It wasn't until recently
that I discovered what a comeback
cross stitching has made.
There are all kinds of wonderful
designs and designers,
antique sampler repros,
smalls, folk art,
and contemporary.
I did do some cross stitching
back in the day, but not for many years.
It was in the late spring that
I caught wind of a Mayflower and
Pilgrim 400 year commemoration design
by Brenda Garvais.
It was only last year that
I discovered my ancestral link to
Francis Cooke,
my 12th great Grandfather,
a member of the Separatist
group from Leiden, Netherlands,
that boarded the Mayflower and set sail
from England heading to the New World.
2009
After 66 grueling days at sea
this small group of 102 along with about 30 crew
dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod on
November 11, 1620.
Francis and his oldest son, John (13)
came on the Mayflower in 1620 leaving behind his wife, Hester
and their other 4 children. After the Colony was better
established he sent for them
and they came to Plymouth in 1623 onboard the ship, Anne.
I can't even imagine.
****
Brenda Garvais's cross stitch design
honors the Women of the Mayflower.
Of the 18 married women that
came, only 5 survived the first winter and
only 4 were still living for the first
Thanksgiving the autumn of 1621.
For the next 66 days
I will be stitching on this cross stitch design
on a 40 count linen, one over two.
I imagine I might be as slow as
the original trip, but
I'm looking forward to this journey
to commemorate these brave women who
courageously boarded that ship crossing
over that expansive ocean
looking to a new future.
Until Next Time-
Kyle
