The Warren D. Neal farm, Madison County, Iowa, four miles south of Dexter. Old Creamery Road is along the right side, with a tiny red flag on the rural mailbox.
I stitched the needlepoint in 1976 for Dad, who built the house between about 1961 and 1963. Artistic license: Lilacs are blooming, corn tasseled, and the pumpkins are ripe. We still lived in Colorado, so I plotted everything from photos.
It sits where my childhood house was, so everything else is very familiar. The upper part of the granary is where I caught a mouse but it bit my finger as I climbed down. I haven’t been fond of mice since then.
Sis Gloria and I helped pull “square” bales of hay off the elevator in the haymow which faced the house. We also played with Minnie and her kittens in there.
Dad built the house from 1961-1964. 1971 - the garage 1953 - granery 1973 - hoghouse on granery 1968 - wooden gravity wagon 1952 - hog shed 1964 - farrowing house 1960-1963 - grain bins
Dudley, my sister’s cat, the only “farm animal,” is on the porch.
The two-bedroom house has cement floors, except in the kitchen. Underneath the kitchen is the old cellar with steps leading down to it from a utility room. The cellar doors on the old house were below the kitchen windows, outside to the south.
There’s no furnace. Electrical heat radiates from the ceilings in each room. Above is an unfinished attic. Now my sister lives in the house, which she had painted white.
The basic needlepoint stitch seemed hard on my hands, so that hobby didn’t last as long as most of the others. Does anyone do needlepoint anymore?
The detail on that is amazing!
Thanks, Dennis. I began with photos, since we were living in Colorado at the time.
I love it, Joy!!
Thanks, GP!
That is so intricate and special. Grandma Katie Scar taught me to embroider the winter I was 9. She bought 6 white dish towels at Mrs. Creamer’s store in Dexter. She ironed on outlines of cartoonish kitchen pots, pans, skillet, etc. surrounded by various vegetable and fruit characters with facial features. I finished all 6 and had developed many stitch techniques. I was very popular in college, pilot training and in the Marines. Sewing on buttons and bigger jobs. I still hand sew often, patching and other tasks.
What fun! You also did macrame! I remember when you made a plant hanger for Grandma’s entryway.
What a treasure you created, Joy! It is so beautiful and important to your family!
Thank you, Lori! I just loved your post about learning about your dad’s WWII service!
A wonderful work of art, Joy. Amazing detail and colors.
Thanks, John!
I’m very impressed with the detail of your project, Joy. How many hours/days would you estimate went into this project?
Thank you, Pete. You can’t measure any part of a labor of love, can’t you!
I reread my earlier comment. I think the Five and Dime/Variety store was Craemer’s. “E” and “A” reversed. Do you remember. It was between Adkins Grocery and Jensen Hardware. I remain fond of Dexter. I consider it my hometown even if I didn’t go to school there.
I wonder if this is her: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15577126/flora-dora-kraemer
Your needlepoint is beautiful! I have several that my aunts made for me. I deeply appreciate them. I also have some chairs with cushions that were done by them…so lovely!
Thank you, Linda. The only thing better than an heirloom is an heirloom with a story!
This glorious! I admire the energy in all forms, it took to create this!!
Thank you, Annette. Oh, to enjoy that kind of energy once more, huh!
That’s a very impressive needlepoint rendition of your family farm! I did needlepoint years ago, but only from a kit.
Thanks, Liz!
You’re welcome,, Joy!
Mrs. Kraemer, Yes ! Thank you, Joy. For a young, farm boy the store had “millions” of merchandise things. I remember walking around, just fascinated by “all the stuff”. As a budding coin collector, her store was one of my stops asking to exchange a copper cent for a 1943 steel cent.
That’s amazing, Joy! The needlepoint is fantastic!
Thanks, Tim!
You’re welcome, Joy! 😊
What a very special needlepoint project. It’s beautiful! You are very talented.
Thank you, Linda.
What a family treasure! The needlepoint of your family farm is beautiful. It makes me wish I’d been raised on a farm-that farm! 🙂
I especially enjoyed the old house, which was finally torn down when I was a junior in high school. Thank you, Nancy.
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Vibrant and evocative, with so much family history in every stitch! TY for sharing the story and the needlepoint.
Thank you, Marian!