June 2025

Our President called the meeting to order.  Committee Reports were shared.

New members were welcomed.

Minutes from the prior meeting were shared by email to all members.  Committee Reports were shared.

- Patrick reminded all to keep an ongoing list for your 2025 finishes.   At the end of the year, stitchers will submit their list to be added to our “Green Book”.    Seventy-three members participated in 2025.  

- Number of the month for your focus is - No. 1

- Hobby House Retreat - We have 22 signed up to attend the retreat.  Reach out to Stacy or Robin for more information.   Although the discounted block of rooms is filled, room is still available to attend.  

- Guild Fall Retreat at Salty Yarns will be November 14, 15 and 16.   Information and sign up form can be found in your Guild Newsletter.

- The Conservation Committee has sent out 19 applications for the 2025 Conservation Grant.

- Lambertville Historic Society will host Marty Campanella for a discussion on samplers on June 22.   Pre-registration required, $10    The Acme Screening Room, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ   Lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org

Programs - 

First - some important due deadlines 

    Dawn Ronningen - Jane Harris Chart (pdf) $15 due by July 1

    Hobby House - Retreat Fee $50 - July 10 

Teresa Miller - Class sign up - $38 and $44 (away) due August 1

Catherine Theron - Class sign up - $195 -  Limit 30 stitchers - August 28

Jackie duPLessis - $50 Deposit on Berlin Wool Work - August 31

Fall Retreat at Salty Yarns - $100 - Due October 1

August - Jennifer Richardson of Violets & Verses will be our guest lecturer.   Jennifer is very knowledgeable about samplers as well as Shakers and Shaker life.   She will be sharing new releases of two samplers from sisters.   More information will be provided via your Guild Newsletter regarding purchasing options of the chart, fibers and fabric.  

September  - Teresa Miller Primitive Designs.    Sign up due by August 1st.    The class will be during the September Meeting and Away Stitchers are welcomed. 

October - Garage Sale - There will be no Zoom for this meeting.   Bring in your unwanted charts and needlework supplies to sell.  With Fireside no longer taking items for sale on eBay we will let you know of alternatives for any items left closer to the October.

November - Catherine Theron Classes -  If you are interested, sign up sooner rather than later as class size is limited to 30.

December - Holiday Exchange and Luncheon.   If you wish to participate in the exchange, please bring a  wrapped sampler related small.   You need to include the guild’s initials, the year and your initials on the piece.   The Guild will provide sandwiches and members should their own beverages and a covered dish to share.  

September 2026 - We will have Jackie DuPlessis share her Berlin Wool Work Spot Motif Sampler.  This sampler uses 36 different skeins of French wool.    A $50 deposit will be required by September 2025 so the fibers can be pre-ordered.  Please check your Guild Newsletter for sign-up form.  This sampler is filled with beautiful, vibrant colors. 

Today’s Program -

We were treated by having a Guild member share her knowledge about samplers.   Deb G started by giving us a bit of history about the Maytown Historical Society.   Maytown, located in Lancaster County, PA was laid out by Jacob and Elizabeth Downer, German Mennonites, who purchased the land from Scotch/Irish landholders in 1760.  By 1770, the Downers had gone bankrupt and the property was then sold back to the son of the former owner, Alexander Lowery.  Land records show that Enoch Hastings owned lot #3 and that is where the Maytown Museum is now located.  Census records show Enoch moving to the area in 1768 and is credited with owning one cow.   In 1779, tax rolls show Enoch as owning a house and two town lots, three acres of land and two cows!  

Deb focused on the Anne Francis Breneman sampler.  The chart is available for purchase directly from the Maytown Historical Society.  Sale of the chart is part of their Capital Campaing for archive storage.   Deb’s vast knowledge of the sampler and the history of Maytown is extensive and provided to be very interesting.   It was obvious that Deb is really invested in the history of Maytown, Lancaster, County.

Deb shared how samplers can be researched and the steps she took to identify and chart Anne Francis Brenneman.

Next meeting - July 12 - Zoom Only

52 members were online for the June Zoom Meeting.