No products in the cart.
Coming To America – The Women of the Mayflower
2020 marks the 400th celebration of the arrival of the Mayflower. It is also the 400th anniversary of the arrival of needlework to America. Did you know, needlework came to America with the women of the Mayflower? That is something to celebrate, as needle workers of the 21st century!
The first American sampler was stitched by a young girl, Loara Standish. We learned of her father, Captain Myles Standish in history class, as young students.
"History has dwelt long and minutely upon the Pilgrim Fathers and their great adventure, but has passed over the women with a generalization and occasionally a tribute. Even their contemporaries have had but little to say about them. There is much need today to perpetuate their spirit, to practice their faith, to maintain their ideals. They loved liberty and endured hardship, sacrifice and suffering for its sake. They built the homes of the Nation on the foundation of English ideals of home and family life, which we cherish today as ours. They served their homes and the community life of the colony with loyal and unswerving devotion. They brought up their families in those rugged virtues and living faith in God, without which nations perish. They have a message for us today, calling us back, not to their austerities but to their righteousness and spirituality."
- Anne Rogers Minor, National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution.
Life for the women of the Mayflower was not easy. The women and children lived on the Mayflower while the men built their dwelling places. The living conditions were dirty, wet, and cold. Many of the women and children died the first winter. In the spirit of these brave and enduring women, and the 400 year celebration, Brenda Gervais has designed a sampler to honor the Women of the Mayflower. The piece is titled, Coming to America - The Women of the Mayflower.
The release date for this design will be September 6th, the date the Mayflower left Plymouth England. The ending date for the series will be Nov 9th, the day the Mayflower landed in Cape Cod. With some good stitching time, this sampler can be, realistically, completed in the 66 days (number of days the Mayflower was at sea).
The kit will include the sampler pattern and a pattern for a smaller design. A lovely, custom printed, colored box will contain the kit. Also included with this will be a piece of finishing fabric for the small design that is a replica of a hand-written page from William Bradford's journal.
A few hints about the sampler... It is a larger sampler. It is long and narrow. Very similar in size and stitch count to the historical Loara Standish sampler (which measures about 11.5" x 33.5" on 35 ct linen). As expected, there are nautical Mayflower themed motifs, but I have also worked in the motifs relating to the connection of needlework coming to America, and the women of the Mayflower. The animals on the Mayflower included 2 dogs, pigs, goats and chickens. Look for these motifs on the sampler, as well! The cover model will be stitched on a 40 count linen. This sampler, due to its size, is best suited for 36 count or smaller linen. The sampler is worked entirely in cross stitch, over 2 threads, with a small amount of straight stitching. There is no over-one stitching on this piece.
Done on 40 ct Zweigart linen: Vintage Country Mocha
This is able to be stitched on Aida.
Design sizes:
14/28 9 x 31
16/32 7.75 x 27
18/36 7 x 24
20/40 6.25 x 21.75
Prices:
14 Aida $18.50
20 Aida $13.50
32 Lugana $13.50
28 Linen $24.00
32 Linen $18.00
36 Linen $17.50
40 Linen $19.50
$35.00 includes:
- Chart for the sampler, "Coming to America~The Women of the Mayflower"
- Self-adhesive sampler label to sign and date the finished sampler
- Pilgrim Needle Anchor - a cute little magnet to keep one's needle safe & secure
- Piece of cotton backing fabric for the free bonus chart. The fabric is a reproduction of Mayflower passenger, William Bradford's handwritten journal and was designed specifically for this project
- Custom printed box to house the items. This also doubles as a project box to keep all the goodies safe and secure while stitching the sampler! (Does not include fabric or threads)
Floss usage (40 count, one over 2): One skein each, unless noted otherwise.
Weeks Dye Works - Grits, Oscar (2 skeins)
Gentle Arts - Apple Cider, Mountain Mist (2 skeins), Wood Trail, Endive
Classic Colorworks - Chesapeake Bay
DMC - 355, 371, 3778, 3830, 610, 613, 640, 647, 729 & 754
Floss usage (36 count, one over 2): One skein each, unless noted otherwise.
NOTE - This is only a floss estimation as provided by the cross stitch program in which the design was charted. The cover model was not worked in this count, so cannot definitively confirm!
Weeks Dye Works - Grits, Oscar (3 skeins)
Gentle Arts - Apple Cider, Mountain Mist (2 skeins), Wood Trail, Endive
Classic Colorworks - Chesapeake Bay
DMC - 355, 371 (2 skeins), 3778, 3830, 610, 613, 640, 647, 729, 754
Floss usage (32 count, 2 over 2): One skein each, unless noted otherwise.
NOTE - This is only a floss estimation as provided by the cross stitch program in which the design was charted. The cover model was not worked in this count, so cannot definitively confirm!
Weeks Dye Works - Grits (2 skeins), Oscar (5 skeins)
Gentle Arts - Apple Cider, Mountain Mist (3 skeins), Wood Trail, Endive
Classic Colorworks - Chesapeake Bay
DMC - 355, 371 (3 skeins), 3778, 3830, 610, 613 (2 skeins), 640, 647, 729, 754
Thread prices:
Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Art, and Classic Colorworks are $2.50 per skein.
DMC floss is .59¢ per skein.
Launching September 6th, 2020
Available to Pre-Order
from Cecilia's Samplers!
See the Mayflower Collection
And Pre-Order Here >
