LNS: YE OLDE CROSS STITCHERY

A few hours east of my hometown is a quaint little town in Bucks County, PA, called Bristol. Bristol is about 25 northwest of Philadelphia but might as well be a million miles away in terms of the vibe it exudes. An area connected to the Revolutionary War, Bucks County is known for its covered bridges, amazing fall foliage, and quaint, historic towns.

And Bristol, sometimes known as Bristol Borough, is one of those quaint towns, with an adorable main street, in this case Market Street and the same town motto since 1824: Welcome Friend.

Ye Olde Cross Stitchery, in downtown Bristol, may not be as old as the town’s motto, but it has been serving stitchers since 1984, almost 40 years. Near the intersection of Market Street and Pond Street, in the town’s main business district, Ye Olde Cross Stitchery has a non-descript entrance that doesn’t reflect

the amazing complexity of its products and people.

The owners, Mary & Rich Murphy, have a long history in the area, and take great pride in their stitching shop, packed with stitched models completed by staff or local volunteers. Their knowledge of the patterns and kits in their shop makes them uniquely prepared to answer any questions that shoppers may have about cross stitching, stitching techniques, or the hundreds of products they carry in store.

Well, hundreds is a bit of an understatement. Their website, www.yeoldcs.com, states they carry more than 4,500 different book titles. Browsing their website, I’m not surprised. The depth of products on their website is incredible. In addition to the thousands of books and printed patterns, Ye Olde Cross Stitchery carries all the floss and fabric brands that you know and love—standard

and hand- and over-dyed—and a small selection of in-store kits (but they also will order kits for you, just ask!).

The Models section of the website features 330+ stitched patterns, completed by The Murphys or shop volunteer test stitchers. It’s truly an incredible selection of FFOs— frames and all. You can see the fully array of pattern styles they carry and designers they feature.

You can get everything you need for any project at Ye Olde Cross Stitchery, including embellishments and frames for the perfect finish, and the accessories to make stitching—or organizing your stash—easier. Just like many other stitching retailers, Ye Olde Cross Stitchery has faced challenges during the pandemic, including the ability to get products for their website and store because of supplier delays in Europe and beyond.

But after months of online-only sales, Ye Old Cross Stitchery, re-opened for in-store sales (check their website for hours), however their in-person classes are still on hold.

Sign up for Ye Olde Cross Stitchery’s free newsletter on their website, or follow them on Facebook.

Craftivism:Stitched in History & Politics

You can’t browse through cross-stitch pat- leader has silenced a population. terns on Etsy or see pictures of WIPs on social by Dana L Costa media without seeing someone expressing One of the most incredible stories that Ms. their political views using their stitching. Hunter shared was of a group of Argentinian women who began stitching the names and For the people who say, “I’m only here for the birthdates of their children on white scarves, stitching”: You know that your meant to look like ancestors likely used their diapers (or nappies stitching to share their social for those outside the messages and political lean- U.S.) and gathering ings, right? every Thursday in a public square in BueStitching isn’t just pretty pil- nos Aires. You see, in lows, massive tapestries, and 1973 the Dirty War besamplers. It’s true. Craftivism, tween right- and leftusing arts and crafts as a way wing factions started to share social and/or political after Juan Perón was messages, has been around elected president. for centuries. Perón’s political opponents—along with Clare Hunter, author of their families, includThreads of Life, explains that ing children—were even today needlework of all abducted, never to be kinds, including cross stitching, is “still a tool for promptMary, Queen of Scots: The Prison Embroideries; image courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum seen again. A small group of women ing change.” came to the square demanding news of their missing children. Week by week, the whiteIn her book, she cites several examples of scarved group grew. While the 30,000 kidhow needlework has been used to communi- napped people were never found alive, and cate political stances or, in some cases, have 9,000 remain unaccounted for to this day, a voice when a government or dictatorial this women’s movement did help reunite

more than 100 children who were illegally Since stitching was seen as a rite of passage adopted from detention camps or prisons for a girl to learn the skills necessary to bewith their biological fami- come a good wife, it was oflies. Their last march: 2006, ten overlooked as being more more than 30 years after than ornamental “women’s gathering with their em- work.” Rozika Parker, author of broidered white scarves. The Subversive Stitch: EmbroiThere are so many other nism, wrote, “…embroidery has stories through the gen- been the means of educating erations, including that women into the feminine…it of Mary, Queen of Scots, has also provided a weapon of stitching while imprisoned resistance to the constraints of in Lochleven Castle in Scot- femininity.” land. Her letters to family and other supporters were While a sampler could be a censored but she would record of a woman’s life, famsend individual embroi- ily, and children, it was likely deries to communicate the only place that a woman with her son, James (later could safely voice subversive crowned King James VI of statements and anti-patriarScotland), Queen Elizabeth, from Hillary for America chal views. And many of these and the Duke of Norfolk. works of art were the only She spoke in metaphors to get her message written accounts of a woman’s life, since they through censors, using the heraldry of var- either didn’t have written works or they were ious royal houses and images of imprison- long-since destroyed as unimportant to hisment, like caged or netted animals. tory.

Mary, Queen of Scots’ use of embroidery as a communication tool is not unique. During the American Revolution, women would gather to stitch—whether embroidery, cross stitch, or quilting—and discuss the politics of the day. Despite what you may have learned in Hamilton, most women were not included in political discussions nor were they given a voice to discuss their opinions of the decisions that would impact women and their families (like the Schuyler Sisters). They would also use their stitching, sometimes the simple-looking samplers that many people believe cross stitching is, to convey news of the war activities near their homes and, by sending it on to other resisters, to prepare for what may be moving toward other towns. dery and the Making of FemiFast-forward about 200 years, and you have less subtle messages delivered through needlework. Many of you are familiar with Riot Grrrl, which reclaimed “iconically old-fashioned domestic work” such as knitting and stitching as edgy and political, and Julie Jackson’s Subversive Cross Stitch brand, that launched thousands of similar efforts. Hillary Clinton launched free cross stitch patterns during her 2016 bid for the U.S. presidency; Elizabeth Warren did the same during her campaign for the 2020 democratic nomination for U.S. president. These women—and those who ran their political campaigns— knew the power of the stitcher coalitions and their history of activism. But what the resurgence after all these