Author: annisquamsewingcircle

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A Bountiful Summer

Yarrow & RudbeckiaGardens over flowing with color!

On Cape Ann there is increasing interest in supporting our environment by installing native plants in public places. The Sawyer Free Libray and Gloucester City Hall have increased the number of native plants to support the pollinators native to our area.

Lisa Giersbach designed the native plantings at the Sawyer Free Library as part of the Library’s renovation.

The Cape Ann Garden Club, which has maintained the gardens at City Hall for many years, has installed two beautiful beds of native plants with more to follow.

The goal of 400 Trees is to expand the city’s tree canopy to combat urban heat islands, and to boost climate resilience. Two of those trees are part of the City hall native plant beds.

#nativeplants

#sawyerfreelibrary

#gloucestercityhall

#capeanngardenclub

#400trees

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Next Event

Just in time for your holiday celebrations!

Annisquam Sewing Circle Annual Bake & Flower Sale

Annisquam Sewing Circle Annual Bake & Flower Sale
Friday, July 3, 2026, 9 -11:30
at the
Annisquam Farmers’ Market
32-34 Leonard St., Gloucester 01930

Home baked pies, cookies and lots more plus grap\b a bouquet of beautiful flowers from the gardens in Annisquam for the table or to take to a friend.

Proceeds are donated the nonprofits assisting Cape Ann families and those in need of a hand.

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ASC Events

The Annisquam Sewing Circle holds several fundraising events. The funds are donated to local non-profits selected by the members as well as for scholarships to Annisquam students graduating from high school and going on to further study.
Plant Sale – In the School Yard between the Annisquam Exchange & The Annisquam Village Hall
ASC Bake Sale Gourmet Foods & Floral Arrangements  – At the Annisquam Farmers’ Market on a Friday morning before the 4th of July in the School Yard between the Annisquam Exchange & The Annisquam Village Hall.
Annisquam Christmas Fair Christmas Fair – The first Saturday in December held in the newly renovated Annisquam Village Hall. The Hall will be filled with beautifully decorated wreats & centerpieces, boxwood tree, potted bulbs, hand-crafted items, home-baked goodies and so much more. Mark your calendar. First Saturday in December!
Friends of the Annisquam Sewing Circle Become a Friend of the Annisquam Sewing Circle – send an email to AnnisquamSewingCircle@gmail.com with Friend in the subject line. You will receive updates on upcoming ASC events.
Follow the ASC on Facebook.com/AnnisquamSewingCircle
Follow the ASC on Instagram.com/AnnisquamSewingCircle
   
   
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The Annisquam Sewing Circle: A Tradition of Giving Since 1837

Tea served at the Annisquam Sewing Circle meeting

In 1837, the Annisquam Female Benevolent Society—known today as the Annisquam Sewing Circle—was established to help neighbors in need. Nearly two centuries later, this spirit of generosity continues to guide the Circle’s work. In addition to the commitment to serve our Cape Ann community, the original members established traditions that are still cherished today, including serving tea at the end of every meeting.

In 2025, that same dedication is alive as members make plans, form committees, and welcome new faces in preparation for the Annual Christmas Fair. This beloved event will feature:

Beautifully decorated wreaths, centerpieces, and plants
Hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind gifts
Delicious homemade food to enjoy or share

Each purchase supports the Cape Ann community, with all proceeds donated to local nonprofit organizations. By joining in, you’re doing more than shopping for holiday gifts—you’re becoming part of a tradition of kindness and care that has been cherished for nearly two centuries. Each wreath, centerpiece, and handmade item carries with it not only the skill and creativity of our members, but also the spirit of community that has defined this group since 1837. Your support helps preserve this legacy, allowing us to continue giving back year after year and keeping alive the values of generosity, service, and fellowship that remain at the heart of our mission.

Take a peak at the Celebration of the 175th Anniversary of the ASC in 2012.

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Become a Friend the Annisquam Sewing Circle.

Friends of the Annisquam Sewing Circle
Friends of the Annisquam Sewing Circle

The Annisquam Sewing Circle has been reaching out to the community since its inception.

Bags of groceries were left on the doorsteps of families in need. Hats and mittens were knit for soldiers during the Civil War and nippers for the Gloucester fishermen. Items were made for the ASC Christmas Fair which included little men out of toothpicks and raisins for children to buy as gifts for family and friends. The money raised went back to the community.

Times have changed but the needs of the community remain the same. The funds raised by the ASC are donated to Cape Ann Community organizations like Wellspring, Open Door, Backyard Growers, and Animal Aid as well as scholarships for Gloucester High School graduating seniors who are going on to college or other post-graduate training.

Join our email list.

Send an email to FriendOfASC@gmail.com to receive information about upcoming events and news of the ASC. Your email will not be shared with anyone. We value you as a Friend of the ASC and your interest in our activities. As a thank you for your interest and support of the Annisquam Sewing Circle, we will send you an ASC favorite recipe.

 

 

 

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Fishermen’s Woolen Nippers

Nipper

Earlier members of the Annisquam Sewing Circle knit nippers like this pair.

Fishermen working trawl lines in the 19th century often suffered cuts and rope burns on their hands. They typically wore mittens or gloves to protect themselves when hauling the long lines aboard and removing the fish. These sturdy but soft rings, called nippers, are knitted of woolen yarn and stuffed with more wool. They would have fit around a fisherman’s palms, protecting his hands while his fingers remained free for tasks requiring dexterity.

These nippers were probably made in Gloucester, Mass., for use by local fishermen working on offshore schooners. The shallow, fertile banks stretching from Georges Bank east of Nantucket to the Grand Bank off Newfoundland, Canada, were prime fishing areas for Gloucestermen. Cod, haddock, and halibut were the principal species caught by fishermen working aboard schooners in these waters in the late 19th century.

These nippers were among the fishermen’s clothing, tools, and apparatus featured by the United States in the 1883 International Fisheries Exhibition in London.

ID Number:
AG*102074
Place Made:
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Material:
woolen
Date:
1880s
Dimensions:
5 in x 3.365 x 1.7717; 12.7mm x 85 x 45 mm
Source:
U.S. Fish Commission
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From our Sisters Across the Pond – Sewing Circle 1946

Sewing Circle England 1946CREATE 2020 Contest: Identity as Inspiration

‘A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.’ Coco Chanel

Britain is bracing itself for the second lockdown starting this Thursday, moods are varied. This morning I checked in with our local baker, who assured me that they were going to try and stay open this time around, and then I got a message from a dear friend. She said, I finally got my sewing machine out, I am going to get back into sewing with this lockdown, and you should draw! (I am an illustrator and yet I haven’t drawn properly in months, which inevitably has made me question if I am, in fact, still allowed to call myself an artist. Quite a load to carry for a creative lacking creativity.) Post-Covid has stripped me bare to mothering my children and paying the bills, with occasional dips in the cold British seas to stay sanely positive about everything that is happening to us.

For a lot of creatives, their work is the essence of their identity so we can probably agree that it is absolutely paramount to find the time and space to create.

Nayila reminds us that learning new skills and implementing them into new projects is a wonderful way to grow the self and feel replenished. Sarah has written a whole article on the “Doldrums of Creativity”. She observes:  ‘it’s not that I don’t have ideas, it’s that I don’t have faith in my ideas. It’s not that ideas aren’t flowing, it’s that in some ways I’m holding myself back from creating them.’ Morgann shares her own story on how to pursue a creative life through sewing. Today I wish you to sit down at your sewing table and make something quite wonderful however small or challenging. If you are a bit like me, struggling to find your creative mojo and with it your own self and identity, the best thing to do is just sew, (or draw in my case).

Image: Sewing Circle 1946

From: The________Thread