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!