December 5, 2017

Sarah will be heading for Texas later this month
Some years ago I talked about the bookends that make the holiday season at Sandhills Handweavers Guild so phenomenal. Well, it’s that time of year again and here comes our first spectacular event–our Christmas dinner at Nancy’s home. The table is always lavish, the decorations are gorgeous and the house is all dressed up for Christmas. What a treat it is to walk through the door and be greeted so graciously by our host and hostess, not to mention their dogs. What would Christmas at Nancy’s be without a Labrador under the table? (I know, my love for Labradors is showing, but I just can’t help it.)
In many ways this was a bitter-sweet dinner. It was Sarah’s last Sandhills Handweavers Guild meeting. Later this month she will be leaving the area and heading to Texas. She is, without a doubt, our most knowledgeable member and over the years has conducted many wonderful Guild programs for us. She will be sorely missed. Au revoir, Sarah, and every happiness in your new home.
Thank you Nancy for making this evening an outstanding Christmas tradition.
E-mails from Nancy and Teri
Dear Guild Members,
Our Guild Christmas Dinner is December 5th at my home in Southern Pines beginning at 5:00 PM. Please let me know if you plan to attend.
Christmas 2016
Another great Christmas dinner at Nancy’s house, but this year it was held in Nancy’s beautiful new weaving studio–a real treat for those who hadn’t had the opportunity to see her new addition previously. Wow! it’s fabulous.
Christmas 2015
Once again we kicked off our Christmas season with dinner at Nancy’s. It was the best yet. We chatted, we ate, we exchanged gifts, we even batted around ideas for next year’s challenge and some really interesting ones emerged. However, we will have to wait for Rock Day to find out what it will actually be.
I said it last year, but it certainly stands repeating: Nancy’s whole house was beautifully decorated–it was truly Christmas throughout. And the tables were spectacular. What a great way to start Christmas season!
As I looked around while we were eating (and there must have been at least 12 of us there) I thought, how did I get so lucky as to have such a great group of friends. And fiber artists all.
Thank you so much, Nancy, for a terrific evening.

The right side of the table. We are replete. What a feast!

Looking to the left, more happy members
Christmas 2014
Instead of our regular December meeting we held our Guild Christmas dinner at Nancy’s house. The house glowed with Christmas cheer, and the dining room table was spectacular, complete with yellow lab under it (my particular favorite).

Gifts galore, waiting to be chosen
Twelve of us enjoyed a truly memorable feast of roast beef, with all the trimmings. Nancy and her husband Matt provided the beef and the rest of us, the trimmings. And what a lively bunch! The room buzzed with conversation, stilled only occasionally by some serious eating that had to get done before we could have the gift exchange.
During dessert, Linda introduced a few ideas for next year’s challenge and invited suggestions from everyone else. Several ideas emerged. Will it be drawing inspiration from a map, constructing a piece of clothing, or perhaps challenging ourselves to break new ground? Who knows! Ultimately, it will be a surprise, We won’t know until Roc Day and that’s all part of the fun.
Our perfect evening ended with the gift exchange. This year, Nancy expanded it to include equipment. Gifts were piled high at one end of the table. Everyone drew a number, and then we took turns choosing the gift that “spoke” to us. Boxes and gift bags were opened one by one and passed around the table to a chorus of “oohs” and “aahs.” Beautiful yarns to knit or crochet and weaving equipment destined to become treasures.
You can’t beat a night out with the girls—thank you, Nancy.