Stitches In Time

At least two years ago I bought a T-shirt at a genealogy conference. It had a map of the United States on the front and I had a vague idea that I would embroider French knots at the various spots where my family had migrated over the generations. (Let me pause a moment to brag on myself. I can do French knots until the cows come home. Lots of folks can't.)

For some reason I never got around to getting the job done. And then a few months ago I had a brainstorm. French knots just weren't flashy enough to get the message across. Probably why I had never gotten around to tackling the project. On one of my countless trips to craft stores, I hit on the solution. Baby buttons. I bought a supply in every color possible, with matching thread. And again the project sat on the back burner.

Until a week ago. I usually crash and burn about 8PM, but last Friday night I had one of those nights where I was wide awake into the wee hours, there was some string of shows on TV that kept my attention and I didn't feel like working on the laptop. And there sat the bag with the T-shirt, buttons and thread. I got busy.

By the time I started getting drifty, resulting in my stabbing myself repeatedly with the needle, I had mapped out six family migrations with buttons. This afternoon I added the last few lines and the result is pictured above.

For those who might actually be interested in this project, here is the key:

Blue - Wilcoxen
Prince Georges Co., Maryland to
Brooke Co., West Virginia to
Gallia Co., Ohio to
Vermillion Co., Indiana to
Bastrop Co., Texas

Yellow - Lentz
Heidelberg, Germany to
Union Co., South Carolina to
Rowan Co., North Carolina to
Limestone Co., Alabama to
Bastrop Co., Texas

White - Dunavan
Mason Co., West Virginia to
Vermilion Co., Illinois

Pink - Hodge
Edgecombe Co., North Carolina to
Livingston and Crittenden Co., Kentucky to
Bastrop Co., Texas

Orange - Huddleston
Halifax Co., Virginia to
North Carolina to
Tennessee to
Lauderdale Co., Alabama to
Johnson and Franklin Co., Arkansas to
Caldwell Co., Texas

Brown - Mobley
Anne Arundel and Queen Anne Co., Maryland to
Virginia to
South Carolina to
Coweta Co., Georgia to
Bastrop Co., Texas

Red - McAfee
Indiana to
Logan Co., Illinois to
Linn Co., Iowa to
Livingston Co., Missouri to
Prairie Co., Arkansas to
Travis and Bastrop Co., Texas

Cream - Mason
Botefort Co., Virginia to
Kentucky to
Pike Co., Indiana to
Bastrop Co., Texas

Turquoise - Frankum
North Carolina to
Kentucky to
Perry Co., Tennessee to
Douglas Co., Missouri to
Bastrop Co., Texas

I have a few more lines that may get added, if I can find more colors in baby buttons. It's been a fun project. And it points out again how many people had to move to get to the point where I could come along. My roots extend a long, long way.

LSW