a blog for members and potential members
The Loudoun Sampler Guild has outgrown its previous meetings spaces, so we’ll be meeting at the Loudoun Country Day School starting with the January 2018 meeting.
LCDS is located about six miles south of downtown Leesburg at 20600 Red Cedar Dr, Leesburg, VA 20175, off Evergreen Mills Road.
Parking will be available in front, and the entrance is shown below.
The Loudoun Sampler Guild’s new program chair, Cindy Hawkins, has announced the schedule of 2018 meetings, including two field trips!
This schedule is subject to change. Please see the newsletter for the latest information and registration coupons for classes and workshops.
April 14, 2018: Lecture: What Woodlawn Judges are Looking For (Kathy Myers)
May 12, 2018: Demonstration: How to Make Stitched and Embellished Strawberries (Barbara Ray and Marty Greiner)
June 9, 2018: Field Trip: Biggs Symposium on Delaware Samplers, Dover, DE
July 14, 2018: Workshop: Christmas in July (Sharlotte DeVere)
August 10, 11, 12, 2018: Annual Retreat at Shrine Mont (coupon in the March newsletter)
September 8, 2018: Workshop: Praiseworthy Stitches
October 13, 2018: Lecture: “Sampler Extravaganza” (Barbara Hutson and Cindy Steinhoff)
November 10, 2018: Field Trip: Tour an extensive private collection of samplers (Winchester, VA)
December 8, 2018: Holiday Luncheon
Today, a few members of the Loudoun Sampler Guild gathered to say goodbye to Betsy Morgan, who is moving to Charleston in a few days. Betsy has been a longtime member of the LSG, a past program chair, and a frequent teacher. She’s been exceptionally generous in sharing her time and talents with us. We’ll miss Betsy very much! The Charleston Sampler Guild and EGA will be lucky to have her in their area.
By the way, the Guild’s parting gift to Betsy is a wood nautilus shell from Mike and Maggie Fraser at Sylvan Treasures. http://www.sylvantreasures.com/
This just in from the Royal School of Needlework:
“We have been overwhelmed by the level of interest in the first Royal School of Needlework summer school – so apologies that our first update has taken a little longer than planned.
So, now on a regular basis we’ll be giving you news and updates of our plans. We are bringing at least 10 tutors and are planning a mixture of 2/3 or 5 day classes, some in traditional historic techniques, some with delightful modern twists. The classes/programme will run across the whole week, and then we repeat it the second week, giving more people the opportunity to participate.
So first we need to let you know about booking because some people have told us they are checking their emails hourly. Don’t panic – booking will open Week Commencing 15th January 2018. Actual day/time will be advised much nearer the day.
Then the format will be 2 x 1 week Summer Schools. This way more people can come. The programme will be as follows:
Sunday 8th July: Early evening welcome Reception: meet the tutors and your fellow students
Monday to Friday Teaching 10 am to 4pm
Evenings: programmes of lectures and events (more details later)
Thursday evening Summer School Dinner
Saturday morning Either: Introduction to mounting OR a practical workshop exploring colour with the Chief Executive. Then final half hour visit everyone’s class to see what they’ve done and leave at lunchtime.
Week 2 will be the same (but with a few subtle differences in case anyone wishes to do both weeks)
The classes will be at a slightly more relaxed pace than our usual intensive visits to the US. You won’t have to stitch all hours. However, if your fingers can’t stop there will be a special project to work on.
Plus we’ll have a pop up Shop and more.
So next, week by week we’ll introduce the tutors and then we’ll follow up with information on the designs, the lectures and textile talks.”
The RSN is coming to the USA to offer two one-week summer schools July 8-14 and 15 – 22. The School is bringing ten tutors and offering a range of short courses at all levels and an evening program of talks, pieces from the collection, a conference dinner and social events. It will take place in Lexington Kentucky.
You can sign up here receive news updates and booking information:
https://www.royal-needlework.org.uk/content/1215/rsn_summer_school. There will be an early-booking rate for those who register.
The National Museum of the American Coverlet focuses on antique American woven coverlets. Coverlets are woven bedcovers, used as the topmost covering on a bed. The weaver worked on a loom to construct the textile itself one row at a time, and the pattern was woven in as part of the process. Dated coverlets in the collection range from 1771 to 1889.
Woven coverlets were popular in many states during the early-to-mid nineteenth century. The two main types are called geometric and figured and fancy. The pattern motifs in geometrics are based on circles and squares. The patterns in figured and fancy coverlets are curvilinear and realistic and can include floral, animal, architectural and other motifs. These are the coverlets that most often contain inscriptions. Inscriptions can include the weaver’s name, location, the year it was made, the name of the person it was made for, and sometimes a slogan of some sort.
Designs and motifs will be familiar to sampler enthusiasts.Here are several modern sampler patterns that are inspired by coverlet designs: “Coverlet Sampler” by Cricket Collection; “Harry Tyler’s Lion” by Long Dog Samplers; and “Coverlet Houses” and “Coverlet Candle Mat” by Scarlett House; and “Summertime Coverlet” by Heartstring Samplery.
For more information about the Museum, go to http://www.coverletmuseum.org.
Members of the Loudoun Sampler Guild have enjoyed two year-long “mystery” projects. In 2013, we stitched a band sampler (see the link on this website for details on how to order the charts). In 2015, we stitched a box.
In 2017, we are embarking on a third mystery project. This time it’s a spot sampler. We’d like as many members as possible to contribute a motif for the project. We will try to release at least 4 – 5 motifs at every meeting. Stitch just one motif each week and you’ll have fifty by the end of the year!
We’ll post pictures of our progress here as the year goes on.
Happy Stitching!
