Currently the guild has 111 members.
Gloria M. announced the forthcoming book by Michéal & Elizabeth Feller, The Needlework Collection:1. Kathy M. will be getting copies at the Stitch Niche, so contact her if you want one; they will be available at a significant discount to members. (Note: the books are no longer available through Kathy M. at the Stitch Niche.)
The Florence Griswold Museum is presenting an exhibition, With Needle and Brush: Schoolgirl Embroidery from the Connecticut River Valley. It is an insightful, illustrated history of schoolgirl needlework. With Needle and Brush contributes to the understanding of the traditions of needlework and provides insight into the nature of women’s schooling before the advent of widespread public education. The exhibition of approximately seventy embroideries, watercolor sketches, and portraits will draw extensively on works from private collections, many never before shown publicly.
Marie Z. presented the program entitled “Jacket Tour: 17th Century Needlework – Jackets, Caps, Gloves, Caskets”. In the fall of 2010, she took part in a two-week “Jacket Tour” organized by Tricia Wilson Nguyen (owner of Thistle Threads and one of the lead needleworkers on the Plimoth Plantation jacket project), Susan Albury (owner of Hanging By a Thread-the UK connection) and Virgin Vacations. There were two parts to the tour, England and Scotland, and the group saw many pieces of 17th Century needlework that are rarely, if ever, seen by the public. This program focused on the pieces they saw in England, including pieces at the Museum of London, Victoria & Albert Museum, the Royal School of Needlework, Maidstone Museum, and Costume Museum at Bath. Many of the pieces they saw, although over 400 years old, are in good condition, however many of the blackwork pieces are turning to dust due to the mordants used to set the black dyes. They saw a number of lovely caskets, most of which were behind glass which prevented good photographs. One of their activities was a scavenger hunt at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Tricia had taken some closeups of 12 textile items and each team had to identify the item and record the accession number. They traveled from one end of the museum to the other in their pursuit, and their knowledge of needlework did help them to find some of the items by identifying the technique shown. Marie shared photos of many of the exquisite pieces they had the privilege of seeing.
Show & Tell:
