February Teapot

I finished the February Teapot on Sunday, and started the April Teapot. Once that one is done, I will be all caught up. This one is done on 30 count Linen (color) WDW Linen (fabric). I wasn't sure I liked this design until it was all stitched, and now I love it!

Table Topper finish

I finished the stitching on this table topper the other day. It was to be my annual contribution for the fashion show raffle. This year's fashion show was to be held next weekend, and was sponsored by the Frauengruppe. Unfortunately, they cancelled the event, and I have an extra table topper. It will not go to waste, I will use it as a gift or raffle prize for a future event.

The chart for this piece calls for extensive backstitching, but I don't think it really needs it, so I didn't do any of the backstitching. Here are some close-ups of the individual squares:

The corner motif has a cluster of three tulips and the small side squares are a single tulip each.

April Flip It Bock

Here is April's Flip It Block. I felt a little funny doing a bunny after Easter, but I guess Easter is in April more often so that's why it's there.

Here are the first four months of the year all together.

EMS Rose Sampler part 4

I have added part 4 to the Rose Sampler. I find myself being impatient for the next part to be released!

Here is what the entire piece looks like so far.....

February update - RMC

Here is Rocky Mountain Christmas after February's 10 hour session

140 hours so far

1245 Stitches this month

17,148 total stitches to date

Cooper's Stocking

Here is Cooper's Stocking, which I finished stitching earlier in the month, but missing 3 beads! I ran out. I just picked some more up this past weekend, so I will attach them, and then finish this into an actual stocking. The chart is by Stoney Creek from their Boyd's Bears series, called Elliot and the Tree. It is stitched on 28 count antique white jubilee fabric with DMC floss, some Colorwash silks, DMC Variations and DMC Perle cottons. The colors on the sweater were changed to blues, and some other colors on the piece were changed also. I think I will be entering the finished stocking in the Lake County Fair later this summer.

Stitching Mends the Soul

Just finished this evening, Stitching Mends the Soul, by Waxing Moon, done on 28 count ivory Jobelin, with Gentle Arts Sampler threads and DMC.

Stitcher's Prayer

This is by Little House Needleworks, done on 32 count Raw Linen, with DMC floss. I finished this early on in March, but forgot to post a picture.

Tea, Anyone?

Just Another Button Company does a Stitch Every Day series each year. The charts are free when you buy the buttons. Some designs are cuter than others, and I have just picked a few each year when I liked the design. In 2008, however, the series is monthly teapots! They are just too cute and whimsical. I stitched two fo them this month:

I plan to do all twelve months, and then finish them into a wall hanging.

Love Quilts

Love quilts ( http://lovequilts2macs.homestead.com/LQHomepage.html) is an organization that makes quilts for sick children. There branches of this organization all over the world. You can choose to make a quilt for a specific child (the child or parent has chosen a theme as a guideline) or you can make a quilt for any child that the organizers will fit into a quilt where needed. Our EGA (Embroideres Guild of America - http://www.egausa.org/) chapter does Love Quilt squares as part of our outreach program, so each year I stitch a square.



Here is this year's contribution that I turned in the other day:

It is stitched on white aida with DMC floss (don't know why the photo turned out blueish/lavender). Did I mention I hate stitching on aida?

March Flip-It

Here is the March Flip-It block that I completed recently. Theses charts are really fun and quick to stitch. Each of the charts has a little charm, but I haven't decided if I am going to add all the charms once all the stitching is done, or just leave it nekkid!

This is the piece so far with the first three months of the year stitched.

More Texas Stitching

Here are this month's Texas Monthly Minis that I stitched last week. The charms have not yet been added, but will be before they are finished as ormaments.

12 month Sampler

This year I will be stitching the 2008 Rose Sampler by Ellen Maurer-Stroh. Starting last January, Ellen is releasing 1 part each month until all 12 are released. Ellen is known for her very realistic floral design. This piece appeals to me because the roses and vines remind me of the embroidered pieces that my Oma made and had hanging in her kitchen when I was very young. The design is mostly monochromatic and lends itself beautifully to varigated fibres. I have chosen to use one of the new DMC Variations, which is DMC's answer to overdyed fibres, but unlike other overdyeds, these are colorfast and can be washed. I am stitching on 32 count antique white Jobelyn fabric.


Here is part one.










Here is part 2:
















Today I finished part 3







Here are all three parts together. The top 1/4 of the sampler is now finished.



http://www.maurer-stroh.com/project2008.html Ellen's web site shows the finished project, and also includes a gallery where stitchers have posted their progress. It is interesting to see the different colors that have been chosen for this project. Check back for future updates on this project.



Now that I am all caught up, I will be stitching a new part each month as it is released.

Happy Birthday Mark!

I didn't get a chance to post this weekend, so it is now Happy Belated Birthday, Mark! Mark was 25 on Saturday, the Ides of March. When he was born, the doctor wanted me to name him Marc Anthony, but we had already chosen Markus Peter.

A Tribute to Gnorman

Because he is missed, Gnorman, the Gnoble Gnome has been imortalised in a cross stitch chart by Sue Hillis. This is just a preview, but as soon as the printed version is released guess who will be stitching it!

Rest in Peace, Gnorman

Gnorman the Gnome began his life at a Menards in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. From there he traveled to Richmond, VA, via USPS (with air holes in the carton) and was lovingly placed among the flowers in the garden of the Hillis home. Family members took great delight in moving him about, so that he could have a change of scenery every so often, much to the annoyance of Sue, who spent a great deal of time looking for Gnorman, thinking he had run off or been gnome-gnapped. He lead a quiet life, with gno worries or cares. He was visited by all of the Hillis grandchildren as well as the wildlife in the area.

Recently Gnorman was found to be missing again, but this time gnone of the family members were guilty of moving him. Sue began stalking her letter carrier, thinking a ransom gnote would be sent soon. That ransom gnote gnever came.

I received the following message from Sue today: I am sorry to tell you of the demise of our friend Gnorman...we found him in the woods a few days ago with bite marks on his head and other parts of his anatomy...I am thinking a dog must have had his way with Gnorm...hopefully he lost consciousness early in the assault and was gnot awake for the entire experience. We will have quiet ceremony, and he'll be buried on the corner that we use as a memorial garden for Panzer, Maggie, Puddles, Jammer, and gnow, Gnorman...

Goodbye Gnorman, you were a gnoble gnome! You will gnever gnow how much you will be missed.


Update: In a statement released from the Roaming Gnome, Travelocity spokesgnome, Roaming Gnome stated that he was saddened to hear of Gnorman's demise. "He was more than just a cousin, he was a dear friend." Roaming Gnome went on to say that he would have gladly paid any ransom asked for to return Gnorman to his home.
Local authorities continue to look into Gnorman's demise and have questioned area dogs and have cast tooth prints in plaster in attempts to match the fatal bite marks. The public is asked to beware of dogs absconding with beloved gnomes. A reward by the United Brotherhood of Gnomes has been offered for any information leading to the apprehension and gneutering of the offending dog.



Sue was comforted by all the gneighborhood gnomes that attended the burial. We didn't gnow he had so many friends!

Happy Birthday, Viki!

Happy birthday to my first born! It seems like just yesterday when you were telling me "I can't possibly wear THOSE sock, they don't have any lace on them!"

Texas Stitching

When your son-in-law is from Texas, it makes you want to stitch some Texas themed things......so here are the first 3 of the Texas Monthly Mini series. I plan to do 2 or three each month until all 12 are done. There are charms and /or buttoms that go on each one, but I won't add those until the very end. I can't tell you what I will do with them when they are all stitched, it's a secret!

Rocky Mountains Christmas February update

Here is Rocky Mountain Christmas after this month's 10 hour stitching session.

130 hours so far
1195 stitches this month
15,903 total stitches so far
3 pages out of 6 completed

Some February Finishes

I have a few more finishes already this month.

The first is ABC Apple - by Just Another Button Company. The chart is free when you buy the buttons, such a deal! It's done on 28 count Graziano Chocolate Milan fabric with Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Arts Sampler threads.

The second is Priceless by Glory Bee, done with DMC instead of the recommended silks, on 36 count Edinborough linen in summer Khaki. This is a special finish because the chart was sent to me by a good friend.

Lizzie*Kate Flip It Blocks

Although Lizzie*Kate is not one of the designers I like to stitch, they do have some cute charts. A few years ago, I had seen the 2003 Flip It Blocks all stitched on the same piece of fabric with a border around it, so I started kitting up this project. The goal for 2008 is to stitch one block each month. Because I was too lazy to count threads a bunch of times to start the January block, I did the February block in January because the right edge is in the middle of the row, and I did the January block in February. Going forward, I will be stitching the corresponding block each month.

Here is the January block:

Here is January and February together with the border on them:

Watch this space for monthly instalments.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!!

Today is Kristin's 24th birthday! My baby! I feel so old.......

Rocky Mountain Christmas update

Well, I finally had a chance to pick this one up again. Last time this one saw daylight was in April. (So much for stitching 10 hours each month!)



I hope to get back on track, with 10 hours each month this year. At this point it is almost half finished. I have done 120 hours on it so far, with 1,142 stitches this month, and a total of 14,708 stitches.

Two more finishes for January

I finished two more pieces before the month ended.

The first is by Lizzie*Kate called Good Things. It is done on 32 count Tumbleweed linen with overdyed threads:

The second piece is the February Flip-It Block from Lizzie*Kates 2003 series.

It is done on 28 count Rustico, with WDW and GAST threads. I am planning to do one block a month, so that by the end of the year the entire piece will be finished.

January Stitching

I have had a number of small finishes this month, the first is Thread Gathering by Little House Needleworks, stitched on 32 ct Raw Linen with Cresent Colors.


The next one is Glory Bee's Flying Monkeys, stitched on 28 count Ivory Joblin with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads. I have the custome frame for this one, which will look even better once it is framed.


This one is Waxing Moon's My Needle and My Floss, stitch on 28 count Ivory Joblin with Gentle Arts Sampler threads and Weeks Dye Works.

Here two ornaments by Sue Hillis from the 2007 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue, stitched on 32 count antique white Cashel linen, in DMC floss. They still need to be 'ornamentified"

And her is my WIP (Work in Progress) Stoney Creek's Elliot and the Tree stocking for Cooper, stitched on 28 count antique white Jubilee with DMC and Glissen Gloss. I changed the colors of the sweater from burgandy to blue.

Who Am I?

All my life I have been know by different labels. I know I have always been an individual, but at first I was known as Nick and Maria's daughter, then Trudi and Walter's sister. I was Peter's wife, and ultimately Viki, Tony, Mark and Kristin's Mom. Being "Mom" is certainly the single most important label that I have had. I have also been known as Frau Rill, the German teacher and the folk dance instructor, and Tante Evi to my nephews and other honorary nieces.

Yesterday, I was hit with a new label. I was at another parish for an Archdiocesan meeting, and stopped in at their office to make some phone calls as our phone system at work had been down for two days and I needed to confirm some details for some upcoming funerals. I have known some of the people in the office for a few years, but not all of them. As I was leaving, I heard "Hey, wait!" so I stopped and asked what was the matter. The woman said to me "Are you Trey's mother-in-law?" Then it hit me. I am a Mother-in-law! This is nothing new, as I am a mother-in-law three times already, but suddenly it hit me! I have a new label! Trey's mother-in-law! And Trey is famous!

The Project that went around the world!

Presenting the first of my finishes in the Stitching Diva's Round Robin.



This cross stitch project just returned home a few weeks ago, after a long trip around the world! It started out in my family room in February of 2007, where I stitched the center square (#5) and the one directly below it (#8) as well as the border. Then it went to Miami, FL, where Denise Grenfell stitched square #7. From there it went to Fort Nelson, BC, where Suzanne Baker stitched square #9 in April. In May, the piece found its way to Whitehorse, Yukon, where Viv Bales stitched block #6. By July, the project had traveled to Mooroolbark, Victoria, in Australia, where Coral Cummingham stitched block #1. Coral then sent the piece to Essex, England, where Irene Forrest stitched square #4 before sending it on. Next was Sara Sowers who lived in Hope Mills, NC at the time, and she stitched block #2. The only block left was #3, which was stitched by Teresa Dorn in Foristell, MO, and then it came back home to me.

I think I will make a throw pillow out of this piece. It is a piece that I will treasure always, as it was stitched by good friends.

Happy Birthday, Tony!

He is 27 today! It seems like just yesterday that he was born! When Viki was asked if she wanted a baby brother or a baby sister, her first response was that she wanted a Wau-wau (a puppy). When she was told that was not possible, she then insisted that she will have a baby brother, and never even considered the fact that she only had a 50-50 chance of being right. Perhaps she knew more than we gave her credit for at age 2!

So, have a happy birthday, Tony!

What I did on my summer vacation

Despite all good intentions, my detailed account of the trip to Hungary just didn't happen. But, in case you have some time, you may want to look at my photos at:

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=173532877/a=47700223_47700223/t_=47700223

A difficult finish

I finally finished the American Soldier Memorial Project piece. It has been framed and is just waiting for me to deliver it to the mother of the soldier. As hard as this piece was to stitch, the delivery will be even harder.

Now Appearing Daily at:

Our Lady of the Brook, in Northbrook IL.

I will be there every weekday from 8 to 4. It is very peaceful, and definately less stressfull than my last place of employment.

http://www.olbparish.org/