Sunday, December 12, 2021

Advent Calendar

When Kitten Stitcher announced that she would be offering a stitcher’s Advent Calendar, I knew that I would have to have one. It has been so much fun and something to look forward to every morning! The gifts have been wonderful, such a fun idea! 

Below are pictures of the gifts for the first 12 days of December.













Nine and ten might be my favorites so far, but I love them all!

I have so many things to do before Christmas. Two weeks left to get it all done. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!



Sunday, November 28, 2021

Acquisitions

It’s been a long time since I last posted. I really haven’t had much to post about! Sometimes life (and work) gets so busy that I don’t have any energy left to stitch at the end of the day. I anticipate that this trend will continue through the end of the year. There are always so many end of year deadlines for work, and there are also so many expectations tied to the holidays. I always look forward to the New Year and a fresh start!

I have stitched some though and will be able to rustle up an update for you, but today’s post is going to be dedicated to two antique samplers I acquired this summer. I happened upon them at a thrift sale that I went to in August. Both are beautiful and in excellent condition. I don’t know much about the history of either of them, but perhaps someday I will have time to research. They are currently in the frames I acquired them in. I’d like to have them reframed to ensure they are well preserved for many years to come.

Here is the first one (and my most favorite). Please note, I could not photograph them straight on; did the best I could to eliminate as much glare as possible.


The name on the sampler is “Eliza Guy” and it was stitched (finished?) in August 1845 when she was 10 years old. The verse reads:

Tis Religion that can give Sweetest Pleasures

While we live tis Religion must Supply Solid

Comfort when we Die After Death it’s Joys

Will be Lasting as Eternity be the Living God

My Friend then my Bless shall never End.

The second one is very pretty too. It has some small holes in it, but the stitching is all intact. This sampler was stitched by Mary Ann Simmons. She finished the sampler on March 14, 1848.


The verse reads:

Loose me the Mighty Angel Cried

Why didst thou grasp Me so

Until thou bless me he replies

I will not let the go…

We just gave our walls a fresh coat of paint and I decided to hang these in a place where I can see them from my stitching chair. As I stitch, I will think about the young girls that stitched these samplers.

Here’s a Lizzie photo for you; she brings so much joy to our lives!






Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Retreat Exchange

There was an exchange at the retreat last weekend. I didn’t participate this time, but I sure had fun watching the process and admiring all the lovely finishes. There were some really talented stitchers at this retreat!













Hope you enjoyed seeing all of these lovely finishes!

Monday, October 18, 2021

Amana in the Fall

I love Amana, especially in the fall. Lawns were decorated with pumpkins and hay bales and corn stalks. The weather over the weekend was beautiful, so it was easy to explore the various shops on foot.



One morning, I even visited the cemetery in Amana; the simplicity of the headstones drew me in.





Love the brick buildings …


I hope to have the opportunity to visit again!


Sunday, October 17, 2021

One Last Excursion…Amana!

One last stitching adventure for the year; I spent the weekend in Amana, IA at the Midwest Cross Stitchers Retreat! I had been looking forward to this for such a long time and am so glad that I had the opportunity to go!

No PICs this weekend, but I managed to get to Amana and back without incident. One of my favorite stops is this visitor center just across the border from Minnesota into Iowa. Did you know that they have a small gift shop on the second floor with handmade items and things that are made in Iowa?


Arrived safely in Amana. While many visitors stay in Bed and Breakfasts, I decided to stay at the Hotel Millwright this trip. Lovely hotel! Check out that Amana wool blanket across the bottom of the bed!


Thursday is somewhat of a free day, so after getting settled in “my spot” at the retreat center, a couple of us took off for The Woolen Needle in nearby Williamsburg. It’s an amazing shop with lots of wool and some fabric. A gem of a shop in this small town!


Back at the retreat, I took some pictures of the show and tell table. Lots of beautiful needlework displayed.











We closed out Thursday night with dinner at The Ronneburg Restaurant in Amana. They serve wonderful German dishes. I ordered the rouladen. The green beans and fried potatoes were delicious too!


Friday was primarily a stitching and shopping day. The main event happened on Saturday. Our guest designer was none other than Brenda Gervais!


Brenda started the day with a very informative lecture on Pennsylvania Dutch show towels! She brought 13 towels from her collection for us to admire. 












She also designed some small projects for us based on the motifs on the towels.



Brenda also designed a Christmas themed project for us with a candy shop that looks like the many brick buildings found in Amana!


Enough for this post….more tomorrow!