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Hello Stitching Friends!

I am home! The members of the Southern Maine EGA Chapter were wonderful and made me feel right at home. They put on a wonderful Spring Get Away with all the bells and whistles and it was a pleasure to be with them.

One of my new friends walked in my class room on Saturday and showed me a little something that she had just finished and had packed to show. It was my gorgeous Jean Key 1798 Scottish sampler! Beth had stitched it on 40 count linen and, I admit it, Jean is a LARGE and LOVELY GIRL. I held the sampler with Beth for a photo and have to tell you...the back side was almost as stunning as the front! Why can't I stitch like that???

I made it home on Monday in spite of weather delays and cancellations and was in beautiful Old Salem, NC with my friend Sharon bright and early Friday morning for the MESDA (Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts) "Stars, Stripes, and Stitches" event.  Two samplers that I have just reproduced were introduced during the event, Margaret Mutter 1793 and Ann Clair Tinges 1798.

I borrowed motifs from the Margaret Mutter 1793 sampler to create "Margret's Holdall & Pin Wheel" and held my class Friday afternoon in the Old Salem Visitor Center.  My students were wonderful! 

The event was packed with lectures and I learned many new things! Several lectures were focused on quilts and bedcovers, two introcuced us to double woven baskets made by Cherokee women, while others were sampler focused.

The delightful Jenny Garwood introduced us to the story behind a new acquisition - the Louisa Hanson Rogers sampler made in Asheville, NC.

Two of the lectures included information on the Eliza Baynard Cherokee Mission School and the sampler that I reproduced a year ago. 

We learned about the six Cherokee Girls who attended Salem School prior to being forced to walk to Arkansas on the Trail of Tears. Some of these girls used their education to teach other Cherokee children. One of the girls, Sally Ridge (Paschal Pix), became a major landowner and rancher in Texas. 

It is estimated that 4,000-6,000 of the Cherokee people died during the forced relocation known as the 'Trail of Tears' which ocurred between 1838-1839. Deaths resulted from hunger, disease, eposure to harsh weather during the 1,200 mile journey. 

Why did this happen? The American government wanted to take the land that the Cherokee people had occupied for centuries from them. 

Johanna, Jenny, Melissa and their accomplished team hosted an excellent event! Johanna promised that they would not wait another 6 years, but would have a needlework related event again soon.

I have just posted the two new MESDA reproductions: Margaret Mutter 1793 and Ann Clair Tinges 1798, in hard copy format to this website. I will load up the PDFs when I have a little more time.

May the beauty of spring bring JOY to our thankful hearts...and may the pollen not overwhelm us.

Cissy

(Contact me at Cissy2449@gmail.com if you would like to discuss interactive lecture options, available classes, and dates. I need to update my Classes Page with new offerings.)
(Shops - you may email me about wholesale orders.)
 
 
 
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