October Meeting

Sew sew much to report.   This was a jam-packed meeting.

Rehoboth Beach Historical Society Needlework Display
This exhibition is scheduled for April and May of 2014.   Stitcher's who wish to display items at this needlework event need to keep in mind the dates may conflict with Woodlawn.   The Rehoboth Historic Society requests that no pieces previously entered/displayed at this event be re-entered.  Hopefully we will gather pieces and coordinate with a member to drop them off for everyone.

Delaware Needlework Symposium
The site is  the Biggs Museum in Dover, DE. There will be lectures, field trips, classes and hopefully, a sampler exhibition and catalog. The focus of the exhibition and catalog will be to feature Family Records and other Delaware needlework that records family names and/or initials. 

Workshops are being scheduled for Friday, March 21st - Fees may apply
Speakers scheduled for Saturday, March 22nd - Free
Workshops are being scheduled for Sunday, March 23rd - Fees may apply

For more information please see their website.

Penn Dry Goods Days
This annual event is held at the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center 105 Seminary Street Pennsburg, PA 18073 and is scheduled for May 15th, 16th and 17th.  215–679–3103

For more information  contact them at info@schwenkfelder.com or see their website.

Morven Museum Identification Day
The Morven Museum in Princeton NJ will be hosting an identification day on October 19th.   They are seeking to document and catalog samplers and silk embroidery stitched in New Jersey or stitched by New Jersey girls before 1860   A catalog and display will be completed in 2014.  For more information see their website.

Stitch-a-long
Caryl C. had her sampler available.   She has completed the piece up to the speciality stitches where the initial should be.   We all liked that she used colors other than the suggested colors and sent many of us home wanting to frog our pieces and incorporate some color variety.

This month's assignment is Rows 16-17-18.   

Row 16 - features Queen stitched flowers.  The diagrams in the instructions are good.  Just remember to be consistent with the order of stitches within your Queen stitches.

Row 17 - the Fern stitch

Row 18 - Knit stitch

Orna Willis

On September 30th, members recently attended a class at the Brandywine Chapter of EGA.  Check out the post on Orna Willis' blog.  Orna does canvas work, and in addition to a blog, has a website, makes jewelry, has an Etsy shop and somehow finds time to teach as well.   Members chatted and were in agreement we should have Orna Willis conduct a class with us.  It will be a great introduction to canvas work that many of us may not have ventured into (yet!).  This is the piece one member brought to our meeting from the Orna Willis class attended.  

Next Month - November Meeting
We will have a short business meeting which will be followed by a tour at the Delaware Historical Society in Wilmington.   The tours will be run at 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm.   Each tour will be able to take ten members through the museum.   There is on street parking at no cost as well as a parking garage at 6th and Shipley with no cost on weekends.  Admission to the museum is $12 per person.   On entering the museum, go to the gift shop to pay and receive further directions.  It is suggested members stop for lunch somewhere en route to Wilmington.  Look for more information in Lynn's newsletter.

Scissors Block
We are all being challenged with this one.  The programming committee had this idea and Deb S. approached her husband about making these for our project.   57 blocks later.......we will be sending Ray a Thank You.

Natalie spoke of the concept and the use of the scissors block.  Natalie shared ideas:

• put a self-stick magnet on one side - she suggested using E6000 glue (available at A. C. Moore or Michael's) to ensure the magnet doesn't curl over time.
• Copy all four sides of the block and the top of the block as a base for your pattern
• bead seams
• paint, decoupage or stain your block
• stitch a sample of stitches as reference
• use a variety of threads
• cover it with bargello
• use tassels and trims
• let your imagination run wild
• Natalie suggested that you put your name and phone number somewhere on your completed block.   You wouldn't want to loose by leaving it somewhere after all that work!

Completed scissors blocks will be brought to the February meeting for display and vote.   It will be a popular choice vote with a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winner.  

December Holiday Exchange
Our annual holiday small exchange will be held at the December meeting.   Remember your small should feature a sampler theme.   All are welcomed to participate.   Anyone who brings a completed, wrapped item will be able to participate in the exchange.   We will also enjoy a covered dish luncheon.   Stay tuned for details and sign up sheets our next meeting.

January
January Meeting will be a stitch-in.   Always a good idea for January when we don't know what the weather will be.   Please bring any needlework related holiday present you may have received to share with others.

March Regular Meeting
Catherine Jordan will speak on needlework map samplers at the meeting.  The regular meeting will be followed by a class with Catherine Jordan.

March - Catherine Jordan class in the Spring of 2014.   The project will be a friendship book cover called "Believe" and will focus on painting the fabric before we stitch it.    The class will cost $65 and will include lunch.   The half-day class has been scheduled for the afternoon of March 8th  following our regularly scheduled monthly meeting.   Registration is due by February meeting.   Please see our "CLASSES" tab above for more info ad registration form.

Show and Tell

 a mon ami Pierre design stitched by Francine

 The Ann Grant Sampler by Shakespeare's Peddler stitched by Jean T.

 Detail of Jean's stitching

 Ursula Michael's Quilts stitched and framed by Rita S.

 Stitched by Rita S. (Rita will forward the name)

My, my, we are a busy group!

Semi Annual Retreat at the Beach

Ever seen this kind of look from a friend?   The blank stare when you talk about stitching?

There was none of that this weekend.

Who would believe sunshine and temperatures in the 80's would be what we would experience in OCTOBER!    It was a great weekend and there were 19 or 20 of us who joined in the fun. With most arriving by Friday afternoon, it was time to let the fun begin.  

How spoiled are we by our view for the weekend?

Chairs are just waiting for stitchers.

We were greeted by Mary at check in and received a very nice goodie bag.  Friday evening, Sara treated us to our cocktail reception (this blogger was too busy enjoying to think to get her camera out!) but trust me there was many delicious treats to be found that lead many of us to be asking for  the recipes.

We all got to check out The Crane, the makeover room from Hotel Impossible.

That's Anthony, the show host, walking the boards.   (Photos of Anthony and the room are from the Hotel Impossible website)

The makeover in The Crane was bright and crisp and so appealing.    The rooms  previously were comfortable, spacious and clean beyond compare but the decor did need updating.  We are so happy for the owners.

In case you don't know, in addition to relaxing at the beach, we get to relax and shop at Salty Yarns.

The best of both worlds.....cross stitching shop extraordinaire and porch rockers to pass the day away in.

Threads and fiber heaven.

Floss and more floss

Fabric, fabric, fabric

Francine was busy stitching away.

Sun too bright ladies?   Yes, Carol, Pat L., Diane H. and I turned our chairs around until the sun rose higher in the sky.

Stitching the afternoon and evening away.  Carrie is working on her latest project.   Much progress was made by all on their latest project or on a new start as well as much shopping was done in Salty Yarns.

Early morning walks on the boardwalk and more stitching to be enjoyed.    The 'cigarette boats' were qualifying on Saturday and then racing right in front of the hotel on Sunday.   The white blur in the middle of the picture to the right is a boat zooommmming by. Although loud, trust me, not nearly as bad at hot rod weekend where the engine revving goes on (loudly I might add) until the wee hours of the morning.





Saturday evening there was a corvette parade on the boardwalk which we enjoyed (again this blogger didn't have her camera out) but we did get to cheer on a friend of Lynn's as we all Hoo-Rah'd as she drove by.

These Retreats are so rejuvenating and restful and just fun.   So nice to spend time with friends, and meet some new friends (Shout out to the girls from Bethlehem).  I'll leave you with some other photos of Ocean City.

 Seagulls at the water's edge.

 Ferris Wheel at rest before the day begins.

 Off boardwalk shopping areas - too early to be opened while on our early morning walk.

 Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum

 Shops at the inlet at the southern end of the boardwalk.

The back bay.

September Meeting

As always, lots of wonderful things covered.

We were treated to a discussion and slide show by Linda Easton, Director of Collections and Senior Curator of Textiles for Winterthur.   Ms. Eaton spoke on The Material Culture....the study of women's history through needlework.

I was unable to upload any photos from Winterthur's site.....so please take a minute and pop on over to their site and see all they have to offer.

As always, our programming committee treats us to great learning experiences. 

Upcoming is the Annual Fall Retreat at the Lankford in Ocean City, Maryland.   What better view to sit and stitch by.

The Lankford recently participated in a makeover by Hotel Impossible in June and we are all anxious to see the room makeover that was featured on the show.

Our Retreat is always a great ~members only~ event that we look forward to.  Sally, Sara and Mary I am sure will not disappoint us and will make our experience very relaxing and pleasurable.  Of course, there will be some retail therapy!

August Meeting Updates

Scissors Block  The program committee is taking orders for the scissors block project.   (sorry, I don't have a photo)  Sign-up and the $5 is due by the September monthly meeting.

Class  Registration for the Catherine Theron Class has closed.

Delaware Symposium  New dates for the Delaware Symposium are March 21, 22, and 23, 2014.   The symposium is scheduled to be held at the Biggs Museum in Dover, DE and will include an exhibit and an exhibit catalog.

New Jersey Sampler ID Day  There will be a discover day at the Morvin Museum & Garden, in Princeton, NJ,  on October 19, 2013.  You can take your sampler to the Morven Museum  from noon to 4pm.  For more info, see the website:  www.morven.org   Samplers stitched before 1860 or stitched by Jersey stitchers will be cataloged and will be part of an exhibit opening in October 2014.    

September Program   Linda Eaton, Senior Curator of Textiles at Winterthur Museum will be giving a talk about The Material Culture of Needlework.  The meeting will be held in the media room at Cokesbury.  This is on the same floor as our regular meeting room.  When you get out of the elevator go to the right.  The hall will divide, please take the left fork.  The media room is the second door on the right.

Yearly Donation   Each year DVHSG gives a donation of $500 to a fund related to samplers.  The 2012 donation was overlooked and the guild voted to donate to the Delaware Historical Society for the conservation of samplers in its collection.  If you have a suggestion for our 2013 donation please send it to dvhsg@yahoo.com  by September 30^th.  We will vote at our October meeting.

Fall Retreat   Our fall retreat will be held Oct. 4 to 6 at the Lankford Hotel in Ocean City MD.  The cost includes a welcome wine and hors d’oeuvres party Friday night and a continental breakfast Saturday and Sunday.  The cost is $130 for the weekend, $10 per night extra for a single room, and a $50 deposit is required by September 1. You can mail it to Stacy Stinson at 13 Stearrett Drive, Newark DE 19702.  Stacy will be handling all the arrangements.  The registration form is attached to this email.

New Sampler Book   A Stitch in Time--The Needlework of Aging Women by Aimee E. Newell is to be published in January 2014.  It will be 312 pages and contain 83 photographs.  It is available for pre order at  http://ohioswallow.com/book/A+Stitch+in+Time   Ms. Newell’s dissertation with the same name can be read at

http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1175&context=open_access_dissertations   

The Brooklyn Museum   has an exhibit entitled “Workt by Hand”  Hidden Labor and Historical Quilts showing until September 15, 2013. http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/quilts  After that the exhibit will travel to Washington D.C. to the National Museum of Women in the Arts from December 20, 2013 to April 27 2014.  http://www.nmwa.org/explore/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibitions

Winterthur Museum Exhibit   The Costumes of Downton Abbey will be on display at Winterthur March 1, 2014 to January 4, 2015.

UPDATE to Delaware Consortium

This just in......

Lynne Anderson of the Sampler Consortium has re-scheduled the DELAWARE SYMPOSIUM from November 2013 to March 21, 22 and 23, 2014. The site will be the Biggs Museum in Dover, DE. There will be lectures, field trips, classes and hopefully, a sampler exhibition and catalog. The focus of the exhibition and catalog will be to feature Family Records and other Delaware needlework that records family names and/or initials. 

The following Guild members participated in the recent sampler identification days:

Katie F., Sali P., Michelle A., Nancy F, Evalyn G., Terri H., Kathy L., Marnie B., Ann S., and Sylvia D.

        The Sampler Consortium expressed their gratitude for Guild's efforts in this important project.  They sent a big ThankYou all who volunteered their  time to work on this important documentation.

July Meeting

July Program   Jean Milliken demonstrated how to make buttons decorated with needlework.  It was a great class!  We also welcomed two new members, Mary S. and Patrick B.  It’s great to have new members.   It is great to have others share our passion!

October Scissor Block   Don't forget to put in your order for a scissor block being made by Debi S.’s husband.  In 2014 we’ll bring our completed blocks in and vote for the Viewer’s Choice winner who will receive a pair of scissors that will fit in the block.   For those interested in participating, money is being collected for the scissor holders.  They are $5 each and final orders for the holders will be taken at the September guild meeting.  

Delaware Symposium   The dates for this have reportedly been changed to November 15 and 16.  Please check their website for details. 

Stitch a Long   Michelle A. went over rows 10, 11, and 12.  Sali will be going over Colonial knots at the August Stitch-in meeting.  Photos with an animated demonstration can be found on the Victoria Sampler site. You can view the animation itself at http://www.victoriasampler.com/StitchAnimations/Default.aspx.  

Just choose "Colonial knot" from the drop-down box.

June Meeting

Our June Meeting was our stash relocation sale.  Some wonderful things changed homes, and a good bit of stash was donated to Quilts for Comfort for their sale.  Rita Safford told us about the group.  They have a big sale of all kinds of crafts items, usually in April.  Rita would be happy to collect stash items you might want to donate, and it will help a good cause.

http://www.quiltsforcomfort.com

Casket Article   The Needleprint blog recently featured an article with wonderful pictures of a casket:

http://needleprint.blogspot.com/2013/05/speechless-in-sw1-queens-gallery.html

Programs

July   Jean Milliken will be teaching us a button project.  Please also bring the pieces you have received at our December smalls exchange so newer members can get an idea of what pieces have been stitched.

Upcoming Class with Catherine Theron

Catherine Theron will be coming on November 16, 2013 to teach her piece “No Place Like Home”.  This is a full day class with no pre-stitching.  The registration form and pictures are available at the "CLASSES" tab above.  The cost is $100 and includes lunch.  Full payment must be paid by our August meeting.  You must be present at the class to get the kit.

PLEASE SEE THE "CLASSES" TAB ABOVE FOR DETAILS and PHOTO OF THE CLASS PIECE.

May Meeting

Patti H. and husband Nick gave an interesting talk about the Gloucester County Historical Society ("GCHS") and how some of the collection’s pieces came to the collection.  Our regular Saturday morning meeting was followed by a road trip to the Gloucester County Historical Society to see the sampler and quilt collection they currently have on display.  Patti has charted a number of the GCHS samplers and the sale of the charts benefits the preservation and conservation of the samplers.

If you are ever in South Jersey, it is worth a stop.

Other Updates from the May Meeting --

Stitch-along   This month complete the next 3 rows.  Sali will be covering rows 7, 8 & 9 in June and Michelle will be covering rows 10, 11 & 12 in July.  Several people have changed their thread or fabric color.

October Scissor Block   At the October, 2013 meeting we will be getting ideas for decorating a scissor block, led by Natalie B.  Blank scissor holders will be distributed at the meeting. The blocks are being made by Debi S. husband.  At a meeting in 2014 we’ll bring our completed blocks in and vote for the Viewer’s Choice winner who will receive a pair of scissors that will fit in the block.   For those interested in participating, money is being collected for the scissor holders.  They are $5 each and you may reserve more than one.  You don’t have to be present at the October meeting to participate.  Final orders for the holders will be taken at the September guild meeting.  You may also send your money to the DVHGS mailbox address,  P.O. Box 1292, Hockessin, DE 19707-5292

Hunterdon County New Jersey Sampler Book   The Society hosted a book signing on June 1 at the Deats Memorial Library, 114 Main Street in Flemington, NJ. The book is $25 per copy, with all proceeds to benefit the Society.  A small exhibition of Hunterdon samplers pictured in the book was on display that day.    You can order the book online $32 including postage.  http://hunterdonhistory.org/hunterdon-needlework-book-update  or call 908.782.1091 with any questions.

Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild has no affiliation with the Hunterdon County New Jersey Sampler Book and provides the above as informational.

Delaware Sampler Documentation Day

The Delaware School Sampler project is a collaborative effort to locate, document and promote awareness of historic schoolgirl samplers and related embroidery stitched in Delaware or in Delaware collections.   The University of Delaware's Sampler Archive Project invited the public to bring in their antique samplers for identification and interpretation.   The information gathered will be part of a national heritage database that will debut online in 2014.  Working with the University of Delaware, this project was launched two years ago with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to the University's Winterthur Program in American Material Culture.  See also, Sampler Archive Project for more information and forms.

A statewide survey is being conducted and to date it has located more than 400 samplers stitched by Delaware schoolgirls.   These pieces are in private homes, museums, historical society, libraries and private collections.  All will be documented as American, registered and photographed for inclusion in the Sampler Archive.

Three ID Days were scheduled over the summer in different parts of the state.   

   June 8, DE Historical Society

   June 15, Biggs Museum, Dover

   July 18, Lewes Historical Society, Lewes

Delaware Sampler Symposium

On November 16, 2013 a one day, free symposium at the Biggs Museum in Dover, DE, will  feature speakers on various topics related to schoolgirl samplers.  It will provide the first look at some newly discovered samplers.   In addition to the events on November 16th, there will be one or two days of needlework classes and field trips designed to promote the understating of Delaware's sampler making traditions.   info from samplings.com

Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild has no affiliation with the Delaware Sampler Documentation Project of Delaware Sampler Symposium and provides the above at informational.  Please check with the websites I have linked here for the most current information on events and schedules.  

As Promised....

I am such an errant blogger....Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild is alive and kicking, however, this blogger has missed the last several meetings as well as last several months of posting updates.   Thankfully we have a great secretary in Lynn who has kept us all informed with what is going on......so, without further delay (on my part)...

Sharon Verbos of The Purpler Thread.

Sharon was the guest speaker at our April Guild Meeting.  Sharon has a blog but is a self-admitted slacker when it comes to updating her blog.   She shared with us insight into her method of design.   It was interesting to learn her process of trial and error to get it just the way she envisioned and to hear how her career as a needleworker designer has developed.

She had finishes to share as well as kits for sale.   The nice thing about her kits are they contain everything you need:   pattern, linen, floss, embellishments, finishing materials.  It is a one stop shop.  In the last year I have seen more and more of Sharon's designs in shops and online at internet stores.

The little red bag above right is the package the kits is marketed in.   You then complete the stitch and use the already finished bag for your finish.   See what I mean!  Her kits are complete!

Sharon also gifted each member of the guild with a small kits to create marking pins and a personalized scissor fob.   We received the necessary materials along with an alphabet chart for with our initials.

I purchased and completed the following from Sharon.    This patriotic strawberry called "To The Flag".   This blogger attended a class with a voluntary patriotic themed exchange so I stitched it up for the exchange.   It was quick and easy.  I kept the specialty flosses and trims for when I make it for myself and used linen I had on hand and DMC floss for the giveaway. 

I hope to be able to post again shortly to get everyone up to date on the Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild.   Until then.....keep your needle threaded and stitch on!

April Meeting

Another great meeting folks!  We were all so pleased - and surprised! - to hear we now have 72 members!   Isn't that fabulous.   Some may not come every month and some may only come to our semi-annual retreats but what a sisterhood we have!

The membership lists were circulated via email during March.    The website will be updated with the names and hometowns of the members once we have any corrections or edits.  Just a little bit of bragging here.....seems we had a visitor today who found us via internet search and finding our website!   Yeah for it being updated.   And here is the funniest thing, this new prospective member lives less than 2 miles from where we meet every month and she never knew about us.   What a fabulous tool this internet is.   How did we ever manage before it?

Reservations were due to Stacy S. for our upcoming retreat.  We will be at the Lankford in Ocean City MD on April 26, 27 & 28 enjoying the boardwalk rockers, Salty Yarns,  friends and good times.

Stacy also shared the great news that several of our members submitted items to the Rehoboth Needlework show and many received ribbons!  The display will still be open when we pass through Rehoboth on our way to OCMD so maybe it will be a happy side trip.

The Delaware Sampler Project sponsored by the University of Oregon, the University of Delaware and Winterthur was discussed.  It is a great research project to document and catalog samplers stitched in and by Delawareans.  There will be three dates for documentation.

• June 1st - Delaware Historical Society, Wilmington 
• June 15 - Biggs Museum, Dover
• July 13 - Lewes Historical Society, Lewes

A symposium will be held November 9 and 10 at the Biggs Museum in Dover.  Speakers, classes and hosted field trips will be part of the symposium.  For more information, please refer to the website linked above.

Congrats to Pat L.   Her completed Huswif was featured on Ellen Chester's blog With My Needle.

Pat H. with be working with local Girl Scouts and asked us to search our stash for complete kits (not to be confused with completed kits) of smalls on aida which she can use to teach tomorrow's stitchers.

Our stitch-a-long started starts this month.  From the January/February 2013 edition of Just Cross Stitch we are working on the Winter Whitework band sampler stitched on 35 count linen.  This month we are stitch rows 2-1-3  or some selected to stitch 5-4-3.  Whichever rows are chosen, we will all catch up next month.

Doing the initial shall be a challenge.

 Supplies ready and basting lines in place.  

All this and we even had a guest speaker, designer, Sharon Verbos, of The Purple Thread.    More on  Sharon's talk and designs in the next post.

Where we meet......

Our monthly meetings are held at Cokesbury Village.   One of our members is a resident there.   There is a large display case in the lobby that each month features the craft or hobby of a resident.   We have seen beautiful photography, pen and ink drawings and various collections.

This month we were treated to a display case filled with our very own Jean's stitching work.   Trouble with display cases......is the glare!

 

It was a beautiful collection of many of Jean's pieces.  ....drat...I thought I took more pictures.