February 2020 Meeting

This month's meeting was held at the Public Library on Kirkwood Highway with guest speaker Cynthia Steinhoff.    We were pleased to welcome Cynthia Steinhoff (and her husband) to give a presentation on Quaker samplers stitched by Delaware girls. She brought some of her own collection and discussed a number of different styles of samplers (i.e. marking, darning, band, genealogical, family record, extract and verse and wreath). She also discussed several different schools such as Brandywine, Wilmington Boarding School, Westtown School and Southern Boarding School. Thank you so much to Cynthia and her husband for sharing this information with us! We will be looking to bring her back to share more information with us!

Cynthia is the director of the Anne-Arundel Library Community College in Baltimore, MD.    She is the co-author with Gloria Seaman Allen of Delaware Discoveries:  Girlhood Embroidery book.  It is an illustrated history of girlhood embroidery in the state of Delaware from 1750 to 1850.   There are beautiful photographs of 190 samplers.  The book was well researched with biographical information on the young stitchers and their families.   A must have book for the dedicated sampler stitcher.  As with everything, this book is available through Amazon.

Dr. Seaman Allen recently passed away.  There is a Facebook group raising funds to gift a sampler (The Mary Orr sampler) to Winterthur Museum in her honor. You can read more about the fundraiser and make an individual donation at the website http://samplings.com/announcement. The guild will be also be discussing a donation at our next board meeting in March.

Guild Announcements and Upcoming Schedule 

    

• Just a note on our meeting locations for 2020. Due to Cokesbury’s construction projects and scheduling conflicts, we will be relocated  for two upcoming meetings, specifically July and September meetings. We will let everyone know our meeting location/s for July and September once a location is secured.

• A reminder that the annuals dues payment was due in January. If you haven’t already paid for this year, please send it in a.s.a.p. The dues are $25.  Dues can be paid at the March meeting or made by mailing your check and information to:   

DVHSG

PO Box 1292

Hockessin, DE  19707

• This year we are spotlighting Blackbird Designs.    You are encouraged to stitch any Blackbird pattern and to bring in any pieces as you complete them during the year.

• We are also continuing our project completion challenge from last year.   In 2019 is was 19 projects.   This year it is 20 in 2020.  Remember to add your finishes to the green binder that is circulated at each meeting. 

• March - Theresa Baird will present a project utilizing the spiral trellis stitch. Members should bring a small piece of 28 or 32 count linen, a needle and #12 perle cotton to practice the stitch.  A hoop or Q-snaps are recommended if you prefer to not stitch in hand.  Theresa has created a pattern specifically for this stitch.   The design has not yet been released and is available for purchase for $15 cash/check only.    

• April - Betsy Morgan will be with us to teach a new project (“Christmas Etui”). This will be the last opportunity for us to have her as a teacher since she is retiring in 2020. Even if you are not taking the class, we welcome you to attend the meeting as Betsy will be giving a lesson on her joining technique, etc.  Participants please bring your completed pre-stitch as well as a photocopy of your finished pre-stitch.   New member Meg L. has an extra copy of Betsy Morgan’s book (Willing Hands). If you are interested in purchasing it from her, please reach out to her at the next monthly meeting.

•  Our spring retreat at Salty Yarns is the last weekend in April. The cost for the weekend is $145. The registration form is attached, and your deposit is due by the March guild meeting.  This is a MEMBERS ONLY event.

• May - In May we will celebrate our 20th Anniversary. Needlework Press will be with us and will give us a talk during our meeting. There will be a luncheon with speakers and an afternoon class. There will also be an all-day class on Sunday.  Information and sign up sheets will be provided at the March meeting and sign-ups are due no later than the April meeting.  Away Stitchers are permitted but there will be any additional fee for postage.   This is a members only event.   Guests can become a member for the $25 Annual Membership fee.

• June - to be determined

• July - We will have a Christmas in July project.    REMINDER - this meeting will be at a different location.

• August: Our Stash Re-Allocation Event.  The Guild encourages you provide a percentage of any sales to the Guild Conservation Fund.    Any items not sold, owners have the option to donate to the Guilds eBay sales which benefit the Conservation Fund.

• September - to be determined.   REMINDER - this meeting will be at a different location.

• Our fall retreat will be the first weekend in October and we will have to register early as there are other events occurring that weekend. As soon as we are ready to accept registrations, we will let you know

See everyone on March 7 back at DuPont Pavilion at Cokesbury!