Gentle Pursuit Designs

Cissy’s life-long interests in history, writing, and needlework have grown and dovetailed beautifully over the years. She began teaching needlework and collecting antique sewing accessories and antique samplers decades ago and attained a teaching certification in canvaswork from the Valentine Museum in Richmond, VA.

Scottish and English samplers are well represented in Cissy’s collection along with a handful of samplers made in other countries, including America.

In addition to samplers, there are several lovely sewing boxes tucked here in there in Cissy’s home and her antique sewing accessory collection is heavy on American and English pieces made by members living in Shaker communities. Cissy often uses the shapes of her antique sewing accessories when designing ‘smalls’ and these designs, along with her sampler reproductions, have been published in a variety of magazines.

Cissy spends long hours doing research in order to learn about the girls and women who made the antique samplers in her care. She loves sharing their life stories during her interactive Sampler Stories lectures and while teaching her designs.