Next Meeting Friday, April 24, 2026

St Matthews United Church of Christ, 5289 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg, NY 14075

10:00 am

Dawn Ronningen, of Collector with a Needle, will be presenting her Historical Ladies Pocket program. Following the program she will walk through the finishing of your own pocket.

Dawn Cook Ronningen of “Collector with a Needle” is a well-known researcher, author, and collector specializing in 18th and 19th-century needlework tools and textiles. Her programs often feature high-resolution photos and close-up views of items from her personal collection, including pockets, sewing rolls, and samplers. 

Based on her workshop style and recent programs, here are the likely details of the program and finishing session:

• The Program (Historical Ladies Pockets): Dawn shares antique examples of 18th and 19th-century tie-on pockets (or “waist pockets”) from her collection, discussing their materials, embroidery, and functionality, often covering how they were worn under petticoats.
• The Workshop/Finishing Session: Following the presentation, Dawn walks attendees through the construction and finishing of their own pockets. She often utilizes her own designed, historically accurate pocket patterns, offering pieced, whole-cloth, or welted styles.
• Optional Kits: Frequently, an optional “finishing kit” is made available to participants, which includes necessary materials to complete the pocket during or after the session.

Next Meeting Friday February 27, 2026

St Matthews United Church of Christ, 5289 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg, NY 14075

10:00 am

Program: Ann Gedge Bag

By: Norfolk NeedleArt

Norfolk NeedleArt is owned by Bethany Clements and Joanne Lukacher. They specialize in fine needle art designs and kits inspired by the captivating 18th- and 19th-century samplers of Norfolk England.

Bethany collects Norfolk samplers and Joanne is the scholar who researches various Norfolk sampler design and their specific regional type. She explores the needle workers and how they lived to add rich and historical information about their traditions from this Distinctive English county.

They regularly shares images of samplers from her collection and the extensive research she conducts into the girls who created them on Instagram at @Norfolksamplers.

Joanne Martin Lukacher has published the book. Imitation and Improvement: The Norfolk Sampler Tradition was published in 2013 by In the Company of Friends Press.

The topic of the meeting is Imitation & Improvement, Echoes & Enhancements, New Discoveries in Norfolk Sampler Studies. . After the Lunch break Joanne will teach the Ann Gedge Sewing Bag. The class will include a demo of the finishing for the Ann Gedge Reticule. The written directions will be emailed to the class participants prior to the class. Kits have been sent to all in December.

It’s a class you will not want to miss.

https://www.norfolkneedleart.com/about-norfolk-needleart

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Friday October 24, 2025

St Matthews United Church of Christ, 5289 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg, NY 14075

10:00 am

Program: Pin Drum assembly Demo

The program for the October class is a demo for finishing a drum. This will be a demo with time after the program to assemble your own drum 

I will have most everything the members will need to complete their own drums, but there are some additional items you will need to have..

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Designer of the Year: 2025

The 2025 Designer of the year is Stacy Nash.

Select one of her designs (large or small) to stitch in 2025.

Fully finish it either as a pillow, drum, pin keep pillow, framed, etc.

During the December meeting next year there will be drawings for gift certificates for lucky members who show their completed project. This is open to all members who either come to the meeting in person, attend on Zoom or e-mail a picture of their completed project.

Thanks to all members who entered the 2024 drawings for Designer of the Year.

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Our own Stephanie was published Inspirations Magazine with how our guild celebrated World Embroidery day!

Stephanie Drehs | New York, USA ‘I belong to a Sampler Guild and last year on World Embroidery Day we stitched at the Orchard Park Public Library located in Orchard Park, NY, USA. People stopped to observe and asked questions about both stitching and our guild. It was so successful that the library invited us back this year and asked if we would do a couple of classes this time. I decided that cross-stitch would probably be the easiest thing to teach in the hour time slot I had. The age range of the students spanned elementary school aged girls, to young women in their 20’s, to senior ladies and a gentleman. I’ve included two photos, the first shows ladies from the guild stitching and the sampler on the left is ‘Death by Cross Stitch’ stitched by one of our members.’

‘The second photo was taken during one of the classes, it’s a mother along with her adult daughters.’