The Final Drive home

 We woke early just south of Charleston, West Virginia with a day-full of driving to get home.  We decided to stop in Gettysburg, PA for a stretch of the legs and a walk about.    We headed first for a Cross stitch store - of course - called Needle and Thread.      Unfortunately, it was Election Day and it was closed.   It set the stage for a return weekend to Gettysburg.   

On to Gettysburg proper.   This is an area filled with history - Gettysburg Address, battlefield, lovely Civil War era homes, awesome town square in the center of town.    Since this was a somewhat unplanned stop, we relied on the internet to find us a house tour.   

We choose the Schriver House, built in 1860 as the Schriver Saloon and Ten Pin Alley.  It was one of the finest homes in Gettysburg completed just months before the start of the Civil War.

You enter the home to find it outfitted in period furniture.   This would have been the room where the Schriver’s greeted guests and they wished to display their wealth by setting a fine room to greet visitors. 

Crossing the hall, we see the dining room.   With the documented notes of the Schriver’s this room has been set up to appear as it would have after the Union are was housed here.  

I spied a Huswif on the side table.  

 

Upstairs in the central hall, was where Mrs. Schriver set up her sewing machine.   I believe I remember our guide telling us this was an original Singer from the 1850’s or 60’s.  

Coverlets mean so much more to me after touring the Coverlet Museum.   They were truly one of the more valuable items in a home.

This was the children’s room

A second bedroom where more of Mrs. Schriver’s handiwork was done.

Also in this room is a quilt on a frame much as it would have been in 1860.

Across the hall, the guest room

Mr. Schriver’s desk

Civil War Re-enactments are still done at this location.    The hole in the wall was made for the soldiers to shoot out of.

The ‘spent’ papers on the floor of from the soldier’s ‘shoot’.   There would be filled with black powder which was loaded into their rifles.    It looks as if the soldiers were only there the very morning we visited.

View of their garden

In the basement is an area where Mr. Schriver’s employees would have worked.

The other half of the basement is where Shriver’s Saloon was.

Back yard and garden area

Bullet holes in the walls as seen from the alley.   In 1860, the house to my back as I stood here, was not yet built.  

Gettysburg is definitely on the list to return and spend some time at.   

Home again, home again, jiggety jig!   

One last hoorah, part 1

 Before we returned home.  

Up early to meet all the attendees for breakfast before heading out.  We wanted to hit part of the bourbon trail.   We tried to get into several but they were booked.  We ended up at Maker’s Mark for a tour and a tasting.   

The setting for Maker’s Mark were beautiful.   Nestled in a hillside at the same location where founder Bill Samuels created the world’s first premium bourbon that changed the bourbon industry in 1953.  His wife, Margie, created the packaging which included the shape of the bottle, the look of the label, the red wax seal and even the name, Maker’s Mark.   Something she took from the maker’s mark of silversmiths on some of her pewterware.

Besides being a marketing whiz, Margie helped in out in other ways.  Bill and Margie worked out the ideal mixture for the mash bills by cleverly testing mash bills through bread making to quickly test the recipes without having to wait for the time it would take to distill and age.  

We walked the entire process line.

Labels are still made individually with a printing press from the 1930’s that Bill and Margie bought when they started Maker’s Mark.

 

Barrels are still hand rolled

Before heading to our tasting, we watch the trademark dipping into the red wax.

There are a lot of works by local artists including this beautiful glass work in the bar.

This is Whiskey Jean.   She lives are the distillery and has complete run of the place and her own Instagram site!

This is the ceiling in one of the hallways in a barrel room.

And then to our tasting….

After a yummy lunch in the pavilion, we were back to retrace our steps back to Lexington and on our way home.  This is the pavilion when we started the tour.  When we returned for lunch it was nearly filled with patrons and good food.

Next post, the last of the trip, a stop in Gettysburg and soon some needlework progress, I promise.

Thanks for stopping by and traveling with me.  Keep on stitching!

Pleasant Hill Kentucky Shaker Retreat, Nov 2024

We here you go, some cross stitch actually mixed in with this post.    First and foremost, there are not enough superlatives to say about Jennifer and Merry Susan.   They are the consummate retreat hosts.  Run, don’t walk, if you even have the chance to go to one of their retreats.   By far, the best out there.   Every turn and every detail makes the event one cohesive stitchers dream.  They also like to keep their retreat size to 30 or under which makes it a much more intimate gathering.   From the location, to the well thought out main project and all the little complementary projects, it is a win-win. 

All that aside, they both are so knowledgeable about the Shaker history.  They are so very sweet, lovely ladies.  So much so that you feel like you are with long time friends.   And that goes for everyone who attends.   No clique type attendance.   Jennifer and Merry Susan always have a great ice breaker game that has everyone getting up and mingling and meeting the other stitchers with promises of ‘gifts’ for those who complete the task.  In reality, we all get gifts. And we all get door prizes each day.  And the patterns and smalls just keep on coming.  But enough, here’s some pix.

First up, the Shaker tray with the pattern and cording is the main project.   One set of fibers and one large piece of linen to use for all the projects helps make them all match and create a perfect set.  

 

After the ohs and ahs for the Shaker tray, we settling into our first project of the event.   A perforated paper needle book.   This is the actual building we were stitching in every day.   We had the option of which pattern to put on the front, I have chosen but not completed the house.  

Every project is complete with everything needed for finishing.   

Saturday morning had many of us out of our comfort zone for sure with needle weaving.  

Merry Susan explained how to create our ‘loom’ using Aida and stretcher bars and away we went.   We used 1 skein of Straw Silk 0260 Toasted Almond, 1/2 skein of Paprika  0930, and No. 8 perle cotton. I did not get all my weaving done because before you knew it, it was time for the next event or project.   

In between class timewere power point presentations on Shaker life.   It was very interesting and a nice break from the lesson time.   Can you guess that Jennifer was a school teacher?   It comes through in how she plans the progression of the classes as well as her great instruction.  Never any pressure.

We all received a wooden Shaker House which we conditioned and then stained.   We inserted a screw in the bottom and tied a length of yarn to it to make use of the many Shaker pegs around the room while our conditioner and stain dried.  

We were gifted a pair of Bohin scissors to put in our finished houses.  And yes, one afternoon we made our own waxers.  Ever the enablers, Jennifer and Merry Susan shared all the info on the things used to create the waxers like a special wax melting crock pot. We will now be able to all make our own waxers as retreat gifts if we so desire. 

Of course any sewing tray is not complete without an Ort Jar.   Again a teaching moment.   We learned to make buttons with our needlework and attach to the lid of the jar which becomes a needle minder.

I have always wanted to do a tape measure cover and now I know how.   So EZ PZ.  

Because we received a fat 8th of linen and all the projects need to be laid out on the same fabric, it was not the place for me to try to do the calculations and lay it all out so I did not start any of the projects other than the perforated paper and the weaving.  

Merry Susan shared one of her patterns and gifted it to us complete with linen and thread.  This is only a teaser of the pattern.   I am really enjoying the wealth of small samplers that are now available. This one is going on my WIPGO list for next year.    Merry Susan’s patterns can be found at Prim Peacock Samplers.  Jennifer’s patterns can be found at Violet’s & Verses.

And the gifts we got throughout the event.

And a ton of retreat gifts from other stitchers as well.

More prizes and treats from Jennifer and Merry Susan

Project roll and fall decor are a couple of my door prize wins.

It was a great group of ladies.   Some we knew from the prior Shaker Retreat we attended previously and some new friends.

I cannot stress enough that if you like samplers and enjoy history, run to the computer and sign up as soon as you are aware there is a retreat with these ladies.   Next up, they will be in Conway, Arkansas in April for a Scottish Sampler.  Check out Jennifer’s  Violets & Verses FB page.

Thanks for traveling with me again.  Next post will be my normal stitching post.   I hope to find time to finish up Quebec and my October cruise posts soon.  When I do, since I plan to insert it chronologically in my feed, I will put a notice up in a post to let you know it has been done.

Keep on stitching!