December 2021

Lamplighter News - 

• We received another check from Fireside for eBay sales.  We do have other items that have been collected for auction in the next few months.   Please remember to bring in any stash you no longer want and we will set aside for our next trip to Fireside.  

• Reading recommendation--"The Dressmakers of Auschwitz" by Lucy Adlington. More information can be found about the author on her website (www.lucyadlington.com) and through her organization (www.historywardrobe.com).

• On January 7, we will be taking down the display at the Woodstown Library. We will gathering at the Diner at 12:00 noon and then will proceed to the library.

• If you have any ideas for a 2022 challenge, reach out to Joan T. with your suggestions.

• In 2023, we will be completing a project using techniques for working with overdyed threads. You will need to find some Watercolors thread and we suggest two skeins because you may need more when trying to plan out how the colors will change. You will also need some coordinating colors for the center of the design.

• Start thinking about Woodlawn--coming up in March 2022.  Pat Y. has again volunteered to take our pieces to the exhibit.

Upcoming Meetings

January 2022 - Zoom Meeting  We will review plans of the coming year.   The 2021 Challenge winner will be chosen.  Our 2022 challenge will be announced.   

February 2022 - Caryl C. will teach an EGA pattern called Herringbone and Holes.   It is a small (9 bands) band sampler and 28 count cashel is available to use.

March 2022 - Caryl C. will complete the Herringbone and Holes class.

April - Covered dish dinner.   Pin Cushion parade.   Bring in your completed flower pot pin cushion.

May - Sue Gonzales Wool Works

June - Blackwork flag EGA project

July - Christmas in July - more details to follow

This month's program -

We had a great gathering  for our annual Christmas exchange. Thank you to all who brought something to exchange and brought goodies to share. We always have a nice selection of Christmas treats and it was great to be able to do this again. 

Look at these great exchange pieces!

We were also gifted with EGA canvas bags with other stitching goodies inside on behalf of the guild. It was a nice holiday surprise.  

Show and Tell 

There was a vast variety of patterns, techniques, large and small items stitched by members.   We are a productive group!

November 2021 EGA Meeting

Lamplighter news:  

• Although we are meeting in-person now, we would like to make the meetings available when members are unable to attend. In the future when reminder emails are sent, you will be prompted to request a Zoom link if you would like. We will only provide a Zoom link if it is requested in advance. We will also use this as an option if the weather or circumstances dictate and we cannot meet in person.  

• Members will be decorating the tree at the Woodstown Library on December 3rd.  Those who wish to participate should meet at the Woodstown Diner at noon.  Following lunch, everyone will proceed to the library.   Please bring your ornaments or Christmas smalls to the lunch.    We are scheduled to take the tree down on January 7th.  Again meeting at the diner at noon before moving to the library.   Please make sure all ornaments and smalls are labeled with your name.

• The By-Laws Committee has completed a review and an update to the By-Laws.   Membership voted to accept the revisions.   They will now be sent to National for review and approval.   Once returned from National, we will have our formal adoption. Thank you to those who worked on the review and revisions.

• Results from the recent National EGA survey have been shared. There was an overall return rate of 40%.   The Mid-Atlantic Region's return rate was 50%.  The survey indicates that EGA the largest membership group falls in the 57-96.  Going forward, they will have focus on four major areas: Public image, Membership drive, Structure, and Education.

• For the December meeting, we will have our exchange. You can gift an ornament or a small--your choice. Members will bring baked goods or other holiday treats to share. Karolin Rapp has agreed to bring the paper goods. You should plan to bring your own beverage.

• Future plans--looking ahead to Christmas in July.  Teachers are needed.  If you are interested in teaching a class, please reach out to a Board Member.   Linda W. has a ton of class ideas you can use.  We will probably be using the Holy Nativity Lutheran Church's Fellowship Hall where we met last year for Christmas in July. 

• Looking way ahead to January 2023, we will be doing a project using Caron Watercolors thread. This project will explore how to plan out thread placement for variegated threads. Check your stash for  Watercolors thread that has at least three shades in variegation.

Program

Our program this month was to work on the EGA needle case project from National.  The pattern is available from the EGA.USA website.  Thank you to the member that  donated the fabric for us to use.   It is always fun to see the different color choices everyone uses.   You are encouraged to bring the finished pieces to a future meeting. 

October 2021 EGA Meeting

Lapmlighter's News

Members will be decorating the Woodstown Library tree again this December.  Members will gather the first Friday of December for lunch at the Woodstown Diner.  Following lunch, everyone will go to the library for decorating.  In addition to the tree, there is a cabinet to display small items.   Bring your items to the November meeting.   They can include ornaments or smalls.   

Remember to post your finishes on our Facebook page.

In November the meeting will focus on the EGA Needlecase.   The fabric is free for those who signed up.  Patterns are available to download from the EGA website.   

In December we will have our annual holiday exchange.  Members will bring cookies to share.   Please remember to provide you own beverage.

For the October meeting we learned about finishing techniques for the Bee-Lieve straberry.

  

September 2021 EGA Meeting

We met in person again for first meeting of the 2021-2022 year.   President Joan T. introduced herself and conducted our semi-annual business meeting.

Secretary's and Treasurer's Reports were shared.

Membership was pleased to introduce two members that joined at the end of last season.  As well as introduced three members who were new at this meeting.   Each new member gave a brief synopsis of their stitching history.   New members will be eligible to join our Facebook group and the EGA website.  That information was shared with them.  

A complete/updated member list will be circulated by email over the weekend that will include our three new members.

Regional Report - Our Regional Rep., Marian S. shared with us news from the Region  We can all refer to our August newsletter from MAR.   Linda W. and Marian S. will attend the next Regional Meeting.  At that meeting, Linda will participate in the Take-Along project which she will bring back to Lamplighters to teach.

Education - Linda W. was not at the meeting but did provide a hand-out with a month-by-month list of programs for the coming year.  

• October - Finishing the Bee-Lieve Strawberry
• November - EGA Needlecase - Free pattern and free 40 count fabric will be provided.  Sign-up list was available.
• December - Holiday Exchange of a needlework small
• January - Thread Talk
• February/March - EGA Project
• April - Covered Dish Dinner and Pin Cushion Party - More information to come.
• May - Wool work with Susan Gonzales
• June - Blackwork Flag - If you signed up and paid previously, you are on the list

    2021 Challenge - Stitch and finish EGA pieces - patterns from the EGA, Petite Projects, Guild Classes, Christmas in July - For each piece completed, members get one chance in a drawing for a Gift Certificate.  

Publicity - Information is sent to local papers (SJTimes, Elmer News and Franklinville Bulletin Board) in advance of our monthly meetings.  If you know of a local community paper or cable channel with a calendar of events, please let Robin T. know and she will add it to her notification list.   

Each month our Blog is updated with meeting notes and Show and Tell photos.

We put notices on Local Facebook pages announcing the start of out 2021-22 year.   There seemed to be interest and the postings were shared however we did not receive any emails requesting additional information.  

We are looking into possibly setting up at table at the Salem County Fair next August in the Home Ec. Building.   We can stitch and answer questions as well as pass out information about Lamplighters.

Outreach - KarenAnn had nothing to report for Outreach due to Covid restrictions.   If you know of any Outreach, please let KarenAnn know.

Sunshine and Cheer - Treasurer Caryl C. continues to send well wishes, sympathy cards, etc. to members.   Please alert Caryl if a member is ill, etc.

By-Laws - Pat L. will chair the By-Laws Committee with Marian S. and Karen K.  Our By-Laws need to be reviewed and submitted to Regional in 2022.  

Other - BJ discussed copyright issues with using designs.  We must make sure we have a designer's permission prior to sharing a design in a class or workshop.

Show and Tell

And boy oh boy did we have a lot to share.

Bee-Lieve pin cushion, Theresa Baird pattern, stitched by Joan T.  Four Christmas in July ornaments by Joan T.

Christmas in July finishes 

Cross stitched pumpkin, Noteworthy Needle pattern, stitched by Amy G.

Gold work piece from the Inspirations Magazine, stitched by BJ S.

Two-sided ornaments, peacock and Christmas in July piece by Deb N.

A Tribute to Tiffany, class with the Naples Florida EGA, stitched by Pat. L.

Canvas work stocking stitched by BJ S.

Dimensions Kit, The Lord's Prayer, stitched by KarenAnn M.

Jeannette Douglas Halloween Sampler, stitched by new member, Gwynne G.

EGA canvas work tree, stitched - 4 times - by Pat Y.

This is a diaper holder, believe it or not!  From Stoney Creek, stitched by Deb N.

Popular sampler piece, rearranged by Pat Y.

Halloween Drum, stitched and finished by Amy G.

Beautiful fall cornucopia stitched by new member Barbara G.

Assisi work seahorse, stitched by Pat L.

Huck weave towel, painted thread pansy, plaid spider, Bee-Lieve strawberry and three EGA Christmas in July ornaments, stitched and finished by Robin T.

Bracelet, Noteworthy Needle, stitched by Amy G.

Pillow, stitched and finished by Amy G.

Liberty Hill from Silver Creek, stitched by Amy G.

EGA class Canvas piece, Marian S.

Stitched by Amy G.

Two bands of hardanger, stitched and layered on satin ball, by Marian S.

Autumn ala Round, from Glendon Place, stitched by Pat L.

Heartstrings Samplary Halloween Witch, stitched by new member Barbara G.

It was absolutely fabulous to be able to meeting in person once again.   That said, our Officers did a great job coordinating Zoom Meetings and presentations during the pandemic.

Next meeting - October 14, 7 pm.   Room opens at 6:30 pm

Christmas in July 2021

 What a great opportunity to get to see everyone face to face.   

As usual, we had three teachers and three Christmas themed projects to work on.  

But first,  a little Lamplighters business.

• We are guaranteed our room at Holy Spirit Parish until December 2021.   The church is working on a new room rental rate structure.  The Guild will meet and decide how to proceed once we have the new fees.  Alternate sites were discussed but no decisions was made.  
• September meeting will be the finishing of our Beelieve Strawberry free patterns from Theresa Baird at Hearts Ease Examplar Workes.   Members will need to bring stitched piece, stuffing,  finishing supplies, felt, ribbon, buttons
• Salem County Fair will be the first week in August.  Make sure you sign up online and then drop off your needlework items.  Sign up can also be done in person.   On line sign ups save time when at the fair check in site.    Good luck to everyone who enters!   Hope we bring home some winners!

For the Christmas in July projects we had 16 present.   One new member brought her daughter as a guest.

First was Debra N. would taught this perforated paper piece.    Deb put together a great kit will all the necessary floss and beads.    A perfect ornaments for those with grand daughters.

She packages everything nicely and even included a cute little needle threader in each of our bags.

Our second teacher was Marian S.   This ornament was super easy but had us keeping our thinking cap on as it was stitched over three instead of over two.

Within the directions was an alternate way to stitch and finish the piece making it more of a spring time piece.

EZ-PZ to finish the stitching in one day.

After lunch, we had a piece from Pat Y.    Pat was double booked and arriving late so Linda W. started us off.    Pat had sent a variety of finished samples to check out and a generous supply of snowmen buttons to add as embellishments.   Everyone approached this differently.   Some stitching in a straight line, etc.  The end results will be worth waiting for when we are back to meeting in person again.

If you have never joined us for a Christmas in July ornament event, please consider it next year.  

Next meeting -  September 9th,  Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.