, and living traditions.
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Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia A truly palatial boutique hotel inside the 18th-century Palazzo Puccini only five minute's walk from the main piazza of the city. Huge rooms, frescoed walls and ceilings and antique furniture combined with modern conveniences, including air conditioning, wifi, hair dryers and a lift (elevator). |
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Price Per person: 8330 EUR Single supplement: none (single room included in fee) We have 5 double rooms and 4 single rooms available on a first-come, first-served basis. Deposit: €300 when you book Balance: due 8 weeks before tour starts Includes Friendly knowledgeable English-speaking guide throughout your stay 14 nights welcoming, relaxing accommodation, en suite bathrooms Local ground transportation for 13 days. Please check with us before you book your travel to make sure it fits the tour schedule. Transfers at times other than those provided for the group will be at your own expense. Daily continental breakfast, 11 lunches, 12 dinners Guided visits and workshops with artisans, museum and villa entrance fees Does Not Include Airfares Travel and cancellation insurance (compulsory) Wine and drinks other than those served with meals, additional meals Personal expenses $600 tour donation to Textile Center to support tour programming Meeting Point Amerigo Vespucci (Florence-Peretola) airport, no later than 3 pm. Next nearest airports: Pisa or Bologna Next: Rome or Milan The rail system in Italy is very good. You can get easily by train from any of these airports to Santa Maria Novella station in Florence from where you can catch the tram to Florence airport. If you are flying from outside Europe, we suggest you arrive a couple of days early to recover from jet lag so you can fully enjoy your time with us. We are happy to advise about where to stay and eat and what to do before and after your tour. Departure Point Hotel Continental Venice at 11.00 am which is check-out time. We leave you here in case you want to prolong your stay in Venice or travel to other parts of Italy. Venice Marco Polo airport is 40 minutes from the centre of Venice. You can take a land or water taxi or bus from Piazzale Roma or the Santa Lucia train station (very near our hotel). MORE DETAILED INFO ABOUT PLANNING YOUR TRAVEL Diet Most dietary requirements can be accommodated as long as you tell us in advance. There is a space on the Booking Form for this information. Please bear in mind that as well as textiles, the tour focuses on the art of choosing, cooking and eating good food. If your diet is very restricted, you may not get full enjoyment from it. Physical Fitness You must be fit enough to walk on steep cobbled streets and rough farm tracks, climb stairs, stand during museum visits. Dress Casual. Jeans or smart trousers are acceptable everywhere. Raincoat/jacket advisable. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Weather Weather is no longer average, but here’s what the statistics say: September: 14–28°C/57–82˚F, precipitation 89 mm/3.5 in The itinerary is subject to change if necessary due to weather or agricultural conditions or other events outside our control. To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Since this is a new tour designed specially for you, we don't have any testimonials for it. Here is what some of our guests have written about our similar tour Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For.
I’ve taken two tours with Erica and a couple things have solidified in my thoughts. First, it’s the process not the product. We try new things, new skills, and we may absolutely stink at them, but so thoroughly enjoy trying. The artisans who teach, the fellow guests who try something for the first time, create so much good will and camaraderie. I’ve never laughed so hard at doing something so badly. And second, that it’s the experiences that make these trips so much more. I look back through my pictures of the trip and struggle to pick ones that truly reflect just why Erica’s trips are so fantastic. It’s the encounters with the artisans who open their workshops and homes, with the other guests who share their enthusiasm for life, that sets the trip apart. Hard to capture in photos but indelible memories nonetheless.
Christin Knite, weaver & craftsperson, USA, Wine to Dye For, September 2025
You are up for an adventure if you travel with Erica! She's knowledgeable and passionate and will ensure that you experience only the best when it comes to working with artisans and food (she also takes excellent care of those individuals who may have dietary issues). We had many wonderful opportunities to interact and learn from locals and were able to bring home unique 'souvenirs' that we had crafted in the way of grass baskets, handbags, watermarked paper, and more. Erica managed to pack in soooo many adventures for us that were off the typical tourist track. Don't think twice about signing up for one of her tours!
Patty McGinnis, weaver & science teacher, USA, Wine to Dye For, September 2025
Your tour is a gem. We learned so much through those whom we met and all that we did. This makes it difficult to pick out one thing. Tom said it best: Meeting and talking with the artisans was the highlight of the tour. Through them we learned about Italy’s people, culture, history and hospitality. It was amazing.
Tom & Phyllis Goodman, weavers, USA, Wine to Dye For, September 2025
You have gathered together a group of dedicated artisans, who embody the skill and resourcefulness of Tuscany. As well as young tour assistants who clearly and delightfully follow in your footsteps. In sharing Tuscany with us, I believe we all felt that we could step away from the tour van and seamlessly become a part of Tuscan life. It was truly a life changing experience!
Julia Mcdonald, weaver, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2024
I can’t say enough about the fabulous trip tours you created to give me and others a truly fantastic experience in Italy. Everything you planned from places to see, handcrafts to experience, food and wine to eat and most importantly the hospitable citizens of Italy we met made this one of my most memorable vacations.
Margie Finn, weaver, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2023
Already missing the group, missing the anticipation of surprises, missing camaraderie and shared meals and laughter….thank you Erica for assembling this band of travelers and giving us experiences unsurpassed and unrivalled!
Edelma Huntley, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2023
A thoughtful and skillful blend of activity with exposure to traditional skills and the cultural life of Italy topped off by the best food (and wine) you’ve ever tasted. Real people, real food. I feel privileged to have had this experience. I just want to do it all over again.
Jill Peters, weaver, Canada, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2022
Totally charmed by my experiences in Italy with Erica Jarman. The introduction to the culture, food, wine and history of the area was exceptional and the artisans that we met and worked with added so much to the authenticity of my experiences. Ready to book another tour.
Judith Krone, textile artist & instructor, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2022
My first trip to Italy with Erica and Sapori e Saperi was more than I hoped for. Besides seeing many of the local sites, we managed to go a little deeper than the average tour by spending time with local families and crafts people and enjoying their hospitality. Especially enjoyable was sharing meals and wine tastings with them along with fun conversations. Because Erica keeps her tours small, you also get a chance to make friends with your fellow travelers. I want to come back to Italy and I want to do it with Erica and Sapori e Saperi.
Judie Dysart, textile artist, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2022
I just wanted to say thank you again for everything you arranged for us on this trip. I had such a wonderful time! Met a lot of wonderful new friends & got to experience many things that I never would have if I hadn't joined your tour. You & Simone are awesome :)
Carey C, Finance Coordinator, USA, Wine to Dye For, June 2022
This was my second tour with Erica. I loved meeting her favorite artisans, enjoyed wine tasting, hands-on workshops, and eating the fabulous food, often in people’s houses. Her tours are small groups and you skip the large tourist areas and really focus on the people and history of this beautiful country.
Marian Sticht, weaver, USA, Wine to Dye For, June 2022
Erica searches out people and places unavailable to the casual tourist: plaiting reeds in the Padule di Fucecchio; learning filet a modano from women who are keeping the technique alive; seeing artisans create the copper pans used for making farinata. I have thoroughly enjoyed Erica's tours and through them supporting local artisans. I hope she continues to add to her offerings.
Marilyn Geary, textile artist & author, California, Wine to Dye For, June 2022
You truly offer unique tours, yet it is very hard to describe exactly why—we go off the beaten path, visit small towns, and some large; you provide a direct connection to the people, the places, the past and the current culture. The quality and beauty you show us in the textiles and other arts from the past, are more than matched in the excitement we see in the newest artisans and their efforts to preserve traditions while still moving them forward and ensuring their relevance to the current local and Italian culture. These artisans are exemplars of what could be the future of these and other crafts globally—from art across the spectrum to, of course, the delicious food.
Sue Scott, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For, September 2019
Tourists have been going to Italy for hundreds of years. In fact, I have been many times myself, but had not yet experienced the Italy of Sapori & Saperi. Because of Erica’s expert knowledge of the culture and her respect and affection for the artisans, our experiences were unique. Each day was filled with personal interactions and hands on activities. We lingered over multiple courses of delicious traditional food often prepared for us in people's homes and then retired to perhaps the most charming lodging I have ever inhabited. A part of me is still bumping along those narrow winding roads of the Garfagnana. I am so grateful to have been on this journey.
Gynnie Moody, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For, September 2019
Erica, thank you for the Italy tour/experience — Wine To Dye For. I’ve traveled alone through Europe and thought tours were for skimming the surface. How wrong I was! Your tour met all my expectations and more. We experienced small Tuscan towns I would never have found on my own, met locals and their families in their homes and shops. I now realize these are NOT guidebook tours. Many thanks.
Pam Shelley, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For, September 2019
Thank you for the great tour. We saw so much that we would never have seen on our own.
I sent a photo of me doing filet to a friend from my rug hooking group and now they all want me to show them how to do it! This craft will be taken to Australia! I hope I remember how to do it! I plan to try making pasta this week if I can find a large rolling pin. I have learnt so much on our trip.
Kathy Saint, Australia, Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For, September 2018
I had such a rewarding and wonderful trip with you. You really do your research and make the trip an experience. I will treasure the adventure forever!! We met so many nice people and saw their humble yet inspired lifestyles. They were so welcoming and really seemed to enjoy us being there. You have been a blessing in my life.
Janet Castro, artist & weaver, USA, Tastes & Textiles, September 2016
Our Tastes and Textiles tour was so unique! You took us to destinations I would have never found on my own or with another tour. We met enthusiastic and inspiring people who have created a rich and sustainable lifestyle which also preserves the traditions they hold so dear. Our textile and fiber workshops were fun and intriguing. And, we met plenty of characters along the way! With both gorgeous scenery and charming lodging, this trip was a hit with me! Thank you, Erica!
In December 2016, Carol wrote again: Since returning home, the impact of our September trip has slowly yet continually percolated up to my consciousness and I’m blown away by how much it meant and has influenced my thinking.
Carol Bingaman, weaver, USA, Tastes & Textiles, September 2016
