First Needlepoint Exchange without Ann

For eight years my group of stitching advisors has had a needlepoint Christmas ornament exchange. I was very honored to be invited to join this group of accomplished stitchers. In January we draw names and secretly make an ornament for our person. Needlepoint ornaments are works of art. Non-stitchers have no idea the time or cost that goes into making them. So creating one for another stitcher is the only way to get the level of appreciation such a gift deserves.

We were all telling stories today about how non-stitchers say things to us like, “You should sell those on Etsy, you could get like $25 for them.” We all know that they are worth ten times that but you can’t tell them that.

Last year one of the original group members, Ann Hamner, told us it was her last exchange. She had some health problems and did not want to perhaps leave someone without an ornament. We have had other people drop out of the exchange for various reasons, but losing Ann seemed very sad.

She passed away last month, so she was right in her prediction that she might not make it to this exchange. Kate Taylor and Ann always wore some kind of Red tartan clothing to the exchange every year. Ann also would wear her red wool Allbirds. Today in Ann’s honor I wore the same Red Allbirds and Kate wore her tartan vest. Kate and I knew why we did if, even if others did not.

We carried on as Ann would expect us to. We had a couple of new members to the stitching advisors. Everyone stitched beautiful and meaningful gifts for each other. It is my favorite way to kick off the holiday season.

I had drawn Kate as my person to stitch for and I made her a Mah Jongg saying I repeat to her often. She got a kick out of it. Nancy stitched for me a beautiful Nantucket basket 3-d ornament.

Somewhere I know Ann was watching enjoying the exchange as she always did.