About
inspired by the sea
Add a splash of Cape Cod to your home decor and create your own coastal life!
How Mayflower Stitchery got started...
Since Colonial times in New England, mothers have instructed their daughters in the fine arts of sewing & embroidery. These skills were not only essential for the family’s needs (sewing clothes & bedding, weaving cloth & blankets, and knitting sweaters), but were the only way to pass on the knowledge of generations of artisans, and to create beautiful décor for the cabins and houses hewn from the forests of the new world. There are many examples of antique samplers stitched in the 17th century by girls as young as 5 years old, which are beautiful by today’s standards, as well as linen bedding and curtains decorated with elaborate crewelwork embroidery.
My mother, Fritzi, learned to sew from her grandmother, Nora, an Irish immigrant who came to America in 1894. My Mom started teaching me to sew when I was 10 years old, with me and my older sister sewing buttons onto the sun dresses she used to make for us. The first time I hand-stitched a hem on a skirt, I understood what it is to be proud of hard work and a job well done. I started making my own clothes in high school, and during college, I made Halloween costumes for myself and my friends, and our designs may have been a bit wacky, but as we were poor students, DIY was the way to go and we had fun!
For the past 30 years I’ve been making all kinds of items, from dresses and Halloween costumes for my nieces, to renaissance festival costumes for my friends, patio furniture cushions & throw pillows, and crewel work embroidery cushions for my Mom to enjoy in her home on Cape Cod, and later in her assisted living apartment. I made the decision to start my own small business after working in Clinical Research Administration for 15 years in Boston. It was a scary step, but after a lot of consideration and a deep breath, I took Kierkegaard’s leap of faith.
Although Fritzi passed away a couple of years ago, I’m so grateful that she was able to guide me on my sewing & embroidery journey, see the business that I’ve built up since 2013, and offer her invaluable advice! Someone told me recently that I have “the gift,” and while I’m not so sure about that, I am certain that I have been very lucky, and I’m thankful for it!
I hope that you enjoy your items from Mayflower Stitchery, and that you visit my website often to check on the latest updates & find new designs! Have fun!
Margot Wiatrowski Hallgren
Founder/Designer/Seamstress
