Laren asked a few days ago about a PayPal account, in connection with the Textile Conservation Fund announcement. I learned that Plimoth Plantation will soon be launching an e-commerce aspect to the www.plimoth.org website; Rich is busy with it right now. When that goes live we may not need any other vehicle; I’ll keep you posted.

Carol was back today, although still not feeling her best. It was good of her to come all the way here to work with us and I hope she feels better still soon.

These are more of Wendy’s photos from yesterday. The first picture is of Kandy, the second of Allison, with the light right on her work. The third is of Beth. Beth doesn’t spend ALL her time finishing off ends, but we seem always to catch her at it.

This session is small and comfortable. It’s easy for me to be in the office, I don’t feel like I’m trying to be in two places at once (the office where the email and phone messages are waiting; Accomack where all the excitement is). Several participants this session knew each other before coming, so it feels like a little party of friends, even for those of us who didn’t know them before. 

Instead of having formal presentations this session I just invited some of the program’s specialists to have a meal with us, including Kathleen Curtin, foodways historian and Thanksgiving expert, Marcia Hix, mistress of the foodways kitchen and our personal caterer, and interpreters Kelley, Beth, and Michael. I’m glad this seems to be working out very well; the conversations are going in all sorts of interesting directions, and the interpreters especially seem to like the opportunity to converse "behind the scenes." Maybe we’ll add this element to some of the bigger sessions.

Speaking of which, we have several spots open in the December 11-14 session. That’s Tuesday to Friday. If you’re local and have attended a previous session, please feel free to contact me about coming for one or two days. If you haven’t attended a previous session and have some vacation time to use up before the end of the year, think about treating yourself to a relaxing few days stitching and shopping - Plimoth’s gift shops will be open and volunteers receive a 10% discount. It is very possible (though not definite) that we will have another color or two or four of the gilt sylke twist to work with at the December session. Call 508-746-1622 X8119 or email jhall@plimoth.org 

is in full swing. Today we lost Carol to a migraine (sending get-well wishes to her) but gained Beth, whose professor seemed to think attending class yesterday was important (!?). Here’s Cathy working away at one of the sleeves. The sleeves were the last pieces framed, so they’re the least embroidered. But not after this week!

Thanks to Wendy for taking pictures today. More tomorrow.

Plimoth Plantation is pleased to announce the establishment of the

“Plimoth Plantation Textiles Conservation Fund”

This fund has been established as a result of the enthusiasm and support for our current project “ A Paradise in Silk and Gold”. It is a recreation of a 17^th century embroidered jacket currently housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Embroiderers from across the country have come to Plimoth Plantation to participate in this project while sharing their love of needlework, history and purpose.

Housed in the treasure trove of items known as “ The Permanent Collections of Plimoth Plantation” lie two exquisite 17^th century band samplers. These samplers are both in desperate need of professional conservation so that they may be enjoyed and studied for years to come. Among the issues shortening their lives are the inevitable dust and dirt as well as glue.

Our initial goal is to raise enough funds that the first of the two samplers “Theodora Oxenbridge” can be conserved.

The story and history of Theodora is fascinating and will be told in installments here along with glimpses of her in her current state of distress!

Donations to this effort may be directed to

 kcorben@plimoth.org

Donations should be marked “restricted to textile conservation fund”.

Your generous assistance is greatly appreciated.

If you emailed Kathy on or after Friday, November 9, please email her again. She had an email problem (I believe “corrupted” was in the explanation) and lost everything post-Thursday afternoon. Thanks.

Those of you who have attended a session or have been following the blog realize that those blue striped tablecloths mean only one thing – Marcia’s cooking is soon to appear. Shaina and Penny spent most of today tidying and preparing for the start of the November session, which is tomorrow morning. Everything looks great, and all is in readiness. Bring on the embroiderers!

I spent most of today patting my computer and asking it to please download four days’ worth of emails. I got them all, apparently no one was corrupted but the connection was faulty. I’ve answered almost all of them. I had a great long weekend, but boy those emails pile up.

About the stocking knitting. We buy yarn from Harrisville Designs – their Highland style 100% wool yarn, to be specific. We use that yarn for a few reasons, one is that it comes in a number of colors that look like natural dyes. Other reasons are that it is not expensive, is readily available, and wears well.

Some have asked about using handspun to knit for us. I get 12 wraps per inch with Harrisville Highland. The “fancy” stocking pattern calls for a gauge of 24 sts and 36 rows = 4 inches. It would be possible to use any yarn that gave that gauge, in any natural sheep color. I’d feel - how to put this - like it was a waste of precious handspun to use it on pilgrim stockings, though. Interpreters wear their stockings hard. We usually have to refoot each pair of stockings at least one time per season, for some folks twice per season.

Here’s a photo of my current re-footing project. After they wear through the heels to where there’s no point darning it anymore, we cut off the foot, pick up the live stitches, and knit a new foot.

Handspun would find a better use, I think, in gloves. Gloves get less hard use and are more visible to the visitor. Handspun would make an impact there. If you’re interested in spinning to knit some gloves, let me know. jhall@plimoth.org I’ll get you a pattern, and the wraps per inch and yardage for gloves.

We can’t put the patterns on the blog, as some have suggested. It isn’t a technology thing, but more because once they’re out there, they’re out there and you can’t get them back.

Many, many thanks to all the knitters who have volunteered to make stockings and gloves. The hand knitted garments add to the richness and depth of our recreated sites, increasing for our guests the sense of being immersed in the past.