Plimoth Plantation Project Celebration

Please take a moment to just be happy with me. I am so thrilled and in awe, and grateful. I am sooo thrilled that I feel like my whole formal education and stitching life has been building up to this time in my life. That's how much this means to me. I know this sounds a little over the top. But, for me, it's the truth.I heard today that I've been chosen/allowed to work on the Plimoth Plantation project organized by the museum which is recreating the embroidered 17th c. jacket worn by a woman on the Mayflower II! This is a once in a lifetime stitching project! I am so excited and humbled to be able to work on it! I'll be in the December session.

Such jackets were very rare for those times, especially for women making hardship trips to the New World by tiny ships! The jacket has been researched by the museum and consultants. Tricia Wilson Nguyen, whom you may know as a needlework designer and co-owner of Tokens and Trifles, is a significant member of the recreation and teaching team.

Lauren Sauer found the picture I've posted above as a type or style of the jacket/dress worn in the 1600's. Evidently, only very wealthy women would have had one of these...they were very rare, and they would have cost a fortune with all the embroideries, silks, gold and silver threads, etc. Which makes the jacket a curiosity for being on the ship to Plimoth! Makes one wonder if the woman was running away or planning to use the jacket as a bartering tool, or if she was a dressmaker or fine needlewoman herself!

Please go visit the website and read all about it at: http://www.plimoth.org/ You can click on the Embroideries section at the upper righthand side. Did I tell you I'm so thrilled, yet!!!??? Most of the story and pictures of the actual stitching is in the "general" section.

This is a picture of the "sample kit" that the Plantation sends out to prospective stitchers for the Project. It was designed by Tricia. Isn't it cute. It's a likeness of the jacket imagery. You can see some of the different stitches here.

They will send you a kit if you email and ask for one. There's a fee of $40 something.

This picture above is work being done on a section of the jacket. When you view the site entries under "General," you'll see the types of frames and lighting everyone uses. And, how the copies were recreated.

A couple of celebrity stitchers!! Shay Pendray, and did you know that Lauren Sauer stitches with her feet, too? LOL
This beautiful woman below is called "Laura the Extreme Costume" woman. Evidently she made this jacket and cap of hers. I don't know people like this...they intimidate me, and I probably will never meet her. So, it's safe to say that I will not be taking an outfit like this to my stitching sessions. I will try to dress a little and not wear my usual floridaish pants and RL golf shirts. And, I promise not to embarrass any of you by looking like I'm a deer in headlights and it's my first time with a needle in my fingers. But, I doubt I'll be carrying around a portfolio or wearing a hand-stitched glorious outfit. Yikes! Those of you who really know me will be rolling on the floor right about now. All I can offer is lots of flashy jewelry to keep up face in the midst, okay!? :) Which I'll probably have to take off because it could snag the yarns or linen, anyway....:[

Did I tell you I'm so thrilled and so psyched??? I can hardly breathe!!

Call me, email me, comment, do something!!!