Not your ordinary Stitches In Time Exhibit...

This past weekend, Dave and I went to Oella, Md to the Benjamin Benneker Museum Historical Park  to see the Stitches in Time Exhibit.  It started off to be a stitchy trip, but we discovered a lovely park, events, and listened to a program honoring the ancestors of the past. Knowledgeable and interesting historians were there, children performed skits, read poetry, and participated in the ongoing conversation of where our nation has changed, grown, and ways to help our children learn history and move us forward into the future.  I know, heady and heavy, right?  But that's where knitting and stitches of all kinds can lead us in our daily discovery of who we are.

Some of the topics covered that we had some knowledge of, but not a lot of detail where:

The courageous Buffalo Soldiers

Poet Frances E. W. Harper, Bury Me in a Free Land

and how a Harriet Tubman statue may be coming to the National Statuary Hall. Heroic women are sadly overlooked and few are included as statues or paintings in the hall.  Please contact Representative  Susan C. Lee , Montgomery County, MD, if you would like to support this proposal.  A list of more delegates can be found at the bottom of her page.

There was also yummy cake, pizza, and celebration at the end.  It's amazing what can happen when you step out of your home and explore your town, state and nation...you might be surprised.  Thanks to all of the museum members, children and visitors who participated.

(A note about the website for the museum and park - it's a new one and a work in progress.  More info is coming soon to the site)

Treasure your stitches.
Margaret (amazed by the power of the stitch)

February is National African American History Month.

Creating The Hive is making crafty history every day.  Be a part of it! Create crafty history here.




Signs and Symbols: African Images in African American Quilts (2nd Edition)

Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage from Warm Socks to High Art


Quiltmaking in America: Beyond the Myths (Hobbies - needlework & quilting)


Spirits of the Cloth: Contemporary African American Quilts