Nelly's Needlers

03/27/2026

Congratulations to Ann Hightower, who is a member of Nelly’s Needlers. We are so excited she won the Director’s Award in this year’s Needlework Show!

Today we are highlighting the three Director’s Choice Award Winners of the 63rd Annual Needlework Show.

Nutcracker by Ann Hightower was chosen by Executive Director, Ruki Neuhold-Ravikumar: "This piece was chosen for recognition as a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of home, memory, and seasonal ritual, my mother-in-law, Judy Castleberry and sister-in-law, Amy Carpenter, who passed away last year. Their love of holiday traditions brought warmth and joy to those around them. In its careful detail and nostalgic imagery, it reminds us how craft can hold memory and make presence felt even in absence."

01/28/2026

Stay safe in these tough weather conditions. Here’s an update from Woodlawn on the Needlework Show:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DVBcNtkaF/?mibextid=wwXIfr

‼️ Due to ongoing inclement weather, drop-off dates for the Woodlawn Annual Needlework Show have been revised. ‼️

New dates for needlework drop-off:
- Friday, February 6th, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Saturday, February 7th, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Sunday, February 8th, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Questions or concerns about getting your needlework to Woodlawn? We’re happy to help—email us at [email protected]

11/25/2025

Vote for preserving Woodlawn’s endangered artifact. Voting is open until February 20.

We are honored to have our artifact, Mary Eliza Angela Lewis Conrad's Wedding Dress, chosen as one of the Virginia Association of Museums Top 10 Endangered Artifacts! Visit the link below to vote and help us preserve a piece of Woodlawn's history! You can vote once per day until February 20, 2026.

This dress was made with the fabric from Eleanor “Nelly” Custis Lewis’s 1799 wedding gown and was later restyled for her daughter, Mary Eliza Angela Lewis Conrad for her 1835 wedding. This work was likely completed by enslaved seamstresses Dolcey, and her daughter Sukey.

Preserving this artifact would allow Woodlawn to further explore the differing paths of these women and showcase a rare piece that links the Washington family to the seamstresses Dolcey and Sukey.

https://form.jotform.com/252815811365054

11/19/2025

It’s almost Tea Time! The Nelly’s Needlers Winter Wellness Tea is Sunday, December 7. We have a few spots left, so you can join in the fun! Email [email protected] to make your reservation.

10/25/2025

10/17/2025

Members of Nelly’s Needlers had a unique opportunity this week. We made an excursion to Williamsburg as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, and while we were there, we were able to stitch on the Virginia panel of the America’s tapestry project.

The America’s Tapestry project has an ambitious goal of finishing 13 panels to represent the original colonies in time for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July 2026.

Each of the panels is designed to tell a lesser-known story of American Independence. The Virginia panel pays tribute to the lead mines of Wythe County, which were integral to the production of musket balls for the Continental Army. The lead was mined by enslaved, convicted, and imported workers.

13 Colonies—13 Stories—1 Nation

Read all of the stories at www.americastapestry.com

If you are in any of the 13 states creating panels, they are all looking for stitchers, so consider volunteering and leaving your mark.

07/25/2025

Today is National Thread the Needle Day. Some of us are stitching our newest kit. What are you stitching now?