March 2019 Meeting

Show and Tell for this month was done informally.   We had a full meeting with a guest speaker.  Members shared there finishes by putting them on display but there was no formal who-stitched-what Show and Tell......so I cannot credit the stitchers, nor do I know the designer or pattern name for most of the items. 

The Virtues patterns from Little House Needleworks

iStitch Band Sampler stitched by Deb S. 

Another angle on the iStitch Band Sampler by Deb S.

Above and below, A Year in Celebrations from Hands On Design, stitched by Caryl C.

For our meeting - 

• Salty Yarns Retreat in OCMD - deadline for sign-ups is this weekend.   Please let Stacy S. know if you will be attending.   This is a MEMBERS ONLY event.   There is a non-refundable $50 deposit due at the time of sign-up.    The dates are April 26-27-28.
• Biggs Museum Book - This book is now available for pre-order.   The cost is $75 and can be found here:  Delaware Discoveries:  Girlhood Embroidery

• Woodlawn - We had several stitchers awarded ribbons at Woodlawn.   Congratulations to Pat L. for a 1st place ribbon in Japanese Embroidery; Congratulations to Stacy S. for a 2nd place in counted thread work; and Congratulations to Nancy Y. for a 3rd place in sampler work.
• Dues - Dues are now PAST DUE - please send your $25 to Nancy F. at our PO Box.
• Programming
• April - Linda will teach members how to construct a fabric ort container.  Linda will provide all supplies but each member should bring their scissors, needle, etc.   If you have a favorite fabric you would prefer to use, you will need a fat 8, (approximately a 12 x 12 inch piece of fabric) and coordinating sewing thread.
• May - TBD
• June - Patty H. will share her sampler presentation recently shared with the Bergen County, NJ Historical Society
• July - Francine will instruct us in a Christmas in July project
• August - Stash Garage Sale
• September - TBD
• October - Fall Retreat at Salty Yarns, first weekend of October
• October - Bullion knot project lead by Patrick B.
• November - Beth Seal of Summer House Stitche Works and Janice Note of Noteworthy Needle will be our guest instructors.   During the regularly scheduled meeting, Janice will teach us how to drill cross stitch patterns onto foam pumpkins.   Saturday afternoon class will be a  needle book from Beth Seal; this will involve pre-stitching.   For Sunday's Class, Janice will teach Turn-Turn-Turn.   She recently taught this piece in Williamsburg.   There is no pre-stitch for this piece.   More information will follow on sign-ups, costs, etc.
• December - Annual Holiday Exchange and Luncheon

• Conservation Fund - Ann S. has been working to update the application process.   She would like to have applicants from across the mid-Atlantic region.   She is creating a database to send postcards to each with an explanation of the  process.   If you know of a worthy organization, please forward the name and contact information to Ann S. via our email address (or a comment to this post).   Ann also shared we received a nice thank you from Winterthur for our donation of $1,500 to their upcoming Erica Wilson event.
• SAL - Remember to post your progress on the Amethyst Band Sampler to our Facebook page

Today's Speaker - Pamela Darney

We had the pleasure of having Pamela Darney of Guild House Samplers speak to our group.   She gave us a history of herself.   She has degrees in Architecture, Urban Planning and Finance and taught us a thing or two about samplers.   Her degree in Architecture has given her vast knowledge of what to look for in samplers.  By looking at the houses, the construction of the houses as depicted in samplers, the windows, the lawns, the fences, the chimneys and other elements, one is able to date a sampler, know the state or country of origin, etc.  Since there was no photography prior to the 185o's, samplers are often the only record of buildings and architecture.  American Samplers really do parallel the history of America.  She was very interesting and gave us all a few things to look for when we left to go home and look at our our samplers for these details.  

She works full-time and sampler design and work is her part-time passion.  The humor about samplers and their elements was very entertaining.

Pamela shared with the group her method of choosing colors for samplers.   She calls it her Color Throw Down.   She pulled different hanks of silks and laid them out on different linens.   Adding and subtracting different values of colors to get just the right combination.   She made it seem so easy to see what colors worked and didn't work together.     Pamela is a strong advocate of adapting a sampler to fit you, the stitcher.   Customizing motifs and changing colors to suit you.   

Pamela is so full of knowledge and it was wonderful of her to share with us.   Many stayed for an afternoon class to learn about joining two separate pieces of linen.   This is a hallmark of many of her designs.    Unfortunately, at Pamela's request, I am not able to share her photos of designs and works.    Her website is not completed but should be launched soon.   I recommend an internet search of her and her samplers every now and again to maybe see her beautiful designs until her website if available.  

Until next month.......next meeting April 13th