Peace, love, and joy!
Three words that are appropriate any time of year, but that really resonate during the Christmas season!
Today, I want to tell you a story about an extraordinary gift that I recently received from a very special group of people.
And their gift is not just for me, but for you, too!
The Valley Quail Chapter of the EGA is located in the San Francisco Bay area in California – specifically, in Walnut Creek. They’re part of the Greater Pacific Region of the EGA, and they’re an active group. If you live in the Bay Area and you’re looking for a stitching group, look them up!
Through Needle ‘n Thread, I met Sheila, one of the members of the Valley Quail Chapter, and we’ve carried on a friendly correspondence for several years. At one point, I noticed where she was from, and it rang a bell! My family lived in Walnut Creek when I was but a wee lass between the ages of three and seven – a small world, indeed!
One day, the lovely ladies of Valley Quail got together and pondered how they could help me.
I recently traveled through a bit of a rough patch fighting cancer, and as a self-employed person running a very small business, they understood that the experienced was draining in more than just the physical sense. Those who have been through similar situations in the US know that ongoing medical difficulties can be hard to recover from, financially.
And so they proposed to create a pennant banner using my e-book, Stitch Sampler Alphabet. They each bought a copy of it (a boon in itself!), and they set about embroidering letters to create this happy banner that resonates with everything that’s important in life – peace, love, and joy!
The initial idea was that I might raffle the banner as a fundraiser. In fact, as a business, I can’t do that. So instead, they proposed sending me the banner and writing up an e-book on how they made it.
The e-book could then be offered free for those who want to create a pennant banner. And perhaps it would encourage others to take on a similar project using instructional e-books from Needle ‘n Thread.
But, you know, when I look at my banner, it’s definitely not about financial gain.
To me, in my heart that’s bursting with peace, love, and joy, it’s about the kindness of a group of people who, from afar, wanted to help.
And so they picked up their needles and thread.
They put their hearts into making a beautiful banner that will forever remind me of the kindness of a group of people who wanted to spread, in their own creative way, peace, love and joy.
I think of each of them stitching a project that they would never see again, a project being sent off to a stranger – putting their soul into each little stitch. Willingly, enthusiastically, as a group of friends united in the goal of making something… for me!
And my mind boggles and my eyes well up.
Happy tears, of course!
I’m not really a gushy-teary-eyed-sort-of-person…
…but I can’t even write this article without stopping to blow my nose ever other line!
Thank You!
My friends of Valley Quail, thank you from the bottom of my heart for my beautiful banner.
Thank you for the peace, love and joy that it has brought me – and, I hope, many others, too!
How to Make a Pennant Banner – Free E-Book
Here, then, is the e-book from the Valley Quail Chapter on how to make your own embroidered pennant banner. It’s a PDF file, and you can click the link below to download it. Once the file opens, just go to “File” in your top browser menu and scroll down to “Save As” to save it to your computer.
Stitch Sampler Pennant Banner Instructions
The fun thing about pennant banners is that they can say whatever you want them to say! From Happy Birthday to Congratulations to one word (or multi-word) sentiments of any kind, a pennant banner is a terrific way to add expression to any festivity!
Here on Needle ‘n Thread, you’ll find several e-books that would work great for creating a pennant banner:
The Valley Quail Chapter used the letters in Stitch Sampler Alphabet for Peace, Love, & Joy.
You could also design your own lettering using any of the alphabets from Favorite Monograms.
You could go with sheep, bees, or hearts in the alphabets available in Will Ewe Bee Mine.
And if you want to create a specifically Christmas-oriented pennant banner, you could definitely use Twelve Trees for Christmas to create a festive holiday banner!
But don’t let these designs limit you – there’s a world of creative possibilities when it comes to creating pennant banners!
I hope you have a wonderful time exploring them, and that you enjoy the e-book on how to make your own pennant banner from the generous members of the Valley Quail Chapter of the EGA!
That’s amazing and beautiful. A perfect bit of news to start the week on.
Oh my—now we’re all sniffling! Thanks Mary & Valley Quail EGA. Great idea & beautifully stitched. EGA is a wonderful organization—a big tent with something for everyone involved in stitchery.
Dear Mary
What a lovely present and a lovely way to help you out when you needed it. The Pennant Banner is beautifully stitched. A real Christmas message and a they are certainly friends with a lovely goal, that is a true gift to a lovely person, YOU Mary. I’m sure you will treasure such a gift. Thanks for the PDF of the Pennant Banner, I really want to embroider this. So as soon as I have finished my present project I will start it. Just to let you know I received my card and have bought your e-book on the Twelve Christmas Trees.
Regards Anita Simmance
This is so lovely. What a thoughtful and touching gift from some amazing ladies! This is truly heart-warming (and a beautiful project to boot!).
Everything about this is wonderful — the idea, the work, the instructions and of course the recipient. Happy Holidays!
Who is chopping onions in here? I simply adore your Stitch Sampler Alphabet, Mary. I made a special monogram for my husband and I after we got married using that eBook. What a perfect choice to make the banner! And of course the stitches look gorgeous. What a sweet, precious gift to give you. Thank you for sharing that.
G’day there Mary,
Oh how I could hug each and every one of those wonderful people. So I send a big virtual hug to them all. Os to all those precious needle workers at the Valley Quail Chapter of the EGA! Thank you for thinking of Mary in this way, and thank you Mary for sharing it with us. It’s encouraged me, and I’m sure all who read and hear of it.
Cheers, Kath
The Embroidery Community is such a special group of people!! This is a wonderful example of the love, care, and support that can be found there. I have always felt so fortunate to be an “embroidery nut”!! Kudos to all those who “give back.” A beautiful tribute to you, Mary, who gives so much to us all! Happy Holidays — AND Peace, Love, & Joy!!
This truly warmed my heart…what a lovely gift! Thanks so much for the ebook too!
What a wonderful story. Not being a particularly sentimental person, this brought tears (of joy) to my eyes. It really touched me. What a thoughtful project for these women to do for such a wonderful person. Thank you for sharing part of your life with us.
This is absolutely amazing!
Mary, What an amazing, heartfelt, lovingly given gift! The finished product pictures are insanely beautiful. This was just the prod I needed to get to your shop for the things I’ve been eyeing. Thank you for sharing this story, the instructions, and your special gifts with all of us.
Oh, Mary! That story brings tears to my eyes, too. What a loving thing to do, and what a beautiful treasure to receive. I know that the stitchers of the VQ EGA were just as blessed to do it as you were to receive it.
I had just cut out my linen for the Twelve Little Christmas Trees and had traced two of the designs onto squares when I saw your suggestion about creating a banner with the trees. Right away I knew what I wanted to do with the trees! But I don’t think these squares can be transformed into triangles. Hmm. Perhaps I will save these squares for a different project and get some new linen to create a beautiful little Christmas tree banner for our mantel.
Lovely gift for a great Woman.
Lovely words.
Lovely Women.
Needles and Threads join good hearts
love you too, Mary Corbet.
Wow, Mary!! How special!
And to the lovely ladies of Valley Quail…the banner is JUST BEAUTIFUL!
I also had to grab a Kleenex. Just lovely, the thought, the workmanship, and you, Mary, sharing the story with us. What a perfect way to start the day.
What a lovely action on the part of Quail Valley EGA! They have inspired me to take notice of EGA and look for my local chapter, and they have nudged me to buy one of your guides (I picked Stitch Alphabet Sampler) – something I have been meaning to do for a while. And all of this while reminding me that there are many ways to do good in this world, and not always the first things one can think of. I applaud their creativity and sense of sharing (and yours, too, MC).
What an inspiring story! And that’s a banner worth hanging all year round, it’s so beautiful and means so much!
Thanks for sharing, Mary. I might have to get my embroidery supplies out – I wonder, are their numbers?
What a wonderful and thoughtful gift for you to receive. But I also have to say that you give so much of yourself through your blog, we all appreciate the time and effort that you put into it.
I’m really touched by the kindness of those Californians. It’s heart-warming to see that there are still people in the world who bother about others of their own accord. I heard quite often how incredibly expensive it can get in the States when you need medical treatment – incredible for us here in Germany, where we get any necessary treatment almost for free (ok, we pay a compulsory social insurance, but it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg). All the more I admire the benevolence of those people as much as their artistry in creating something so beautiful! Thank you – and thank you, Mary, for 11 years of relentless commitment to this wonderful blog!!!
Angela from the Ore Mountains
What a lovely thing to do, and for someone who appreciates it so much as well. Merry Christmas Mary. ttfn
What a generous gift! 🙂
Oh my goodness talk about happy tears! Words can’t come close to express the joy reading this article brought me. But I’ll try. This is such an extraordinary gift! Couldn’t help the tears while reading about these angels that gave so much. Mary, you are blessed indeed and you deserve this beautiful gift for everything YOU do. Thank you and may your holidays (and every day) be filled with more peace, joy and love than you could ever imagine.
Bless you.
Cindi Rogers, Las Vegas NV
Your banner is only a small but potent indication of the love, admiration and joy your ardent fans feel for you. I have yet to meet a passionate stitcher who doesn’t know you. You are grace, courage and joy personified. I am sorry I did not think of the banner myself.
Darcy Walker
Made me cry too. It is very special, but remember, it was for a special lady!
I lived in Clayton for 25 years which borders Walnut Creek. That EGA was so expert that I was too intimidated to consider joining. They were participating in projects that were far beyond my abilities at the time. Alas, now the closest group is too far away to consider.
I see love and admiration in every stitch.
What lovely news to hear (especially these days), and what lovely women they are.
Not to mention the physical evidence of how much you influence all of us, Mary.
My local South Bay Area EGA (Gavilan Hills), was incredibly kind to me when my sister died.
Oh, medical is ridiculously expensive. I got the bill for her last 3 days in the hospital, and it was $45,000. I can’t wait to see what the bill is for the other 10 days! Of course the insurance isn’t paying. The landlord grabbed up all my sister’s things. And dyeing is very expensive too. And also very very sad. Losing a sister is not like losing your car keys. You can’t get her back.
So keep living, keep stitching, join a stitching group, and Mary, keep teaching us all great things. Hurray for the gals at Walnut Creek!
Holly, I’m so sorry for your loss.
What a lovely gesture and beautiful gift. Thank you ladies for the e-book and thank you Mary for kindly sharing it with us. Its so wonderful to know that there really are angels on earth.
A wonderful, generous gift for a wonderful, generous lady!
What an awesome story! Thanks for sharing it with us and the free instructions.
Mary,
What a fantastic project. I had a little tear welling up as I read your article. These gals sure did a very thoughtful act and their embroidery skills are wonderful!!
Mary…there are so many of us — all over the world — who have been touched by your blog and the way that you can teach us special stitching skills over the Internet! You have touched our hearts in so many ways with your instructions…your encouragement that we can do the stitches/patterns…your samples. I am thrilled that this EGA community has touched your heart…and their wonderful work that is dedicated to you and your cancer recovery…has touched my heart and I have a great big tear in my eye as well!
well that is just the BEST story to start the week ! thank you to the Walnut Creek stitchers for this lovely and inspiring work – I was thinking wouldn’t this be lovely to hang in Church too as part of the holiday decorations ? thanks for sharing Mary and I will definitely be downloading it for future project contemplations
This is such a moving post and I thank you for your ebook – I hope that I will be able to make one.
Merry Christmas to you and those you love
Pauline
Thank you. May you have health, prosperity and joy all the days of your life.
Isn’t it wonderful to feel loved and valued for all you do? The banner is lovely. I hope you hang it where you see it often and that it continues to fill your heart with love,peace and joy.
So so very lovely!
This was a special start for the busy time of the season. Your detailed photos and excellent photography can inspire us every time we check this site so I’m grateful to see Valley Quail EGA stitchers have shown their love & appreciation to you in such a touching way. I’ve known some of these embroiderers in person, since I live across the SF bay, so glad their hearts and talents could extend further with joy for you, and all of us who have loved your courage.
Mary that is so touching. Both to you as a beloved teacher and mentor to us all, and to the group who thought so highly of you, it is really a moving tribute. Thank you for sharing it.
How beautiful!!!
A standing Ovation to Valley Quail EGA and you Mary 🙂
May this festival bring just this Love, Joy and Peace to all.
Stitching sisters are the BEST!