My DIL Tami has been looking for a hand sewing project for some time, and in past months, she and her daughter Talula have discovered needlepoint.
Tami brought me this needlepoint gift on Friday.
The sheep icon has a rich history in my family’s life. My husband’s father was an immigrant from Ireland back in the day (mid to late 1930s I think). My FIL was the second son, so would not inherit the family land. Growing up, he was in charge of the farm’s sheep.
When we moved to Maine, we were fascinated with how some farms put their sheep flocks out on the many, many offshore islands for the summer. There are iconic photos of the sheep flocks in boats being taken to the islands. Sheep wool forms the backbone of many of the woven wool Maine products. The Swan Island Company wool products and weaving are an example.
One summer after John died, I saw this framed art piece at a summer fair and bought it as I knew John would have had he still been alive. Of course it came with me to South Carolina.
I have not yet seen granddaughter Talula’s needlepoint projects as she is away at college. But her mother says Talula is working on a big one. In addition, she has now opened an Etsy store where she sells her own needlepoint designs and patterns.
Go Talula!
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