Sometime around the first of December we fill out a form that lets the person you are paired up with know your likes and special dates (birthday, anniversary, etc). Throughout the year you randomly send your person gifts (floss, charts, fabric, embellishments, maybe something made by you, etc.). You usually you try not to let more than a couple months pass between mailings but you can send more often if you wish.
At the end of the year we have the big "reveal" at the Christmas party by stitching your person a Christmas ornament. I try to make sure to I stitch my name or initials on the back of my ornament. The ornaments are hung on a special Secret Stitcher's tree separate from the exchange ornaments.
When the person in charge pulls your ornament off the Secret Stitcher's tree, she will ask "who made this ornament?" You go forward and take the ornament from her and hand it to your Secret Stitcher. This is how your Secret Stitcher finds out who has been sending her random gifts all year long!
I also like to make an ornament for the person who has been sending to me as a little thank you. You don't have to do this but I think it's a nice thing to do. This is the second year I've participated. I'll most likely do it again next year if the guild still wants to do it.
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Since I can't show you my recent ornament finishes I thought you might like to see what I stitched last year both for my person and for the person who sent to me.
This is what I made for my Secret Stitcher, who happened to be Jenny!
I added the words for Merry Christmas in Swedish to make it extra special just for her.
Design: Scandinavian Julbok
Designer: Unknown from JCS Nov/Dec 1988
Fabric: 28 ct. Lambswool
Floss: DMC as charted
Started: 7/11/10
Finished: 7/11/10
This is my thank you for the person who had me as her Secret Stitcher, who happened to be Paula!
Design: Christmas Heart
Designer: Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin
from JCS 2000 Ornament Issue
Fabric: 32 ct. cream scrap
Floss: GAST Pine & Pomegranate
Started: 9/18/10
Finished: 9/24/10
Completed: 11/24/10
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You might be wondering what the looking forward part of this post is all about. One month from today I'll be another year older! I really can't believe another year has almost passed. Where does the time go?!
Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit. I really do enjoy each and every comment you take the time to leave for me. They make me smile! I hope everyone's week is off to a roaring start.
Until next time,
The Inspired Stitcher
6 comments:
What a nice tradition! I love what you made for Jenny last year, and what you gave to your secret stitcher too. Such fun! It must be neat to find out at the end of the year who your secret stitcher is.
What a fun group! Makes me wish there was a stitching group in our town. If we weren't planning to move next year, I might start one just so we could do fun stuff like this : ) I have hostessed many a Secret Sister/Santa & exchange group over the years & wonder if this would work as an online group! I might post & see if others would be interested. Thanks Margaret! Blessings, Shirlee
I love the ornaments you made for your "stitchy pals" last year!
I think it is a wonderful idea what your guild does. Sounds like a lot of fun! When I use to go stitch at my now not so local XS shop, we did something similar and it was fun!
~waving to Mr. P~ lol
Hugs
The Secret Stitcher thing is really nice! I'd love to do such a thing, unfortunately here in Italy needlework is not quite popular, so there aren't guilds.
The ornaments you've made are so cute!
Both of your ornaments are so cute--sure wish we had a group of stitchers nearby! Sounds like a nice activity and who doesn't enjoy a little stitchy surprise in the mail now and then!
Lovely ornaments!! Must be great to have stitchers close to you!! So great to get together and stitch and learn!!
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