Clark and Coats Thread Generations of sewers grew up with
their spools in the sewing basket

The Half-Penny Habit: How 19th-Century Crafters Invented the Deposit System

Long before modern recycling bins existed, 19th-century crafters were already participating in a circular economy—out of sheer economic necessity.

Early wooden spools were so valuable to produce that manufacturers instituted a half-penny deposit system. When a customer finished a spool of thread, they wouldn’t dare throw the wooden core away. Instead, they returned the empty spools to local general stores to claim a small refund, allowing the manufacturers to collect, refill, and reuse them. 

It turns out that our modern bottle deposits aren't a new idea at all; they are just a continuation of a century-old habit born out of the textile boom!

Enter the Sewing Machine

My Great-Grandma’s Minnesota, c. 1910, a Sears catalog machine

The invention of the sewing machine in the 1800s changed thread again. A machine stitches fast, and that puts new stress on the thread. It has to be strong, smooth, and consistent, because any weak spot or lump makes it snap or jam. This pushed manufacturers to refine their processes, producing thread with a tight, even twist and a smooth finish.

From Wood & Cotton to Modern Synthetics

Later came polyester and other synthetics. Polyester thread is strong, doesn’t shrink, and resists fading, which made it a favorite for everything from clothing to outdoor gear. Today you can choose between cotton, polyester, silk, nylon, and specialty threads like metallic and glow-in-the-dark.

The next time you load a modern plastic spool into your sewing machine, take a moment to look back at its humble, wooden ancestor—the little half-penny spool that helped kickstart the industrial age.

A Thread Through Time - The History and Fun of Sewing Thread 

Pick up a spool of thread and you’re holding one of humanity’s oldest technologies. It’s small and easy to ignore, and it has held together clothing, ships, and entire economies.

Before Thread Was a Product 

Long before anyone sold thread on a spool, people twisted their own. Archaeologists have found bone needles dating back tens of thousands of years, and they weren’t used with nothing. Early sewers needed something to pull through the holes, so they used sinew from animals, strips of plant fiber, and even hair. Twisting short fibers into a continuous strand is called spinning, and it counts among the earliest things people learned to do with their hands. 

Thousands of years of thread began with something this simple:
a stick, a weight, and a steady twist.

Spinning was slow. Early spinners used a drop spindle, a weighted stick that twirls as it hangs, drawing fibers out and twisting them into yarn. A skilled spinner could make a lot of thread this way, but clothing for a whole family took countless hours. For most of history, thread was precious, and making it was woven into daily life, mostly women’s work, done between other chores and at every stage of life.

 

Fibers With Personality 

Each civilization worked with whatever grew nearby. Egyptians spun flax into linen thread, and the fabrics that wrapped their mummies were astonishingly fine. In India, cotton was cultivated and spun thousands of years ago. China developed silk, a thread so prized that its secrets were guarded for centuries and a whole network of trade routes took its name from it.

Wool dominated colder regions, where sheep were more plentiful than cotton fields. Different fibers behave differently, which is part of the fun. Sewers have long matched thread to fabric the way cooks match spices to dishes.

• Silk is smooth and strong. 
• Linen is sturdy and a little rustic. 
• Cotton is soft and forgiving. 
• Wool has a springy grip.

The Spinning Wheel and the Mill

Before factories, a wheel like this could turn a pile of fluff
into thread, one steady pedal at a time.

The Industrial Revolution 

The spinning jenny turned one spinner’s effort into many threads at once,
and thread production was never the same.

The jenny is usually credited to James Hargreaves, an English weaver, around the 1760s. It looks like a spinning wheel that has been multiplied: one hand-turned wheel drives a row of spindles at the same time. The first versions ran about eight spindles, and later ones ran many more. One worker could suddenly spin as much thread as several people had before, which is why it’s remembered as a key step toward the Industrial Revolution.

Cotton thread became a big business, and Scotland’s thread mills became famous. Names like Clark and Coats became household brands, and generations of sewers grew up with their spools in the sewing basket.Later, John J. Clark opened a U.S. factory in Newark, New Jersey, in 1864 producing "ONT" (Our New Thread) for sewing machines. Wooden spools in Milo, Maine, were famously manufactured by the American Thread Company (ATCO).

• ATCO operated its major spool mill in Milo from 1901 to 1975. [1]
• Over its lifetime, the Milo facility produced an estimated 3.75 billion wooden spools, many of which featured iconic manufacturer branding. [1]

Before factories, a wheel could turn a pile of fluff into thread, one steady pedal at a time. The spinning wheel works by turning a large wheel with a foot pedal or a hand crank. The wheel drives a small spindle, which twists loose fibers into a continuous strand while the spinner feeds them in. The spinner’s hands stay free to control the fiber, which is how the wheel sped up thread-making so much compared to the drop spindle. 

The Industrial Revolution, when machines like the spinning jenny and the water frame let a single worker produce many threads at once. Thread went from a painstaking household product to a factory staple. The spinning jenny turned one spinner’s effort into many threads at once, and thread production was never the same. 

The Wooden Spool Era The Half-Penny Habit - The 19th-Century Crafters Invented the Deposit System 

The Wooden Spools with
Tiny Mouse Thimble Holder

Long before modern recycling bins existed, 19th-century craftes were already participating in a circular economy—out of sheer economic necessity. Early wooden spools were so valuable to produce that manufacturers instituted a half-penny deposit system. When a customer finished a spool of thread, they wouldn’t dare throw the wooden core away. Instead, they returned the empty spools to local general stores to claim a small refund, allowing the manufacturers to collect, refill, and reuse them.

It turns out that our modern bottle deposits aren't a new idea at all; they are just a continuation of a century-old habit born out of the textile boom! 

If you’ve ever seen an old wooden spool at a flea market, you’ve met a piece of this history. For many decades, thread was wound onto wooden spools, and the label on the end told you the brand, the size, and the color. Some spools carried a "six-cord" thread, meaning six plies were twisted together for maximum strength—a level of detail and craftsmanship rarely seen in modern plastic alternatives. Those spools had a second life too. 

Kids turned them into toys, crafters made them into little stools and ornaments, and plenty of people still keep a few around for decoration. 

The Satisfaction

There’s a quiet pleasure in winding a bobbin, threading a needle on the first try, and watching a seam appear in a perfectly straight line. Plenty of sewers find the rhythm meditative. The collecting. Between vintage spools, embroidery floss in every shade, and specialty threads, collecting is a hobby of its own. Many people have a drawer that started with a few spools and is now a small museum. 

Thread in Everyday Language - Thread has even threaded its way into how we talk. 

• We lose the thread of a conversation
• Hang by a thread
• Follow a common thread through a story.
• A good storyteller weaves a plot together.
• Language borrows from sewing because sewing has been such a constant companion in human life.

A Few Tips for Your Own Thread Adventures

Match the thread to the fabric. Cotton thread suits cotton fabric, and polyester is a flexible all-rounder. Use good thread. Cheap thread sheds lint and breaks, and it can cause endless frustration. A quality spool costs little and saves a lot of headaches. Store thread away from sunlight. Light can fade and weaken thread over time. Try something new.Pick up a variegated floss or a metallic spool for your next project and see what happens.

The Last Stitch

From a sinew strand pulled through a bone needle to the neat polyester spools on a modern shelf, thread has quietly connected people for tens of thousands of years. It’s humble, but it has clothed families, built trade empires, and inspired a lot of colorful hobbies along the way. The next time you sew on a button, take a moment to appreciate that tiny strand. It has a long story behind it, and you’re now part of it.

The Sewing Machine: A Tale of Nightmares, Riots, and Bigamy

You probably think of the sewing machine as a quiet, wholesome workhorse. Its real origin story involves cannibals, angry mobs, and a man with an alarming number of families. Let’s thread the needle.

The Dream That Fixed the Needle

For decades, inventors were stuck on one problem: a needle with the hole at the top, like the one in your sewing kit, doesn’t work in a machine. Elias Howe was one of those stumped inventors in the 1840s, and legend says the answer came to him in a nightmare.

In the story, Howe is captured by cannibals who dance around him with spears. He notices each spear has a hole near its tip. He woke up, grabbed his tools, and realized the needle’s eye belonged at the pointy end.

Historians suspect the tale is tidied up for dramatic effect. But the design is real, and it’s still how sewing machine needles work today. Not bad for a bad night’s sleep.

 

The Tailors Who Burned the Future

Before Howe, there was Barthélemy Thimonnier, a French tailor who built a working machine around 1830. He was so successful that he landed a contract making army uniforms, with a workshop full of his machines.

Then Paris tailors, terrified for their jobs, stormed the factory and smashed every machine to bits. Thimonnier fled, rebuilt, and had his machines destroyed again in 1841. History’s first anti-automation riot was about sewing.

Then there’s the American inventor Walter Hunt, who built a machine in the 1830s and reportedly never patented it. His reason: he worried it would put seamstresses out of work. Hunt is also the guy who invented the safety pin, which he sold for $400 to pay off a debt.

 

Meet Isaac Singer: Actor, Inventor, Scoundrel

If sewing machines had a rock star, it was Isaac Merritt Singer. Before he became a household name, Singer was a traveling actor with a booming voice and a big personality. He’s also the inventor who made the machine practical for the average home, reportedly after fixing a clunky machine in a Boston repair shop and redesigning it in about eleven days.

Singer’s improvements gave us the up-and-down needle and a foot treadle, so you could sew with both hands free. And his private life was a plot twist: he fathered more than twenty children with multiple women, ran several households at once, and was eventually caught in a bigamy scandal. He left America for England a very rich, very complicated man.

 

The Patent War That Invented the Patent Pool

By the 1850s, Howe, Singer, and a few rivals were all suing each other over who owned which piece of the machine. The fighting got so ugly that nobody could build anything without being sued. So in 1856 the manufacturers did something clever: they pooled their patents into one shared bundle, the “Sewing Machine Combination,” and split the royalties. It’s widely considered the first patent pool in American history, and the idea is still used by tech companies today.
The Original “Buy Now, Pay Later”

Singer’s business partner, Edward Clark, had another trick. A machine cost around $100 at a time when many families earned only a few hundred dollars a year. So Clark popularized paying in small monthly installments. Suddenly an ordinary household could own the future in a payment plan. It’s one of the earliest versions of installment buying, and it helped make Singer the first truly global brand, with machines everywhere from Russia to Africa.

By 1908, the company’s headquarters in New York rose as the tallest building in the world. It was later demolished in 1968, making it the tallest building ever torn down on purpose at that point.

 

The Machine Sears Didn’t Make

Here’s a secret about my great-grandmother’s machine: Sears, Roebuck & Co. never built it. Sears was a mail-order giant, and instead of running its own sewing machine factory, it bought machines from other manufacturers and put its own name on the arm. Think of it as the store brand of its day. “Minnesota” was one of those names, possibly a nod to Sears’ roots as a watch company in Minnesota. I haven’t found a source that confirms that, but it’s a fun guess.

Mine was most likely made by the Davis Sewing Machine Company, which started in Watertown, New York, in 1868 and supplied most Minnesota machines in the early years. Sears pitched them as lower-priced alternatives to the pricey Singer. By 1919, a Minnesota Model C, which I believe is mine, was the last Davis machine left in the Sears catalog.



My Great-Grandma’s Minnesota, c. 1910, a Sears catalog machine


Look closely and you’ll find a built-in needle-and-thread cheat sheet stamped right beside the needle. Sewing tutorials, 1910 style.
The Machines in My House

I didn’t have to look far for sewing history, because it’s in my house. My great-grandmother’s Minnesota, a Sears catalog machine from around 1910, folds down into its oak cabinet like a secret. My mother’s 1950s Featherweight still hums along, the quilter’s darling. My Bernina 1090 carries the line into the modern age. And on a shelf sits my very first machine, a Singer Sewhandy, a little hand-crank machine that still has its original box.

Mom’s 1950s Singer Featherweight, still stitching
I started sewing on this machine when I was 4 years old, and it was a workhorse
in my custom bridal shop for 20 years.




My Bernina 1090, the Swiss-made workhorse
I know a bit dated, but I love this sewing machine.




Where it all began, my Singer Sewhandy Model 20
A Christmas present for making my dolly clothes!


Four machines, several generations, and one thing they all share: somebody sat down, trusted a needle with its eye near the point, and made something with their hands. Elias Howe would approve.

 

The Original Hump Jumper™

The Birth of an Invention

Necessity became the mother of invention in 1986. At the time, I was designing and sewing couture bridal gowns in my Beverly, Massachusetts studio, Sandra S Newman Designs. Because of the many layers of fabrics I sewed, I desperately needed a sewing notion to solve the constant frustration of skipped stitches and broken needles. This struggle gave me a strong drive to invent a creative solution. Ultimately, I created a tool that would change sewing forever. That tool was The Hump Jumper™.

My dedication to perfection led to my first official patent in 1991. Following that success, I received a second utility patent in 1999 to further refine the design. Today, the original Hump Jumper™ by SN Designs remains the gold standard worldwide. Additionally, my other tools are highly loved too. The Puts-it™ is affectionately called a sewist’s “third-hand,” while the Buttonhole Buster™ works wonders for perfect buttonholes.

Molds and High-Heel Shoes

I have sewn since the age of four. Therefore, I honestly believed that if I needed this solution, every sewer in the world would benefit too. However, the most challenging step was finding a mold maker. I needed an injection mold tailored to my exact specifications. Virtually all the mold makers I contacted had zero interest, and they confidently assured me my idea would fail.

But I refused to give up. After a lot of "show and tell," I successfully found a manufacturer who believed in my vision. I collaborated closely with Mr. Kincman at Styletek. His company typically made molds for ladies' high-heel shoes, as well as glow-in-the-dark golf balls and putters! Orders quickly came pouring in for my Hump Jumper™. Because of this, my friendly mold maker gave me a nickname. He affectionately called me Sandy “The Hump Jump Lady.” That title has stuck with me ever since. My very first order was for 144 pieces. Soon after, I received a massive order for 10,000 tools. This life-changing order came from the famous Clotilde Sewing Catalogue!

Products for Perfection - The Hump Jumper™

Today, that legacy of excellence continues. To ensure my signature tools maintain the smooth, durable, and flawless quality sewers have trusted for decades, SN Designs Co. products are now proudly made by Tristan Roy at Tri-Star Molding.

I invented the original and unique Hump Jumper™ in 1986. Next, I followed with the Puts-it™ in 1991 and the Buttonhole Buster™ in 1997. All three items solve common sewing frustrations. These products are available both nationally and internationally. You can find them at fabric stores and online sewing notion suppliers. Alternatively, you can buy them directly from SN Designs Co. I always strive to provide products for perfection.

Those who sleep under a quilt, sleep under a blanket of love.

Happy Sewing!
Sandy — The "Hump Jump Lady"

 

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The Best Shoes for Long Days on Your Feet (And the Gym)

A Fantastic Department Store Find 
Italian Comfort Shoes!

Whether you are running daily errands, spending hours walking on hard payments, or hitting the weights at the gym, your feet take a serious beating. Finding a shoe that balances premium athletic support with casual style can feel impossible.

I recently treated my feet to a pair of Enval Soft MemoryFoam Sneakers, and it feels like walking on a cloud.

Why Quality Engineering Matters for Daily Movement

The moment you step into these shoes, you can feel the physical difference. They feature a specialized shock-absorber sole unit and an ultra-plush genuine leather memory foam insole that molds perfectly to your feet.

The Working Side Zippers
Provide a perfectly secure, snug fit for narrow feet.

The perforated leather design keeps things beautifully breathable during heavy gym sessions, long days, or walks. Best of all, the feature cute working zippers on the sides of the laces, making them absolutely perfect for my narrow feet. Finding stylish sneakers that actually fit narrow feet securely is incredibly hard to find these days, and this zipper setup completely solves that problem.

Finding Your Own Cloud Walkers

While I happened to stumble across my specific pair during a lucky treasure hunt at a local department store, you don’t have to hunt through random racks hoping for a miracle. You can browse the latest options right on Amazon to find your perfect fitting shoe. Your feet deserve the upgrade.

The 1908 Gibson Girl: A Christmas Treasure

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The 1908 Gibson Girl: A Christmas Treasure from My Mother’s Attic

The 1908 Gibson Girl: A Christmas Treasure

There is something deeply magical about historic seasonal decor, especially when it carries a verified date—and a deeply personal family story.

This beautiful Art Nouveau pyrography (wood-burned) piece features a classic "Gibson Girl" profile on the front. For years, it lived tucked away in my mother’s attic. Before she passed away, she explicitly told me to go up into that attic and take a few special treasures home with me to cherish. I am so incredibly grateful I listened to her wishes and rescued this piece when I did.

When I turned the wooden plaque over to inspect the back, my heart stopped. Hand-burned into the wood by a hobbyist over a century ago was a pristine inscription: "Merry Xmas 1908."

The verified handwritten inscription reads "Merry Xmas 1908.

During the height of the wood-burning craze between 1900 and 1910, companies like the Flemish Art Co. of New York sold blank wooden panels stamped with outlines. Everyday artists would burn the designs at home to give as custom, heartfelt holiday gifts. To know that this exact piece was given as a Christmas gift in 1908—and was preserved by my own mother decades later—makes it the crown jewel of my collection.

Click here to view this item on Etsy

Pieces with verified holiday dates are highly collectible because they offer an undisputed link to past traditions. It got me thinking about how much love and patience went into making gifts by hand back then—a tradition I try to carry on every single day when manufacturing my own invented sewing tools like the Hump Jumper®, Puts-it™ and Buttonhole Buster™!

Are you a fan of antique seasonal decor? Let me know in the comments below what family treasures you’ve rescued from an attic!

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Rome: The Final 24 Hours of Mr Bear's and My Italian Adventure

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One last quiet night
before leaving Tivoli for Rome

On June 2, 2026, I left Tivoli, Italy, by train for Rome, where I would catch my flight home to the United States the next day. I felt deeply sad to leave after experiencing such meaningful experiences, new friends, and discovering parts of Italy I had only read and heard about. Sicily will always hold a place in my heart, and I cannot wait to return.

Even though the Rome-to-Messina train was not the luxury car I thought I purchased, and the thermal pools weren’t accessible because they weren’t actually in the town of Tivoli, my experiences cannot be erased.

As arranged Claudia and her daughter picked me up and took me to the Tivoli train station. I was heading back to Rome, but, oh, no, Not Rome Termini, but Rome Tiburtina again. Fortunately, my transfer was within the same platform area, and I continued toward my final Rome Airbnb.

I have to laugh. I think my entire month involved Italian holidays and a train strike. Labor Day, May 1, Republic Day June 2, and the strike May 29. And June 2 is a National Holiday; nothing has to be open.

When I arrived at the station near my Airbnb, nostalgia swept over me. I had been here before. Remember my first day in Rome without internet – and Tram 8?  As I began the uphill trek toward the Airbnb, the memories came back. I had walked this same hill three years earlier and stayed in the same fifth-floor walk-up-no elevator, but with direct access to FCO without having to travel through Rome Termini.

Understanding that most restaurants and shops were closed. It's a holiday. I was determined, with only vague memories of the area, Mr Bear and I took off looking for a grocery and, hopefully, a restaurant.

One last taste of Italy
at Tutto Qua before heading home.

Lady Luck was with me. Mr Bear and I discovered Tutto Qua on a side street in Monteverde, where I enjoyed the most delicious Saffron Cavatelli Pasta. What a rewarding gastronomic send-off before our departure.

My finale taste of Italy - Saffron Cavatelli Pasta
at Tutto Qua, Monteverde, Rome, Italy.

My flight from FCO departed at 1:10. Knowing I wanted to arrive at airport four hours prior to flight, and with check out at 10:00am, Mr Bear and I headed for the regional train with direct service to FCO.

Mr Bear looks through photographs of his
Italian adventure while waiting in FCO.

We had plenty of time at the airport. The perfect place to people-watch and reminisce.  I honestly believe, and have told many of my friends, that one of the reasons this trip was so much fun and so rewarding, I shared it with Mr Bear. He was my conversation starter. Who is Mr Bear?

Mr Bear takes one last look at Italy
as we begin our journey home.

When my mom was sick, I gave her a teddy bear. After she passed away, I gathered up the bear, brought him home, and named him Mr Bear. He travels everywhere with me, but this was one of the first trips when he truly ventured outside of the hotel.

 

God Bless … Onward to our next adventure. Stay tuned for our book –

Mr Bear’s Italian Adventures, printed in English and Italian.

A Wicked Old UNESCO Town: Exploring the Water Gardens and Gorges of Tivoli, Italy

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Tivoli on the Hillside

Tivoli, a UNESCO town on the western slopes of Mount Tiburtina, has enjoyed the richness of their thermal springs since ancient times, dating back to approximately 1215 BC. Knowing Tivoli is famous for its thermal springs and is my last stop before my overnight in Rome and my flight back to USA, I had to go soak in the much-anticipated springs.

Mr Bear and I left Tropea on the train heading to Tivoli, with the thought of soaking in the warm thermal springs already firmly cemented in my brain. After my fabulous month of traveling through Rome, Sicily, and Calabria, I truly felt I deserved this much-anticipated luxury.

Mr Bear was ready to make new friends
on the train to Tivoli

Boarding the train, Mr Bear and I discovered we were seated with two couples traveling together. At first, no one spoke. Then Mr Bear decided it was time to “pop out of confinement” and create some fun!! Within minutes, smiles replaced silence as introductions were made, stories shared, and what began as a quiet train ride became one of the unexpected highlights of my trip. Train journeys can be such wonderful, even when you aren’t fluent in the language.

Mr Bear broke the ice, and soon
we were all laughing together on the train. 

The true chaos began the closer we got to Rome Termini. I happened to mention I was changing trains from Rome Termini to Rome Tiburtina. No one - not even the two conductors - had a clue. The advice?  Head to Metro B and ask for help. Which I did. A very handsome security guide kindly escorted me to Metro B. Be still my heart…and my gray hair!

Arriving in Tivoli, my Airbnb hostess, Claudia, and her daughter met at the station and whisked me off to my home for the last four days of Mr Bear’s and my Italian adventure. As I stated previous, Tivoli is a “wicked” old UNESCO town with so much character. (Wicked is my Bostonian word for amazing, authentic, awe- inspiriting, culturally awakening and just plain fun!)

A quiet walk through the timeless streets
of Tivoli

To my absolute delight, my Airbnb was located on Via Domenico Tani Square in the medieval historic center of the city of Tivoli, inside a 15^th century building. Honestly, I was so proud and mesmerized by the building. 15^th century.

My home in Tivoli,
inside this 15th-century building.

How many people have walked these dark corridors and climbed these steep stairs? I absolutely loved going out each day and coming back “home” at the end of Mr Bear’s and my day. It was enchanting, to say the least.

The steep stone stairs leading to my apartment door.

One of the villas Claudia had suggested I visit was Villa Gregoriana and the Great Waterfall. Having read about this villa and its magnificent ancient channels, fishponds, series of gorges and cascades, including the Great Waterfall, Mr Bear and I had to go see for ourselves.

At Villa Gregoriana,
surrounded by cascading water and lush greenery

In 1826, a devastating flood occurred when the Aniene River again flowed over its bank and flooded the old section of Tivoli. Consequently, in 1832, Pope Gregory XVI initiated a massive hydraulic engineering project to divert the river. With the tunnels dug through Mount Catillo (Monte Catillo) redirecting the water, a dry riverbed and empty gorge was the result. In 1832, the Pope commissioned the land to be landscaped into a completely new public wilderness park. After an incredibly fast construction period, the park and its new Cascata Grande waterfall were officially inaugurated on October 7, 1835, and named "Villa Gregoriana" in his honor. After being neglected and heavily damaged during World War II, the Italian National Trust (FAI) took over the property in 2002. They meticulously cleaned the gorge, repaired 750 historic stone steps, and reopened the fully restored park in 2005. I think it’s important to note that UNESCO includes Villa Gregoriana on Italy’s Tentative World Heritage List because of the remarkable relationship between nature and human creativity over the centuries.

Going there, I had no idea, on a very hot May day, after I toured the villa, Mr Bear and I would be walking down into Hell’s Valley (Valle dell'Inferno). The descent follows a steep, winding path of over 700 stone steps carved directly into the cliffs of the canyon.

The waters of Cascata Grande cascade through the sunlit,
lush gorge at Villa Gregoriana, Tivoli, Italy

"Cascata Grande," an imposing waterfall standing over 120 meters (394 feet) tall, comes thundering down, while nestled amidst the valley’s rocks.

Once Mr Bear and I left Villa Gregoriana, we did our usual walk-about and discovered Lu-barittu 1940 on Vicolo Alessandro Olivieri 4. Ever notice groups of Italians sitting outside chatting the afternoon away?  Well, Mr Bear and I couldn’t resist stopping to say hello. Before long, we were laughing and visiting with these five sisters and two brothers. When they learned I had already visited Villa Gregoriana, they insisted I visit Villa d’Este and return the next day to tell them which villa I like best.

Mr Bear with new friends gathered together
on Vicolo Alessandro Olivieri 4, Tivoli, Italy

That’s one of the things I love about Italy – complete strangers often become new friends, even when there’s language barrier.

Villa d’Este is a completely different experience.

A grand view over the fountains
and gardens of Villa d'Este

Built in the 16^th century for Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este, Villa d’Este, Tivoli is one of Italy’s finest examples of Renaissance garden design. Its terraces, magnificent fountains, ornamental basins, and water features have earned it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unlike the dramatic cliffs, caves, and waterfalls of Villa Gregoriana, Villa d’Este offers completely different experiences (no descent into Hell’s Valleys or wondering if you’ve taken the wrong path). A true water garden, Villa d’Este, is one of the first giardini delle meraviglie, (gardens of wonder) served as a model for and had a decisive influence on the development of gardens in Europe.

Arriving at Villa d’Este, located in Piazza Trento, right next to Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, a medieval sacred landmark featuring a 5th-century foundation, and a 16th-century red-brick bell tower.

From the outside, the villa’s entrance is surprisingly modest. You would never guess that beyond its walls lies one of Italy’s true water gardens. Stepping through a 16th-century portal dating back to 1521, which features the coat of arms of Cardinal Bernardino Carvajal is overwhelming.  This villa offered Mr Bear and I a stroll of solitude on a nice afternoon. A time to sit, get a drink of water, listen to the waterfalls, and knowing I had 11 acres to wonder about.

Even Mr Bear needed a drink after
exploring Villa d'Etse

Mr Bear and I really enjoyed Villa Gregoriana but found Villa d’Este to be more embracing - a place that invited me to slow down and simply enjoy the gardens. Besides, I met Nama Kader who was visiting the villa with her family from Alexandria, Egypt. She now lives in Rome, and we happily stay in touch. 

Nama Kader sharing a moment with Mr Bear
at Villa d' Este, Tivoli, Italy

Traveling friends are such fun. We watched The Organ Fountian together. The fountain uses a clever water-and-air mechanism to play musical notes automatically without electricity.

The Organ Fountain at Villa D'Este, where 
water and air create music without electricily.

Leaving Villa d’Este, I stopped by Lu-barittu 1940 on Vicolo Alessandro Olivieri 4, letting the sisters know after visiting both Villas, Villa d’Este enchanted and warmed my traveling heart the most. I loved the photographs of Mr Bear just relaxing in the flower garden.

Mr Bear relaxing among the flowers after a full day
exploring Villa d'Este, Tivoli, Italy

While in Tivoli, I enjoyed trying the different restaurants, My two favorites were Cartiere - Banco e Cucina, where I enjoyed the tastiest Focaccia Bianca and Da Ugo le Pizzelle for another tasty Focaccia. I just had to compare the two. Both were delicious, but Cartiere’s bread was my favorite. And, of couse gelato – Lemon and Pistacchio in a cup.

Mr Bear joins me for Focaccia
at Cartiere - Banco e Cucina in Tivoli, Italy

Tivoli was magical. The small, narrow alleyways, Tivoli felt safe and protected due to its tight-knit historic layout, active local community presence, and the comforting enclosure of centuries-old stone architecture.

Sunset over the rooftops and trees of Tivoli, Italy

Tomorrow Mr Bear and I head to Rome. Another train, another destination. No, I wasn’t looking forward to seeing “Mr Bear’s Italian Adventure” come to an end.