The Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild has announced their third annual “Stitch for the Cure” event which will be held Saturday, November 22, 2008 at the Virginia Quilt Museum in Harrisonburg, VA.
For the last two years, the Shenandoah Valley Chapter has worked with a national known needlepoint designer to create a new design which is first offered at the “Stitch for the Cure” event. The 2007 project was “Abigail” which was designed by Ro Pace. The 2006 project was “”Celebration” which was designed by Sue Reed.
This year’s project, “Gibor”, was designed by Orna Willis and is available in several different color options.
You can read all of the details for the 2008 “Stitch for the Cure” event at;
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6136943/Stitch-for-the-Cure
The “Needlepoint Now” magazine published an article on the “Stitch for the Cure” event in the July/August 2008 issue. You can see this issue at;
http://www.needlepointnow.com/Magazines/2008-07/Magazine.htm
Not only do you spend the day stitching, you do so in the Virginia Quilt Museum which is located in the historic Warren/Sipe House in Harrisonburg, VA. You can also register to have lunch at Mrs. Hardesty’s Tea Room. My daughter and I stopped in for lunch this past summer at Mrs. Hardesty’s Tea Room and we had a lovely time enjoying the food, the tea, and each other’s company!
The article mentioned that the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of ANG is already planning their future “Stitch for the Cure” events as follows;
2009 – Susan Kerndt
2010 – Kathleen “Charly” Brennan
2011 – Carole Lake
2012 – Gay Ann Rogers
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend this year’s event but I hope to attend in 2009!
If you attended in the past, please comment and let us know how much you enjoyed the “Stitch for the Cure” event. I would also like to hear from anyone who attends this year’s!
Thank you for stopping by and visiting! :-)
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Summer Crossing 2008 -- September 11, 2008
Summer Crossing is an older Girl Scout weekend event that is held right before school starts at the end of August. The girls range in age from entering seventh grade (apx. 12) to girls entering 12 grade (apx. 17). We all go up to a local parks and recreations camping facility and have a fun filled weekend that is just for the older scouts. The intent is to have a lot of fun and to get them excited about Girl Scouts for the next school year.
I’ve been volunteering for several years and I'm in charge of the Needlework area. Now being in charge means I have lot's of responsibilities... Yep... I'm the one who takes roll! :-)
This year there were two of us who had volunteered. Janet was teaching huck weaving and knitting. I was teaching cross stitch and embroidery. Both Janet and I have volunteered for many years and each year we try to offer different options for the girls though knitting and cross stitch are offered every year. We teach five sessions on Saturday and each session is one hour and fifteen minutes.
This year we were expecting a good turn out for the needlework area but the weather was gorgeous so several of the girls decided they wanted to do some of the outside activities. Usually in August it is very hot and humid so the cooler, dryer temperatures were unusual. The girls sign up before the event for the different activities but once they arrive they are allowed to change their activities as long as there is room in that particular session. We still had a respectable turnout but the other options were geo-caching, low ropes, archery, swimming, computers, leather, etc. So with that for competition I think we were doing pretty good that we still had a lot of the girls join us at for needlework!
We encourage the scouts who sign up for needlework to try an activity that they don't already know how to do or that they don't have someone in their family or circle of friends who can teach them. For every session throughout the day, Pat and I may both be teaching or only one of us may be teaching. It just depends on what the girls would like to learn. We are always excited when the girls say that they already know about one of the needlework techniques and would like to learn another technique!
We make sure that we send them home with materials to finish the project and with ideas of where to purchase more materials if they want to continue learning and working with the needlework technique. For example, Pat makes sure that she has knitting needles for the girls to take with them to keep and we both make sure that we have instructions sheets for the different techniques that we offer. We also have a large selection of small cross stitch kits that both Pat and I have been collecting over the years. If a girl (or an adult) would like to pick out a kit, they are more than welcome.
We both work hard on the basics so that the girl can continue learning once she returns home. For example, I spend time at the beginning of my sessions teaching the proper way to thread the needle (no licking or spitting at my table!), and how to make a waste knot. Pat spends a lot of time on the basics of huck weaving and knitting.
This year, when I had a free session, I was working on developing an embroidered bookmark and a felt pincushion for next year. I started with making several 6” by 1” strips of felt. The example will show all of the stages of a sample design. For example, the first strip has the center flower. The next strip has the center flower and the stem. The third strip has the center flower, the stem, and the leaves. At the end I’ll have each step stitched with the final example being the bookmark with its backing and edging. The girls will be able to select the colors of the felt, threads, beads, and a needle so that they can continue to work on their bookmark during their free time and at home after the event. I’ll be doing the same process with all of the steps to make a felted pincushion. Lot’s of fun!
We are both excited when we have a girl who visited us last year return for another session at the needlework area. This year there were several who returned. We also love that they remember what we taught them last year and are willing to learn more! It’s also fun to see how many girls have already worked with different needlework techniques either in school, with friends, or with family!
This year we had several of the adult volunteers stop by and stitch with us for a while. In particular, one of the food volunteers was able to sit with us for several hours and she completed her bookmark! She loved the idea and plans on taking it back to the girls both within and without scouts that she knows.
We have a wonderful time and the location is gorgeous. Picture us in the rolling hills of central Maryland with trees and wildlife all around. Wonderful even if we don’t have air conditioning which can be challenging with the fibers sometimes! In years past it's been quite hot but this year the temperatures just climbed to the mid 80's and the humidity was very reasonable for Maryland in summer.
Unfortunately we don't have pictures as we get so busy teaching we forget to take pictures! We'll have to work on that next year...
We have a fun time with each other, and we enjoy sharing our respective needlework crafts with the girls. It's a wonderful feeling when you see that they finally get it! You might want to try teaching your needlework craft to someone younger. You will have a lot of fun!!!
Recent Comments:
If you are visiting, I’d love to hear a comment even if it’s just a simple Hello. :-)
If not, not a problem (one of my phrases that I find myself using a lot), thank you for visiting my blog!
Jane – I’m used to worrying about the kids not Mom, and yes, I can just imagine my Mom in her 80’s! Lot’s of fun. What’s really funny is when I see my daughter, who does high adventure camping activities, chasing after and worrying about my mother and what she’s up to! That’s really funny! We aren’t a sports or very athletic family but we do like the outdoors and those type of activities.
Please do check out Pat’s HeartStrings designs. I know that she is very popular but you don’t hear much about her on the blogs or on the discussion lists. I’ll be adding more of her pieces which I’ve finished and which I’m stitching to my blog over the next few weeks. I think she does an outstanding job on the designs but she is truly talented on picking threads and stitches which enhance her designs.
Coni – Let me know what you pick up when you visit the City Stitcher. I have many of Pat’s canvases so maybe we can have a Stitch-A-Long (SAL). I’m just looking for an excuse to pick up the 2008 Limited Santa or the Flag canvas! :-)
Madonna – I’m blaming my absence on the family but in a nice way! :-) Glad to be back and it’s nice that things are settling down again now that school has started again.
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
I’ve been volunteering for several years and I'm in charge of the Needlework area. Now being in charge means I have lot's of responsibilities... Yep... I'm the one who takes roll! :-)
This year there were two of us who had volunteered. Janet was teaching huck weaving and knitting. I was teaching cross stitch and embroidery. Both Janet and I have volunteered for many years and each year we try to offer different options for the girls though knitting and cross stitch are offered every year. We teach five sessions on Saturday and each session is one hour and fifteen minutes.
This year we were expecting a good turn out for the needlework area but the weather was gorgeous so several of the girls decided they wanted to do some of the outside activities. Usually in August it is very hot and humid so the cooler, dryer temperatures were unusual. The girls sign up before the event for the different activities but once they arrive they are allowed to change their activities as long as there is room in that particular session. We still had a respectable turnout but the other options were geo-caching, low ropes, archery, swimming, computers, leather, etc. So with that for competition I think we were doing pretty good that we still had a lot of the girls join us at for needlework!
We encourage the scouts who sign up for needlework to try an activity that they don't already know how to do or that they don't have someone in their family or circle of friends who can teach them. For every session throughout the day, Pat and I may both be teaching or only one of us may be teaching. It just depends on what the girls would like to learn. We are always excited when the girls say that they already know about one of the needlework techniques and would like to learn another technique!
We make sure that we send them home with materials to finish the project and with ideas of where to purchase more materials if they want to continue learning and working with the needlework technique. For example, Pat makes sure that she has knitting needles for the girls to take with them to keep and we both make sure that we have instructions sheets for the different techniques that we offer. We also have a large selection of small cross stitch kits that both Pat and I have been collecting over the years. If a girl (or an adult) would like to pick out a kit, they are more than welcome.
We both work hard on the basics so that the girl can continue learning once she returns home. For example, I spend time at the beginning of my sessions teaching the proper way to thread the needle (no licking or spitting at my table!), and how to make a waste knot. Pat spends a lot of time on the basics of huck weaving and knitting.
This year, when I had a free session, I was working on developing an embroidered bookmark and a felt pincushion for next year. I started with making several 6” by 1” strips of felt. The example will show all of the stages of a sample design. For example, the first strip has the center flower. The next strip has the center flower and the stem. The third strip has the center flower, the stem, and the leaves. At the end I’ll have each step stitched with the final example being the bookmark with its backing and edging. The girls will be able to select the colors of the felt, threads, beads, and a needle so that they can continue to work on their bookmark during their free time and at home after the event. I’ll be doing the same process with all of the steps to make a felted pincushion. Lot’s of fun!
We are both excited when we have a girl who visited us last year return for another session at the needlework area. This year there were several who returned. We also love that they remember what we taught them last year and are willing to learn more! It’s also fun to see how many girls have already worked with different needlework techniques either in school, with friends, or with family!
This year we had several of the adult volunteers stop by and stitch with us for a while. In particular, one of the food volunteers was able to sit with us for several hours and she completed her bookmark! She loved the idea and plans on taking it back to the girls both within and without scouts that she knows.
We have a wonderful time and the location is gorgeous. Picture us in the rolling hills of central Maryland with trees and wildlife all around. Wonderful even if we don’t have air conditioning which can be challenging with the fibers sometimes! In years past it's been quite hot but this year the temperatures just climbed to the mid 80's and the humidity was very reasonable for Maryland in summer.
Unfortunately we don't have pictures as we get so busy teaching we forget to take pictures! We'll have to work on that next year...
We have a fun time with each other, and we enjoy sharing our respective needlework crafts with the girls. It's a wonderful feeling when you see that they finally get it! You might want to try teaching your needlework craft to someone younger. You will have a lot of fun!!!
Recent Comments:
If you are visiting, I’d love to hear a comment even if it’s just a simple Hello. :-)
If not, not a problem (one of my phrases that I find myself using a lot), thank you for visiting my blog!
Jane – I’m used to worrying about the kids not Mom, and yes, I can just imagine my Mom in her 80’s! Lot’s of fun. What’s really funny is when I see my daughter, who does high adventure camping activities, chasing after and worrying about my mother and what she’s up to! That’s really funny! We aren’t a sports or very athletic family but we do like the outdoors and those type of activities.
Please do check out Pat’s HeartStrings designs. I know that she is very popular but you don’t hear much about her on the blogs or on the discussion lists. I’ll be adding more of her pieces which I’ve finished and which I’m stitching to my blog over the next few weeks. I think she does an outstanding job on the designs but she is truly talented on picking threads and stitches which enhance her designs.
Coni – Let me know what you pick up when you visit the City Stitcher. I have many of Pat’s canvases so maybe we can have a Stitch-A-Long (SAL). I’m just looking for an excuse to pick up the 2008 Limited Santa or the Flag canvas! :-)
Madonna – I’m blaming my absence on the family but in a nice way! :-) Glad to be back and it’s nice that things are settling down again now that school has started again.
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Monday, September 8, 2008
Busy, Busy, Busy – But not with Stitching Projects -- September 8, 2008
The last few weeks have been very busy. My daughter and I attended Summer Crossing which is an older girl camping weekend. She volunteers and I teach embroidery and cross stitch to teens and I’ll be blogging about this later.
We then went on a very late summer vacation this year. Due to all of the family activities we didn’t go on vacation until the last week of summer vacation which was also during the Summer Olympics. We had a lot of fun but we all decided that we did not want to go on vacation this late in the summer again! It was hard to relax when we knew all of the school activities would start the next week!
You should see how many needlework projects my daughter and I both packed! It was so funny to see the bags, especially since she didn’t work on any projects and I only stitched for about one hour on one day. We also thought that Fay would come up the East Coast and we wanted to be prepared. LOL!
We did visit two quilt shops which are lot’s of fun with all of the fabrics and the colors. My DD wanted to try quilting, so we picked out the supplies for a beginner small quilt. She hasn’t had a chance to work on it yet but hopefully during one of the long weekends she’ll be able to start.
I should add that when we go on vacation we don’t sit around. We visit museums, have dinner, play putt-putt golf, etc. We don’t sit on the beach or by the pool, or at least not for long! Quite the energetic family!
This year my mother joined us for the first several days. We took her to an indoor water park and we had a wonderful time. The kids are old enough that I can turn them loose. My mother was the one who actually wore me out! She’s 70+ and she wanted to try everything! You think you worry about your kids but imagine trying out all of the water park activities with your mother and making sure that she has fun and doesn’t get hurt! The one life guard summed it up well when he found out her apx. age. “Hmmm… 70+ years old but the mind and spirit of a 7 year old”! Yep, that’s my mom! I finally had to put my foot down and tell her that she was not allowed to go on the water flume! I thought it would be too dangerous for older bones as you ride down a tube with gushing water flat on your back without a raft. She only pouted a little and then she was sliding down one of the water slides! My daughter was walking around with her at one point
and went by me mouthing “Help Me”! My mother was wearing out my daughter! :-)
Earlier in the week, my husband and the two kids took my mother river tubing. I didn’t go as I don’t like to be in the sun for that long as I burn very easily. I had told both of the kids and my husband to watch out for Mom. Well, they got to the river and my mother was first in her tube and down the river she went. The others couldn’t catch up and didn’t see her for the rest of the trip! :-) This is when I should add that DH, within the first five minutes, shredded the palm of his hand on a river rock. The cuts were not bad enough for stitches but bad enough that he couldn’t golf the rest of the week. He was not happy! LOL!
We had a wonderful time, and all joking aside, my mother is a lot of fun and enjoyed her first visit to a water park. My son has decided that Mom is, in his own words, “Awesome”, which is a great compliment from a male teenager!!!
I was only able to stitch for about an hour while they were river tubing. Among the many projects I took was a Heartstrings Bittie, “Pumpkin”. My goal was to stitch the whole project during the week as its only 2.75” round. Well I only stitched the stem, the star, and the black dots as you can see below;
We then went on a very late summer vacation this year. Due to all of the family activities we didn’t go on vacation until the last week of summer vacation which was also during the Summer Olympics. We had a lot of fun but we all decided that we did not want to go on vacation this late in the summer again! It was hard to relax when we knew all of the school activities would start the next week!
You should see how many needlework projects my daughter and I both packed! It was so funny to see the bags, especially since she didn’t work on any projects and I only stitched for about one hour on one day. We also thought that Fay would come up the East Coast and we wanted to be prepared. LOL!
We did visit two quilt shops which are lot’s of fun with all of the fabrics and the colors. My DD wanted to try quilting, so we picked out the supplies for a beginner small quilt. She hasn’t had a chance to work on it yet but hopefully during one of the long weekends she’ll be able to start.
I should add that when we go on vacation we don’t sit around. We visit museums, have dinner, play putt-putt golf, etc. We don’t sit on the beach or by the pool, or at least not for long! Quite the energetic family!
This year my mother joined us for the first several days. We took her to an indoor water park and we had a wonderful time. The kids are old enough that I can turn them loose. My mother was the one who actually wore me out! She’s 70+ and she wanted to try everything! You think you worry about your kids but imagine trying out all of the water park activities with your mother and making sure that she has fun and doesn’t get hurt! The one life guard summed it up well when he found out her apx. age. “Hmmm… 70+ years old but the mind and spirit of a 7 year old”! Yep, that’s my mom! I finally had to put my foot down and tell her that she was not allowed to go on the water flume! I thought it would be too dangerous for older bones as you ride down a tube with gushing water flat on your back without a raft. She only pouted a little and then she was sliding down one of the water slides! My daughter was walking around with her at one point
and went by me mouthing “Help Me”! My mother was wearing out my daughter! :-)
Earlier in the week, my husband and the two kids took my mother river tubing. I didn’t go as I don’t like to be in the sun for that long as I burn very easily. I had told both of the kids and my husband to watch out for Mom. Well, they got to the river and my mother was first in her tube and down the river she went. The others couldn’t catch up and didn’t see her for the rest of the trip! :-) This is when I should add that DH, within the first five minutes, shredded the palm of his hand on a river rock. The cuts were not bad enough for stitches but bad enough that he couldn’t golf the rest of the week. He was not happy! LOL!
We had a wonderful time, and all joking aside, my mother is a lot of fun and enjoyed her first visit to a water park. My son has decided that Mom is, in his own words, “Awesome”, which is a great compliment from a male teenager!!!
I was only able to stitch for about an hour while they were river tubing. Among the many projects I took was a Heartstrings Bittie, “Pumpkin”. My goal was to stitch the whole project during the week as its only 2.75” round. Well I only stitched the stem, the star, and the black dots as you can see below;
Obviously this is a pitiful start especially since I didn’t meet my goal! :-)
Pat is one of my favorite designers and you can see the Heartstrings line at;
http://www.artistscollection.net/Artists_Collection/HeartStrings_Gallery.html
I have many of her canvases in my stash and I’m looking forward to stitching them all!
We came home from vacation on a Sunday and school started on that Tuesday. The first week or so of school is quite busy with paperwork and the starting up of various activities. Things are beginning to settle down now and I’ll have some more stitching progress to share with everyone soon!
I think I’ve caught up with all of my blog comments and emails.
Beth – I sent you an email about your Candy Swirl Santa question.
Coni – I left you a comment about a replacement for the “project that should not be mentioned”.
Everyone else - If you haven’t heard back from me, please let me know! Thanks! :-)
Thank you so much for visiting my blog!!!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
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