August 2025 Meeting

Our President called the meeting to order.  Committee Reports were shared and questions answered.

There was little bit of a recap of the retreat at Hobby House Needleworks.   Three members who have never been able to attend a meeting because of where they live (Ohio, NY close to Montreal, Canada and upstate NY) were able to join us.  It was so great they got to join us.  Organizer's asked stitchers to bring any old charts for a ‘raffle’ to help defray the costs.   Those stitchers were the best and brought in enough old charts, kits and supplies to create 21 baskets.  There were even more kits and charts that were set aside for door prizes at upcoming events.  Once all the costs were covered, $301 was donated to the APS Memorial Sampler Conservation Fund.   The Treasurer noted that all costs were covered by the attendees and no money from the Guild’s treasury was needed for the event. 

Stitcher’s working on one of the two Make-it/Take it activities.  This one was beaded scissor fob.

Everyone enjoyed playing Left-Right-Center

We gathered for a Meet and Greet in the lounge.

Now and forever know as the “table of misbehavior”.  Not really.   Lots of laughs and good fun.

Susan and Becky working on the America’s Tapestry

It was such fun and everyone enjoyed themselves so we will probably do a summer retreat again.  Maybe every other year; maybe to a different location.  

Programs - September  - Teresa Miller Primitive Designs.    The class list has been submitted to Teresa.   The class will be during the September Meeting.   We will have the room until 3 p.m. on that day.   Please bring your own beverages and a packed lunch.   We will be ordering pizza as well at a cost of $5 per person if you would like to have pizza. If you are an Away Stitcher, you will receive your kit in the mail directly from Teresa.  Becky and Amy will have the Delaware Tapestry there to work on for those not taking the class.  

October - Garage Sale - There will be no Zoom for this meeting.   Bring in your unwanted charts and needlework supplies to sell.   Bargains will be found!

November - Catherine Theron Classes - Class limit of 30.   Please check with Stacy if you are interested to see if there are any seats available.  Those who have signed, have been notified if they made the cut off.

December - Holiday Exchange and Luncheon.   If you wish to participate in the exchange, please bring a sampler related small.   You need to include the guild’s initials, the year and your initials on the piece.   The Guild will provide sandwiches and members should their own beverages and a covered dish to share.  

It is Secret Stitcher Reveal Month so make sure you get your final gift sent and let your stitcher know who you are.   Also, it is time to sign up for next year’s Secret Stitcher Exchange.  

Stacy has the 2026  programming lined up.   Please check out our Facebook page, under files, to see the 2026 Program Calendar.   

If there is a class you would like to have or a demonstration you would like to see, please reach out to Stacy and, if appropriate, she will work to add it to the schedule.  She is already planning 2027!

Today’s Program

We were joined by Jennifer RIchardson of Violets & Verses.   Jennifer is such a wealth of knowledge and she conveys that knowledge in a way that is very inviting to follow.   She is a retired school teacher and it must have been a joy to be one of her students.  

Stitching was a skill passed down from Mother to Daughter; grandmother to granddaughter; aunt to niece; and even sister to sister.  Jennifer learned from her aunt.   One summer on vacation her aunt insisted the two cousin learn to stitch.   Not to excited to miss pool and beach time they did as they were told.   Who would know it would become a life-long passion for both of them.

The word “sampler” comes from the (archaic) French term, “essamplaire” meaning an example; a model to copy; a pattern to imitate.  It was a milestone in a young girl’s life to complete her marking sampler.  It was a resume of her work.   

In boarding schools such as Ackworth and Westtown, needlework was part of the curriculum.  

Jennifer shared a funny excerpt regarding thoughts on needlework - “……taught in a conventional way, which may result in the acquirement by the pupil of the power of making  microscopic stitches at the expense of her eyes, her time and her temper……..”.   Surely this was a non-stitcher that wrote this gibberish!       

Jennifer also provided a free drum design she charted from a Bristol Sampler she owns.   The pattern is in the latest newsletter.

For our program, she started with a little history of samplers, what makes a sampler, etc.    She shared pictures of several of her samplers.   Her upcoming release, the two sister’s samplers, is what she focused on.    These samplers will be available after the Summer Needlework Market.   Members, stay tuned for information on ordering the chart, the chart and fabric, or the chart, fibers and fabric from Salty Yarns with Guild members receiving a discount.  

See all Jennifer’s charts at Violetsverse.com 

Thank you Jennifer for sharing all your knowledge and your samplers. 

Thank you Kelly E for providing a Show ‘n Tell Slide show.    

Thank you Amy G for your photography.

61 attended the meeting via Zoom.

Next meeting - Live and Zoom - September 13, 2025.  10 am until 3pm

July 2025

Our President called the meeting to order.  We started the meeting with a moment of silence in memory of one of our founding members who died as a result of a car accident.   We are accepting donations and will put the money towards conservation of a sampler in her name.

New members were welcomed.

Minutes from the prior meeting were shared by email to all members.  Committee Reports were shared.

- Patrick reminded all about keeping an ongoing list for your 2025 finishes.   At the end of the year, stitchers will submit their list to be added to our “Green Book”.    Seventy-three members participated in 2025.  

- Members were encouraged to stitch on patriotic pieces between now and July 1, 2026.   We will have a slide show of all the pieces in July 2026.

- A new feature for our Zoom Meetings will be a Show ‘n Tell Slide Show.   Watch your Guild Newsletter for information of where to submit your photos.  Thank you Kelly E for doing this.

- Rehoboth Needlework Show will be accepting needlework pieces until September 5th for their annual show.

- Amy Mitten will replace Margarita Hogue at the Chester County/Penn Dry Goods Days Classes in May 2026.

- Secret Stitcher - Participants should be preparing their big reveal and sending their last Secret Stitcher gift.  Sign up information for the next session will be in the Guild Newsletter. 

- Number of the month for your focus is - No. 4

- Hobby House Retreat - We have 22 signed up to attend the retreat.

- Guild Fall Retreat at Salty Yarns will be November 14, 15 and 16.   Information and sign up form can be found in your Guild Newsletter.

Programs - 

August - Jennifer Richardson of Violets & Verses will be our guest lecturer.   Jennifer is very knowledgeable about samplers as well as Shakers and Shaker life.   She will be sharing new releases of two samplers from sisters.   More information will be provided via your Guild Newsletter regarding purchasing options of the chart, fibers and fabric.  

September  - Teresa Miller Primitive Designs.    Sign up due by August 1st.    The class will be during the September Meeting and Away Stitchers are welcomed.  We will have the room until 3 p.m. on that day.   Please bring your own beverages and a packed lunch.   We will be ordering pizza at a cost of $5 per person if you would like to have pizza instead of packing your lunch.  Sign up for pizza for lunch with be on the day of the class.  If you are an Away Stitcher, you will receive your kit in the mail directly from Teresa.  Becky and Amy will have the Delaware Tapestry there to work on for those not taking the class.  

October - Garage Sale - There will be no Zoom for this meeting.   Bring in your unwanted charts and needlework supplies to sell.   Bargains will be found!

November - Catherine Theron Classes - Class limit of 30.   Please check with Stacy if you are interested to check if there are any seats available.  For those who have signed, they have been notified if they made the cut off.

December - Holiday Exchange and Luncheon.   If you wish to participate in the exchange, please bring a  wrapped sampler related small.   You need to include the guild’s initials, the year and your initials on the piece.   The Guild will provide sandwiches and members should their own beverages and a covered dish to share.  

September 2026 - We will have Jackie DuPlessis share her Berlin Wool Work Spot Motif Sampler.  This sampler uses 36 different skeins of French wool.    A $50 deposit will be required by September 2025 so the fibers can be pre-ordered.  Please check your Guild Newsletter for sign-up form.  This sampler is filled with beautiful, vibrant colors. 

Today’s Program

We were thrilled to welcome Dawn Ronningen as our guest speaker.    Dawn designed the Jane Harris Huswif for the Guild.   Charts were pre-ordered but they are still available by contacting Dawn directly at cwaneedle@gmail.com.

Dawn is a historian, a needle worker, a quilter, and a published author of needlework specialty books.  All the samplers she shared are from her book “sewing Rolls, Needlerolls and Huswif”.   She is a retired IT analyst.

Dawn explained the difference between sewing pockets and sewing tools.  In the 18th and 19th century, textiles were expensive and needle rolls and such were passed down through generations.  

Needle rolls are smaller, more sentimental and varied widely.   Dawn had over 500 in her collection.  One includes a Hawthorne thorn needle.  These rolls were somewhere to store your precious sewing tools in a small handy case with was often secured with a ribbon tie.  They vary from what was practical to what was more expensive.  Not all are embroidered but do show fine hand sewing.

Needle rolls can be non-embroidered, have interior pockets that are flat and/or gathered and often had a theme.

Orphan Sewing Rolls are from the early 1800’s.  They are typically English with fine detailed stitching and embroidery.  Stitched Biblical verses were common.

Tambor Embroidery - sewn with chain stitch - it is unknown where this type originated.

Some have full coverage using the flame stitch.  This group of needle rolls is called the “Parker Series”.  Examples are on display at Chester County History Center and at Winterthur where the Lydia Parker, stitched in 1763, is on display.

Another variety is solid ground embroidery such as the Ann Marsh needle rolls.  Elizabeth and Ann Marsh were mother and daughter.  This style is recogonized by the green binding and the smaller size.   The original is also available to be seen at the Chester County History Center.

Pockets or Waist bags were also popular in the 18th century.   These pockets were tied around the waist and were  worn under a woman’s skirts with access through openings in the side of their skirts.     Late in the 19th century, waist pockets got smaller with the advent of reticules and pocketbooks.  

Thank you Dawn for the wonderful program packed with information.   If you haven’t seen her books, pleased check them out.  

Please check out our Facebook page, under files, to see the 2026 Program Calendar.  Stacy has all of 2026 planned already and is starting work on 2027.   If there is a class you would like to have or a demonstration you would the Guild to offer, please reach out to Stacy and, if appropriate, she will work to add it to the schedule.  She is already planning 2027!

73 members were present during Zoom

Next meeting - August 9 - Zoom only -  Jennifer Richardson of Violets and Verses - 10 am to noon.

June 2025

Our President called the meeting to order.  Committee Reports were shared.

New members were welcomed.

Minutes from the prior meeting were shared by email to all members.  Committee Reports were shared.

- Patrick reminded all to keep an ongoing list for your 2025 finishes.   At the end of the year, stitchers will submit their list to be added to our “Green Book”.    Seventy-three members participated in 2025.  

- Number of the month for your focus is - No. 1

- Hobby House Retreat - We have 22 signed up to attend the retreat.  Reach out to Stacy or Robin for more information.   Although the discounted block of rooms is filled, room is still available to attend.  

- Guild Fall Retreat at Salty Yarns will be November 14, 15 and 16.   Information and sign up form can be found in your Guild Newsletter.

- The Conservation Committee has sent out 19 applications for the 2025 Conservation Grant.

- Lambertville Historic Society will host Marty Campanella for a discussion on samplers on June 22.   Pre-registration required, $10    The Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ   Lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org

Programs - 

First - some important due deadlines 

    Dawn Ronningen - Jane Harris Chart (pdf) $15 due by July 1

    Hobby House - Retreat Fee $50 - July 10 

Teresa Miller - Class sign up - $38 and $44 (away) due August 1

Catherine Theron - Class sign up - $195 -  Limit 30 stitchers - August 28

Jackie duPLessis - $50 Deposit on Berlin Wool Work - August 31

Fall Retreat at Salty Yarns - $100 - Due October 1

August - Jennifer Richardson of Violets & Verses will be our guest lecturer.   Jennifer is very knowledgeable about samplers as well as Shakers and Shaker life.   She will be sharing new releases of two samplers from sisters.   More information will be provided via your Guild Newsletter regarding purchasing options of the chart, fibers and fabric.  

September  - Teresa Miller Primitive Designs.    Sign up due by August 1st.    The class will be during the September Meeting and Away Stitchers are welcomed. 

October - Garage Sale - There will be no Zoom for this meeting.   Bring in your unwanted charts and needlework supplies to sell.  With Fireside no longer taking items for sale on eBay we will let you know of alternatives for any items left closer to the October.

November - Catherine Theron Classes -  If you are interested, sign up sooner rather than later as class size is limited to 30.

December - Holiday Exchange and Luncheon.   If you wish to participate in the exchange, please bring a  wrapped sampler related small.   You need to include the guild’s initials, the year and your initials on the piece.   The Guild will provide sandwiches and members should their own beverages and a covered dish to share.  

September 2026 - We will have Jackie DuPlessis share her Berlin Wool Work Spot Motif Sampler.  This sampler uses 36 different skeins of French wool.    A $50 deposit will be required by September 2025 so the fibers can be pre-ordered.  Please check your Guild Newsletter for sign-up form.  This sampler is filled with beautiful, vibrant colors. 

Today’s Program -

We were treated by having a Guild member share her knowledge about samplers.   Deb G started by giving us a bit of history about the Maytown Historical Society.   Maytown, located in Lancaster County, PA was laid out by Jacob and Elizabeth Downer, German Mennonites, who purchased the land from Scotch/Irish landholders in 1760.  By 1770, the Downers had gone bankrupt and the property was then sold back to the son of the former owner, Alexander Lowery.  Land records show that Enoch Hastings owned lot #3 and that is where the Maytown Museum is now located.  Census records show Enoch moving to the area in 1768 and is credited with owning one cow.   In 1779, tax rolls show Enoch as owning a house and two town lots, three acres of land and two cows!  

Deb focused on the Anne Francis Breneman sampler.  The chart is available for purchase directly from the Maytown Historical Society.  Sale of the chart is part of their Capital Campaing for archive storage.   Deb’s vast knowledge of the sampler and the history of Maytown is extensive and provided to be very interesting.   It was obvious that Deb is really invested in the history of Maytown, Lancaster, County.

Deb shared how samplers can be researched and the steps she took to identify and chart Anne Francis Brenneman.

Next meeting - July 12 - Zoom Only

52 members were online for the June Zoom Meeting.

May 2025 25th Anniversary Celebration

 Anniversary Meeting - 25 years strong.

We enjoyed a great day of celebration and stitching.  

Following the normal business meeting, we enjoyed each other’s company, had a lovely lunch, stitched and played games.  

Members were asked to bring in guild projects from past years.   They stirred memories for all of us.  So many great and different Guild projects.

We feasted on a lovely lunched and enjoyed specially decorated cupcakes.

Our Anniversary Sampler was on display.   Along with the sampler were photo albums with photos from our year’s passed.

Members enjoyed all the class pieces and projects from the past, as well as chatting with each other.  Games were played and prized handed out.  

April 2025 Meeting

We had a very full meeting this month.   We started with a presentation from Stefan Romero of the America’s Tapestry Project.   The project was conceived after Stefan traveled to Scotland and saw The Great Tapestry of Scotland.     With our Country’s 250 Birthday coming up, he partnered with the Kolby Foundation in New York, Seton Hill, Pittsburgh, William and Mary College and many others to create an America’s Tapestry.   This is quite an undertaking that must be completed by May 1, 2026 when the pieces will be framed and become a traveling display.   The display will consist of 13 panels, one for each of the 13 original colonies.  The goal is to recognize lesser known individuals that contributed to the colonies victory over the British.    For Delaware, Henry Fisher was chosen.  He was the eyes and ears of the American Revolution from his location in Lewes, Delaware.   He reported to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.   He was a “pilot” boat Captian at the month of the Delaware Bay.   He monitored ship travel and assisting Captains navigating up the river to New Castle, Wilmington and on to Philadelphia.  He was on the look out for British War ships that attempted to travel up the river since the waterways were the highways of the colonies.   He served on the Pennsylvania Commission of Safety and devised a series of 13 posts on the Delaware from the Bay to Philadelphia.    Stefan is looking for stitchers who are interested is working on the  piece.    It is 32 Belfast linen and the scene had been drawn on the linen.

There is a recent article about the project in the March NeedleArts Magazine.

If you are interested in working on the tapestry, email Becky G or Amy G

For more information -

Www.americastapestry.com

Or email - hello@americastapestry.com

We thanked Stefan for his presentation and for the thorough explanation of the project.

President Eve welcomed all present and on Zoom.  

Minutes of the previous meeting were circulated via email in the week following the last meeting.  There were no corrections.

Treasurers Report was provided.  The books for 2024 have been reviewed with no errors or discrepancies.   The Treasurer had received the Form 990 from the IRS and will file the necessary report that allows us to maintain our Non-Profit status.

Programming

 - May Meeting - Due to supply chain issues, the May Meeting will not be the Berlin Work Spot Motif Sampler as anticipated.   This program has been rescheduled for September of 2026 to allow the designer the necessary time to secure all the fibers.    There are 24 motifs and 36 fulls skeins of French wool fibers included in the kit which also will include 32 count linen.    Look for a flyer to sign up for this piece coming soon..

In May, we will be celebrating our 25th Anniversary.   Members have been asked to bring in any DVHSG projects they completed over the years.   They could be stitch-a-longs or classes that were taken or any piece that might hold a special DVHSG memory for them.  We will have a luncheon and dessert.   Members are asked to bring their own beverage.  Following lunch, we will stay and have a stitch-in until 3 pm.

- In June, Susan H has worked with to Deb G on sampler research.   Deb has done extensive research on a York County sampler and has charted and stitched the piece.   The sampler is the Ann Frances Breneman Sampler.   Deb will talk about her research of this sampler.    The chart will be available to purchase with all the proceeds going to the Maytown Historic Society, Maytown, PA.   The chart will be $12 if you are interested in purchasing it at the meeting.    There are 26 DMC colors on the sampler.  Purchase from Deb or through the Maytown Historic Society.

- Hobby House Retreat in July - An email will be going out this week to those guild members who signed up previously.   Once these members have secured their rooms, the information will be shared will all guild members.  

Next meeting - May 20, 2025

March 2025 Meeting

President Eve C called the meeting to order.   Everyone was welcomed.    Committee Reports were provided.  Programs for future meetings were discussed.  

Our scheduled program had to be canceled at the last minute due to a family emergency of the presenter.   Stacy pulled together a program that sparked memories as well as conversation.   Early the morning of the meeting, she contacted a few members and asked them to bring in some prior DVHSG stitching pieces.  

Stacy lead a great discussion on the different projects that have been done through DVHSG.   A portion of the focus was on member interpretation of a project.    For instance, several years ago we all received a pre-drilled wooden block for scissors.   Members were challenged to use their imagination what to stitch and how to finish.  

 

  

 

Sharon Verbos of The Purple Thread, designed “Girls of the Guild Sampler” for DVHSG in 2015.   Look at the different variations on the same sampler.  

 

 

 

Another Guild project that had stitchers using their imagination was a 15-sided blackwork biscournu.  Sizes, colors and finishes as different as the stitchers.

These three are from Liz Mathew’s Friendship Challenge.   Stitchers stitched the basket and started the borders from the bottom up.   The piece was then passed to fellow stitchers to add a flower or a motif.   Each one again is as different as can be.    This was a fun piece to do and was the first meeting we had in person after Covid.   That stitcher in the middle better get a move on finishing theirs! (It’s me)

  

Now for a piece where everyone followed the same chart and coloring.   This is the Hummingbird Sampler from Kimberly Nugent.   It was our 2024 SAL.   Here are some of the WIP’S and finishes.  Nice work stitchers!

Next meeting - April 12, 2025.  In person and Zoom.