Mary Beale: How long have you been stitching?  Who taught you to stitch?

Sue Bird: "When I was a child I embroidered a set of "Days of the Week" dish towels that I received for a Christmas present. My mother helped me. That was the only embroidery that I did until I was an adult. I did a lot of knitting and clothes sewing in-between - I no longer have time for the knitting or sewing, as I want to spend all my sewing time on embroidery!"

Sue Bird: "Cross-stitch is my first love. I like the look of it better than needlepoint. When I do stitch with canvas and wool, I usually do it in the Berlin method, using cross-stitch."

Sue Bird: "I do both, and since I'm now a grandmother, I have grandchildren to stitch for, birth samplers mainly. I only stitch for those who I know will appreciate all the hours and work that go into the embroidery. I've made my brother and his wife an anniversary sampler, and am now working on one for my daughter's 15 year anniversary next year. "

Mary Beale: What is the biggest needlework project you have ever undertaken?  Did you keep it or give it away?

Sue Bird: "It was a sampler based on the Rhode Island school of embroidery and it has a beautiful crewel work border. I have kept it, but know that someday it will be a treasured heirloom of one of my family."

Sue Bird: "The first design I stitched of Mary's, was a birth sampler that I adapted from her "Book of Common Prayer" sampler. Also, I have stitched the tea cozy that is based on an antique sampler and says "Polly put the kettle on, we'll all have Tea", and I have just finished the "needlepoint necessaire" from a class that Mary gave in Salem, MA. I am now stitching an anniversary sampler for my daughter using Mary's pattern, "Personal Sampler", which is one of her older patterns, copyright 1983."

Sue Bird: "The tea cozy sampler is my favorite item that I have stitched because it makes me smile every time I see it. It brings back fond memories of Salem, MA and the first trip I took there. Mary hosted a needlework seminar a few years ago, and it was just a magical trip. I had just finished the tea cozy before the trip and I took it for show and tell. It will always bring back memories of that wonderful trip for me. "
 

Sue Bird: "The needlepoint necessaire has an antique pearl button that belonged to Meredith Rosenblum's grandmother. Meredith did the finishing for me. The backing is also vintage fabric that belonged to her grandmother. "

Sue Bird: "I collect purses, tea pots, vintage baby clothes, buttons, sewing accessories, etc."

Sue Bird: " In the above pictures are some of my antique purses. The green miser purse is dated 1849, and the larger purse on the right with the parrots is dated 1830."

Sue Bird: "I love to go antiquing.  I collect english china usually a variation of brown and white.  I also collect pictures of Old European Cathedrals and churches.  I like to read and travel to see the cathedrals in person."

Mary Beale: Do you pursue any other artistic endeavors such as painting, gardening, interior design, etc?

Sue Bird: "I have an amateur's love of interior design and antiques."