Stitching the Night Away in Illinois

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

WIP Wednesday 5-27-2105

I worked on the hardanger table mat exclusively this week, finishing up all the buttonhole stitches around the perimeter and starting on the gold stitches. I should start cutting before the weekend, and then I will be in the home stretch!

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Another Finish

This is Blessed by Little House Needleworks. It will eventually be finished into an ornament.

Friday, May 22, 2015

Superhero Finish

I finished the stitching on this one a few weeks ago, but haven't had a chance to post it yet. I am taking it for framing on Saturday to take advantage of Welcome Stitchery's framing sale.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

WIP Wednesday 5-20-2015

I only worked on the hardanger table mat this past week. It is coming along nicely.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

WIP Wednesday May 13, 2015

First up is Tree Farm by Little House Needleworks. It is 2/3 done and I hope to have it finished by the end of the month.

Second is a Hardanger table mat by Permin. I did the companion runner recently, so I decided to do this one. It is moving along rather quickly. I would love to have this one finished by the end of the month also.

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

WIP Wednesday!

I actually had a finish on Wednesday, as well as a new start....so here is the WIP as of Wednesday evening. It is Tree Farm by Little House Needleworks. Should be a quick stitch!

Tuesday, May 05, 2015

April Progess May Goals

You don't have to read the entire long list, I had only one piece I worked on and finished in April, it was Peter's Birth Sampler, the Superhero Alphabet Sampler. Picture coming soon.

April 2015

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas
Logan’s stocking
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II

Future New starts

afghan pillow bear
afghan pillow moose
Crystal Violets
French Alphabet block sampler
Silent Night (CCN)
Around the World in 80 Days
Peter’s Birth Sampler finished
Natalie’s Stocking
Owen’s stocking
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
4 person RR Marguerite’s
Patriotic Banner
Carnival
Landon’s Stocking
Justin’s Ornament
Justin’s Birth Sampler

May 2015

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas
Logan’s stocking
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II

Future New starts

afghan pillow bear
afghan pillow moose
Crystal Violets
French Alphabet block sampler
Silent Night (CCN)
Around the World in 80 Days
Natalie’s Stocking
Owen’s stocking
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
4 person RR Marguerite’s
Patriotic Banner
Carnival
Landon’s Stocking
Justin’s Ornament
Justin’s Birth Sampler
Blessed (LHN Ornament)

Monday, May 04, 2015

And the winner is.....

Melody! Her blog is: http://bookwomanstitches.blogspot.com/

I have e-mailed Melody and as soon as I receive her address, I will send out a surprise package!

Eva

Thursday, April 30, 2015

1000th Post!

Hello blogging buddies!

Who would have thunk that this little stitching blog that started on October 10, 2006, would still be alive and well after all that time, reaching
stitchers all over the world, and have 1000 entries!

So you might have come here looking for WIP Wednesday, but sorry, no WIP today, the piece is finished and as soon as it is washed and pressed I will show you a picture.

Instead, I will offer up a stitcher's surprise package to one of my lucky readers. Please leave your name and either e-mail address or blog address and I will draw a name on Sunday evening, May 3rd. The lucky winner will then be contacted and let me know what they like to stitch and I will put together a custom goodie bag and send it off!

Meanwhile,
Happy Stitching!

Eva

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

WIP Wednesday

I forgot to take a picture! But....I almost kept up with my self imposed schedule of one letter per day. I am only two letters behind. I am working on T but should be working on V. By next week Wednesday, I should be all done!

Monday, April 20, 2015

Results of the Internation Hermit and Stitch Weekend

Well, I didn't get to be a Hermit! I did manage to stitch for 7 hours, but it was not enough. I ended up being busier than I wanted to be. Sigh.

Before the weekend began, I knew I would be busy, but I ended up spending much more time at work than I had planned. There is always next month!

Friday, April 17, 2015

Internation Hermit and Stitch Weekend

I haven't had a chance to participate in one of these weekends in a long time.....and I will be rather busy this weekend, but I do plan on spending some quality time in my comfy chair stitching....perhaps a little less time than I would like, but I will MAKE time to stitch!

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

WIP Wednesday

Here it is, Wednesday again, and time to show you how far I have gotten on the Superhero alphabet. I am enjoying this piece, but I am in a hurry to get it done to move on to something else in my to-do mountain.

Wednesday, April 08, 2015

WIP Wednesday

Welcome to a new feature on my blog: WIP Wednesday!

Since I haven't had as many finishes as in previous years, mainly due to working on larger projects with deadlines and not rotating, I needed to come up with something to post on the blog, so I thought a Wednesday update on what I am stitching might be in order.

The piece I am currently working on is called Superheroes Sampler, and will be from my Grandson, Peter. I have managed to stitch one letter and Superhero a day since I started, and hope to keep that up if I can.

Thursday, April 02, 2015

A Hardanger Finish

I have been working exclusively on this piece for the past 5 weeks. It is called Delicate Daisies and the chart is found in the November 2007 issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework magazine. I used white 22 count fabric, and DMC perle cotton fibres. The piece is my contribution to a silent auction to benefit the Education Foundation in my area. I actually finished this 4 weeks before the deadline!

Wednesday, April 01, 2015

March Progress and April Goals

Well, I only got one piece finished this month, that is all that I worked on too. It was a rather involved project. come back tomorrow and you will see a picture of it. Not as much stitching time as I would have liked, life just gets in the way.

March 2015

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas
Logan’s stocking
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II

In Progress

Hardanger Daisy runner finished

Future New starts

afghan pillow bear
afghan pillow moose
Crystal Violets
French Alphabet block sampler
Silent Night (CCN)
Around the World in 80 Days
Peter’s Birth Sampler
Natalie’s Stocking
Owen’s stocking
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
4 person RR Marguerite’s
Patriotic Banner
Carnival
Landon’s Stocking

April 2015

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas
Logan’s stocking
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II

In Progress

Future New starts

Wednesday, March 04, 2015

Owen's Birth Sampler finished

I know, Owen turned 2 at the beginning of January......but I did get this one done in February, so I'm close to the second birthday deadline I gave myself......sorta, kinda.....

This one is from a kit by Dimensions called Happi Transportation. (Did I ever mention that I don't like kits?)
I switched out the fabric and the floss, so the only think I used was the chart. There were half stitches with one strand, and half stitches with two strands and half stitches with 3 strands.....there were whole stitches.....and then there was the backstitching......lots, and lots and lots of backstitching.....but it did turn out rather well!

I will be having it framed next time I go to Welcome Stitchery.

Tuesday, March 03, 2015

First Finishe of 2015

I know, it's a bit late for Halloween, but I would like to think of it as early for next Halloween.

Did I every tell you that I really don't like Halloween? It is not a holiday I enjoy at all, and I just tolerate it for the little ones in my life. So, why did I stitch this Halloween piece, you ask? Well, it just kept calling to me!

This piece is actually made up of two charts, Judith M. Kirby's Victorian Houses # 9 and # 15. I saw them stitch together as a shop model in the early 90's at The Cross Stitch Place in Chicago, a shop that closed many years ago, and have wanted to stitch them ever since. A few years ago, a dear friend painted the fabric for me as a gift, and I started it and completed the first house about two years ago. I started the second house at the retreat I was on at the end of October, and finally finished it at the retreat at the end of January. It will be framed in a simple back frame, I think.

Monday, March 02, 2015

I'm Still Here!

Thanks to all of you who contacted me to inquire as to how I was doing, it is nice to be missed.

It has been so busy at work, that when I get home, I just sit and stare into space, not much stitching went on in the last quarter of 2014. In addition to all the extra work with the change in pastor and in how things are done and organized, a co-worker's son (aged 19) was found to have a cancerous tumor at the send of September. I had to add quite a few of her duties to my own to-do list, thus leaving me with zero stitching time. I am happy to report that her son is all better. The germ cell tumor was shrunk with chemo and the rest of it removed a few weeks ago, and he is back at college, as if nothing ever happened.

Since I have been absent, I did attend two stitching retreats, one at the end of October and the other at the end of January, both at the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center in Zion Illinois. The first was hosted by some stitching friends, and the send by Black Cat Stitchery, located down the road in Winthrop Harbor, IL. It's a great place for a stitching retreat. Lots of good friends, and no decision need to be made except what to stitch. All the meals are included, and when they announce lunch or dinner, you just get in line, fill you plate, and eat. In both cases I got there early on Friday morning and didn't leave until sometime on Sunday. Didn't have to drive anywhere, didn't need to put on a coat, just stitch and chat and have a relaxing time. Never took any pictures, but did get a lot of stitching done!

I finished a few things, too! I will have to find the pictures and get them posted. check back!

Sunday, March 01, 2015

February Progress, March Goals

February 2015

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas
Logan’s stocking
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II

In Progress

Owen’s Birth Sampler finished

Future New starts
afghan pillow bear
afghan pillow moose
Crystal Violets
French Alphabet block sampler
Silent Night (CCN)
Around the World in 80 Days
Peter’s Birth Sampler
Natalie’s Stocking
Owen’s stocking
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
4 person RR Marguerite’s
Patriotic Banner
Carnival
Landon’s Stocking
Hardanger Daisy runner worked on it

March 2015

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas
Logan’s stocking
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II

In Progress

Hardanger Daisy runner

Future New starts

Friday, September 12, 2014

A New Generation

My granddaughter, age 3, stitching......Oma is so proud!

Monday, September 01, 2014

August Progress, September Goals

Gosh, August went by really fast! Lots going on, but I did manage to spend a bit more than 70 hours of stitching in August. I had 6 finishes, and I even managed to work on one of my Works-In-Slow-Progress! I hope September is even better!

August

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas
work on Logan’s stocking worked on it
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II

In Progress

Wedding sampler finished

Future New starts

afghan pillow bear
afghan pillow moose
Crystal Violets
French Alphabet block sampler
Silent Night (CCN)
Around the World in 80 Days
Owen’s birth sampler
Peter’s Birth Sampler
Natalie’s Stocking
Owen’s stocking
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Halloween House #15
4 person RR Marguerite’s
Patriotic Banner
Carneval
Summer Mail Art finished
At the Shore Mail Art finished
6 person RR Marguerite’s
Quilt square finished
Leta’s 12 person RR finished
Darla’s 12 person RR finished
Marguerite’s 6 person RR worked on it

September

WISPS:
10 hours on Rocky Mountain Christmas
work on Logan’s stocking
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II

In Progress

Marguerite’s 6 person RR

Future New starts
afghan pillow bear
afghan pillow moose
Crystal Violets
French Alphabet block sampler
Silent Night (CCN)
Around the World in 80 Days
Owen’s birth sampler
Peter’s Birth Sampler
Natalie’s Stocking
Owen’s stocking
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Halloween House #15
4 person RR Marguerite’s
Patriotic Banner
Carneval
6 person RR Marguerite’s

Monday, August 25, 2014

TUSAL

Since I haven't been blogging or stitching much, I missed posting my Totally Useless Stitch-a-long reports in May, June and July. Since there wasn't much stitching going on, there weren't many orts either.

Here is my August (and May, June and July) report!

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Wedding Row

I stitched this one a few weeks ago, and just picked it up from being framed. It is a ~~gift~~ remembrance for a wedding reception we are attending today. The invitation said "absolutely no gifts" but I find it hard to go empty handed.

This is a second marriage for both the bride and groom, and they moved into a lovely new home about a year ago, so what do you give someone who has everything? A stitched wedding sampler of course! Just a few days ago we learned that they were actually married last January, and they are just having the celebration now....so the date on the sampler is the date of the celebration. If they want the date of the actually wedding on it, I will have to fix it.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Summer Mail Art Received

I received this lovely mail art envelope from Lynn in Canada this week. It is just perfect!

The theme of this mail art exchange was "summer". I love the cute birdhouse complete with a bird!

The back is especially cute! The watermelon look good enough to eat! And I just love the ants marching across the envelope.

The inside is lined with a lovely floral fabric, and Lynn included a post card and wonderful chart!

Thank you, Lynn, I love it all!

My mail art envelope is being mailed this weekend, and as soon as it is received by my partner I will post pictures.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

LHN Finish

I finished this Little House Needleworks design a few days ago, and today I washed and ironed so now I can show you. This is going to be a quilt square. Once the quilt is done, I will show you.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

From the Framer

Welcome Stitchery has an annual framing sale every May. You can bring in up to 3 pieces and get a discount, so every year, I save up my framing and take them in for the sale. Here are the three pieces I had framed this year:

First up is Rose Quaker by Stickideen von der Wiehenburg. I stitched this one on 25 count Ivory Lugana with one strand of DMC floss over one fabric thread. I changed one of the DMC colors but I don't remember which one.

The next one is Song of the Seasons, last year's Little House Needleworks Mystery Sampler. I stitched it with the recommend floss and fabric.

And lastly, Needleworker by Little House Needleworks, stitched on 25 count fabric, don't remember which color, with the recommended floss, one strand of floss over one fabric thread.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Birthday Mail Art

I was assigned Antje to a Mail Art for her Birthday, July 31st. Luckily, Antje is in Fort Hood, Texas, so I could make sure it got there in time. The chart is by Sue Hillis, on her Dessert of the Month, part 1 leaflet.

I am happy to report that it arrived the day before her birthday, and she liked it!

I even found fabric the said 'Happy Birthday' for the lining, and stamps that sort of matched that fabric that said 'celebrate'.

Monday, August 18, 2014

IHSW Report

I was busy stitching this weekend while visiting my daughter and son-in-law. I did manage to finish a quilt square, but it needs to be washed and ironed before I can show you, so sorry, no picture until I get home!

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Disney Themed Mail Art

Why all the mail art? I am part of a Facebook Mail Art group. Members are all German, living in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the US. It is a great way for me to practice my German with people other than 1st graders! There are monthly themes, and members can choose to participate or sit out for each round. A recent round was entitled "Disney" and here is what I stitched for my partner.

Unfortunately it still hasn't been received. I don't understand the mail system, both here in the US and in Europe. Some mail art pieces arrive in Europe in 5 days, others take up to 6 weeks! And....my own mail carrier refuses to deliver registered mail to my mail box, I have to go the post office to pick it up, which isn't really convenient for a working girl.

I received this from the same person I was to send too, which doesn't usually happen, but it's okay.

Petra did a great job and I loved the chocolates that she enclosed.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Christmas in July Exchange with my Stitching Divas

The International Stitching Divas decided to do an exchange, sort of like a Christmas in July exchange. It was meant to be received by July 25th, but we were all a bit late. The exchange consisted of the following: a tea towel, a stitched small, a post card and a lolly (which I interpreted as some kind of candy). Was to send to Coral in Australia, but she hasn't received it yet.

Overachiever that I am, I stitched the tea towel instead of just purchasing one and I also stitched a scissor fob, both of which are in the picture. I included a post card of Chicago and some Gummi Bears because I was afraid that chocolate would melt.

I received my package from Suzanne, who lives in Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. She sent a lovely tea towel with a machine embroidered Canadian post card on it, a wonderful stitched bread cloth perfect for Christmas, two postcards and some candy. The candy didn't make it into the picture.....there was chocolate involved, boy was it yummy! Thanks Suzanne! I loved everything!

Friday, August 15, 2014

IHSW

I haven't participated in awhile, but this time I will try. It is International Hermit and Stitch Weekend. I won't be a hermit, but I do plan to spend some time stitching!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Historical Needlework Class

This past June I was asked to teach a class on Historical Needlework of Southeastern European Germans at our German club. I took my inspiration for the traditional motifs used by German nationals living in Hungary, Romania and the former Yugoslavia. I had found many examples in our own museum, and showed practical uses of the stitched items as well as how patterns were transferred in the olden days.

The students were 50 teens, put into two groups, so I taught the class twice. Since many of them had never even held a needle, I had to start with the basics. I took a historical motif and had them stitch it on a bookmark.

Many of them were seen stitching on the bookmarks later in the evening, long after the class was over. I guess that means they liked it! It was a pleasure for me too!