December 2020 Zoom Meeting

We closed out 2020 in not the same way we have closed out year's in the past.  Good thing we all know how to 'compensate' our stitching and we are able to 'compensate' for our meetings.

First off, a continued BIG THANK to the ladies (and gentleman) who organize, coordinate and make our Zoom Meeting possible.  

Please, please, please.....if you are participating in our Zoom Meeting and you are NOT the speaking or making a comment, please put your device on mute.   Many of us watch the meeting using the "speaker"view" instead of "gallery view".  Speaker view allows the active speaker to be the only person you see on your screen.   When members do not mute their device, every sneeze, rustle, every noise in their background, etc., activates them as the speaker.    Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

President Linda D. welcomed everyone.   The Treasurer's Report was reviewed and  discussion on current and pending bills was had.

Linda welcomed new members who then introduced themselves.  We had new members from New York Delaware and Pennsylvania, not to mention existing members from Tennessee, Luxembourg, Florida and all over participating in the meeting.   I think there were 44 in attendance.

Membership - Sign up now!   We already had 50 renewals received by the December meeting.  Dues for 2021 is due by the end of January.   Complete and mail this MEMBERSHIP FORM

Upcoming -

January Meeting - 

• For our January 2021 Meeting will we will reviewing all Blackbird Design pieces STITCHED in 2020.   Send any pictures to Linda D. no later than January 6th.   
• Members will also share any stitching related gifts they received over the holidays. - No pictures need to be send of your gift items; individuals will be able to hold up and share during the Zoom meeting. 
• And last but not least, we will be electing which designer we wish to showcase during 2021.

Designer Showcase for 2020 - Blackbird Designs

Designers on the list for the 2021 Designer Showcase 

La-D-Da

Needlework Press 

Samplers Revisited (Patty Yergey)

February Meeting - Zoom Class with Linda of Erica Michaels Designs.  Deadline for sign-up was December 15th.   Your kits will be mailed to you directly from Linda.

March Meeting - Cindy Steinhoff will hold a discussion via Zoom on two Delaware Samplers and one Maryland sampler.

April Meeting - TBD

Spring Retreat - There has been no decision on a spring retreat in OCMD.

May Meeting - Sheryl DeYoung of the Smithsonian will lead a discussion on samplers.

June - The annual NASHVILLE MARKET has been re-scheduled for sometime in June 2021

A great thank you also to our Program Coordinator!  Is is not easy to come up with virtual meeting ideas.   If you have a suggestion, please let Stacy S. know.

December 2020 Program

Barbara Hutson of Queenstown Samplers joined our meeting via Zoom.  Barbara gave us an overview of her history.  She shared her knowledge of what different sampler motifs indicate and also what origin the motifs are indicative of.   Before purchasing any sampler, she researches the girl who stitched the sampler.   Her process for creating a reproduction is first to research, then to stitch and to chart. When charting from an original sampler, she selects the colors she will use based on the color of the floss on the back of the original sampler.  Members had sent photos to Barbara prior to the meeting and she discussed the individual samplers and share what her knowledge about each.  

She also shared with us many of her own samplers and gave tidbits of information on each.  She discussed her process for charting a sampler.  Although she usually is stitching on only one sampler at a time, she often has three or more in various stages of being reproduced.  Some may in the charting phase or being stitched by model stitchers.    For her samplers, she has them stored as "Charted" or "Uncharted".   Each type is stored in archival/air tight boxes.   They are store together, unless a particular sampler is fragile.  It is then stored separately.  

Barbara gave some tips on buying a sampler -

• When buying on line, make sure to read the description thoroughly; verify what is being sold is NOT a poster;
• In person buys are best; 
• Make sure you have name and phone number of seller;
• Check out Amy Finkels website and review her tab on Fraud/Finding an Antique sampler;
• Fraud has been found by sellers adding or removing stitches; 
• Rely on an Auction House or sell that monitors eBay.

Barbara has several new releases and several she is working on.  As with all her charts, Barbara includes the history of the stitcher and any other information of interest she uncovered while doing her research.   Any Queenstown Sampler chart ordered from Salty Yarns in December will receive a 15% discount - Let Salty Yarns know you are a DVHSG member when ordering.   Barbara took information on a couple of member's samplers and will be getting back to them with more detail on each.  

What a wealth of knowledge Barbara is and how lovely of her to share it with us.   Thank you Barbara!