June 2025

Joan welcomed everyone to the meeting.  Normal reports were shared.

The Nominating Committee presented the slate of Officers:

Joan T - President

Caryl C - Treasurer

Pat L - Secretary

They were unopposed and approved by voice vote by members present.

Christmas in July is upcoming.  It will be at the Church in Wenonah again this year.  Three ornament classes will be taught.  There are 15 who have signed up and 9 spaces still available.  Closer to the event, those attending will receive an email with what they need to bring as well as directions to the Church.

Group Correspondence Course - Love and Laughter - No classes are scheduled until the fall.

Salem County Fair - August 4th to 8th.  There is no cost to us.  The building where the needlework is housed is air conditioned.  Joan passed a list around for members to choose day and time they were be available to man the information table.  She will send a email with the day assignments the week prior to the Fair.

Show N Share

Band Sampler by Pat Y.

E pluribus unum by Barbara G.

Mill Hill Bunny by Pat Y.

Happy Holly Days from Stoney Creek by Deb N.

A bunch of pretties from Caryl C.  From top to bottom -   The Lady Bug is Hands on Design;  Next row, two squares are from Fox & Rabbit;  next, Liberty Pennies and Botantical Bee from Hands on Design; The Bee’s Knees from Hands on Design; Sheep is Jeannette Douglas Designs; and last the heart if from Teresa Kogut Patreon membership.

O’ Tannebaum and Quaker Christmas by Pat Y.   O’ Tannebaum was a Christmas in July project from a few years ago and Quaker Christmas is from Cross Stitch Magazine, 2012. 

Birds of a Feather, Beaded Snowflake and Beaded Pin Pillow stitched by Karolin R.

Pat Y found the perfect frame for her Phillies piece.

Pat L completed the 12 Days of Christmas from Hello from Liz Mathew’s.   She stitched over one on 28 count using the called for silks.

Diana T did a great job fussy cutting the flowers from French General material and appliquéd them to what will be the center panel of a quilt.  

Carol E made up this little coffee piece for husband Mike

Carol came across this ribbon embroidery pattern from 123Stitch….one problem was it was all in Russian.    Looks like she was able to follow the graphs without any problem.

This was an ANG stitch of the month project.  Completed by Linda W and mounted on the top of a round can.

Group Correspondence Course from Denise Harrington Pratt.   Love and Laughter stitched by Linda W.

Peacock designed by Dawn Donnelly and stitched by Linda W.    Look closely, some of it is ribbon embroidery.

Ann C did the perforated paper tomato.

Noel from Hands on Design is also by Ann C.

Snow Baby from Annie Bees was stitched and finished by Ann C.

Small pillow by Pat Y.

We had 17 present and 2 on Zoom

Next meeting - September 

Happy Summertime Stitching!

May 2025

Joan called the meeting to order.  The standard reports were shared.

Our Nominating Committee presented a slate of offices for the June Elections. The current President, Secretary and Treasurer are willing to serve another term unless there is anyone interested in any of the positions.    We are looking for someone to fill the position of Vice President.   Joan outlined the duties of the Vice President and welcomed anyone to see her with any questions. 

May is membership renewal month for any member who joined EGA prior to January 1, 2024.   Members should have received an email from National with instructions.   If no action is taken by you,  you will get a second email reminder about two weeks later.   All membership renewals are done through EGAUSA.org  

Caryl continues her instruction on the THaP project.   This month we receive instructions on Rows 7, 8 and 9.  This is Caryl’s completed work.   She finished it a small pin pillow.

Sign up sheet for Christmas in July was circulated.   The cost is $20 for classes on three different holiday projects.   You can bring non-EGA guests.  Participants should bring their own beverages and lunch as well as a snack to share.    Your normal stitching supplies are needed.   If there are any special tools needed, (i.e. paper scissors)  we will send an email the week before the class with the list as well as times, directions, etc.

Those working on the GCC Course will meet next on May 14th.

We had one of our eldest members decide not to renew her membership.  She is 92 years young.   She doesn’t like to drive at night.   She finds with vision issues it is too hard to stitch anymore.  Katie entertained us with her stories of her EGA experiences and stitching history.   We will miss seeing you Katie!   Don’t be a stranger.

This is a sampler Katie completed many years ago with Lamplighters.

Show and Share

Geometric piece from Gay Ann Roger’s by Marian S.

Nativity Tiny Town from Heart in Hand by Caryl C.   Finished on a spool by “Pete’s Bee Skeeps”

Ukrainian Whitework GCC Class by Marian S.

Also completed by Marian S the GCC several members are working on together.

Crossed Wing Collection’s Ruby Throated Hummingbird Biscournu, by Becky

Train case styled tote, stitched by Beck using a Hopi Pottery design.

Needlefest Sampler by Deb N.

Wool pumpkin pin pillow and ornament by Robin T.

Next meeting - June 12, 2025

April 2025

April is our Annual Business Meeting and covered dish dinner.   This year we had the privilege of having Donna Pence, Mid-Atlantic Region, Regional Director, join us.   Joan introduced Donna.  She shared insights into EGA in general and the Mid Atlantic Region (MAR) as well.   Donna has been a strong force in MAR representing members with all her energy and our best interests at heart.   A much deserved rest is in store for Donna when she turns over the reigns at the end of 2025 but I trust she won’t be far from EGA.

A possible new member, Carol P was introduced and she shared her stitching story with us.   We hope you decide to join us on a regular basis.

Before moving to Committee Reports, Joan reminded everyone of many opportunities and benefits National offers to members.   Check out their website at EGAUSA.org for the many projects, lectures and classes you have at your fingertips with your membership.

Treasurer’s Report - Caryl provided a handout and reviewed our Year-to-Date expenses.   One correction (a typo) was found by Caryl herself after distributing.   She will make the necessary changes to the report.

Secretary - Pat L provided the minutes of the Business Meeting in September of 2024 for review.   They were provided by email prior to the April Meeting.   Having no edits, the minutes were accepted as presented.

Membership - Our current membership is at 33.   We have two or three stitchers that may be intersted in joining Lamplighters.   Renewal of membership is approaching for those members who joined prior to January 1, 2024.   All memberships are now down on the EGAUSA.org website.  You should be receiving the renewal notice from National via email in the next few weeks.  If you fail to renew, after two weeks you will get a second reminder.  This is for  memberships that will expire 5/30/2025.

Regional Rep Report-  The Regional Representatives no longer have in-person meeting.   A new way to get the Take Home a Project (THaP) out to members had to be created.    The THaP has moved to a class for Chapter Representatives at Camp WannaStitch.   Caryl C took the class and has been leading the members introducing new stitches each month.    Not only has she been teaching the class, she finished it in to a cute pin pillow.

Watch your Regional Newsletter for more information on the following as well other events and class opportunities.

- Camp WannaSew in Painted Pony, NY will be held again this year at the YMCCA in Watson Woods on September 18 - 21 2025

- Camp WannaStitch will again be at the Ashore Hotel on Martin Luther King Weekend, January 2026.  

- A virtual class with Jennifer Reienberg, “Nights in White Satin” will be offered in later September 2025.

- The Philadelphia Chapter will be hosting Wendy Moore for “Moon on the Watre” Class on September 27 and 28, 2025. This class is open to the entire region after members of the Philadelphia Chapter have first choice to attend.

Linda is working with the survey completed last spring by members to develop programs for September 2026 through June 2026.

Christmas in July 2wll be July 19, 2025.   Only 24 spaces are available.  The cost is $20 for all three projects.  

For Show ‘n Share, members were asked to bring some of their older EGA pieces to the meeting.   Since it was our Anniversary Month, it was fitting to bring them and it brought back some “ohs and ahs”.   Not every piece was from an EGA class or project.  There was a great variety of techniques, medium, fibers and floss.   We have a prolific and talented membership.   And this is only some of the many pieces brought in.

Enjoy

See you next month - May 8, 2025, a 7 pm.

There were 20 members in attendance at the meeting.  One member participated via Zoom.

March 2025

Joan called our meeting to order and welcomed new member, Ruth.   Ruth is from central Delaware and has quite a bit of a commute to get us!  Many of us know her from the Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild.  All were glad to welcome her.

The Group Correspondence Course (GCC) has started.   The nine participants are meeting monthly at member Lynn B.’s house to get their monthly assignment.   

Joan reminded everyone to be sure to check out both the NeedleArts Magazine and the EGA.USA website.   Your EGA  membership includes many benefits.   Be sure to see what they have to offer.  

Treasurer’s Report and Membership Report were both given.    The Treasurer let everyone know that Fireside Stitchery is no longer taking cross stitch items for sale on eBay.   Our sales of stash have benefitted us greatly over the last few years.   For Membership, information was emailed to two prospective members.   Our current membership is at 35.   For this meeting, 20 were present and there was no Zoom option for the March meeting. 

Program

For our program, we continued to work on the Take Home a Project (THaP).   Caryl C is provided the schedule and instructions for the stitches. We started in February doing rows 4, 5 and 6 starting the bands in the middle of the fabric and work up towards the top of the fabric.    For March, Caryl showed us the Oblong Cross, the Greek Stitch and the Slanted Cross Stitch for rows 1, 2 and 3.  

Show and Tell

Above and below, this is a fundraiser pillow designed by Jackie DuPlessis and sold thought Sassy Jack’s Stitchery in North Carolina with the proceeds benefitting the flood victims in from the hurricane in North Carolina last fall.    Beautiful work by Linda W.

Linda W also stitch the kimono’s below

Cute Mill Hill ornaments by Deb N.

Also but Deb N, this cute spring time stitch.

Carol E finished her THaP project and turned it into a tissue box holder.   She added the names of the stitches and personalized with the alphabet and her name.    

Diana T shared this wool appliqué piece.    Might be time for her to teach us another wool work piece!

Stacy S shared her new tool box.   She was gifted  a Kobalt toolbox.  She removed the wording and logos.   She then bought decals from Etsy to adorn the toolbox.   She also outfitted the inside with divided contains for storing tools and notions.

Stacy S stitched the Rock and Roll Sampler from Heartstrings Samplery.   This is full of hidden symbols like the guitars in the two blue vases near the bottom.

Next Month is our Annual Business Meeting.   It is a covered dish dinner and starts at 6 pm rather than 7 pm.   The Chapter will provide a main dish (such as chicken tenders or similar) and members will bring salads and sides and desserts.   We will have a special guest at the meeting.   Donna Pence, the Mid Atlantic Regional Director will be attending our meeting.  

Meeting date:   April 10, 2025