Every volunteer embroiderer in every session is an amazing, interesting person. I’ve said a number of times that the best part of this project for me has been the opportunity to meet and get to know so many talented and generous people. I’ve been thinking you might like to get to know them too. 

The first picture tonight is of Sharon from Virginia, as she was known this session. We had two Sharons this time. This Sharon took a weekend away from her own major, long term project, opening a new library at the college where she teaches, to join us. I was glad to hear about her amazing project which is nearly complete – the library has been open for a couple of months but the finishing touches are still being put to it, and the official opening ceremony isn’t for another week or so. Her mammoth undertaking made ours seem positively do-able! 

The second photo is Sharon’s hands at work. Thanks to Lilia who again photographed each embroiderer’s hands (all those present on Saturday, anyway). Fortunately, this time she took a big picture of everyone, too, so I would be able to match names with hands. 

I have loads of pictures and subjects for blog posts, probably enough to last until the next session even if nothing new happens (which is unlikely). The next session, November 14-17, is full, but we do have some spots open in December – the 11^th to the 14^th, so if you have a few vacation days to use before you lose them at the end of the year, think about coming to Plimoth. The gift shops will still be open so you can do some holiday shopping in between stitching. 

This session’s embroiderers made a big impression on the jacket. Nearly everyone worked at least one or two large motifs – pinks (carnations) or foxgloves. It feels like we’re tipping the scales to more done than not done. Not true, of course, there’s still loads to do, but the frames no longer look mostly blank with a couple of rosehips and a leaf or two. Two frames are now “out of service” meaning everything is done on them except the gold vines (that thread has yet to be manufactured) and the sequins (we have them but want to put them on last, after the gold work). We didn’t want to have to reduce the number of embroiderers who can come each time, so we’ve thought of a way around that. More on that another day.