This weekend I signed up for the february Stitch-A-Thon with the Friends Gather BB. This is where I started:



and this is all I did :-((((

















On friday I met to stitching friends, Manuela and Margret. We had a lot of fun :-) and when I came back home at night I was too tired to stitch. On saturday I stitched nearly as much as you see now and than I realized that I made an error in the beginning. So I ripped it all off again and put it away. Then on sunday I took it out again but I was still so angry that I had to rip it all that I had no fun with this and so that's all I stitched :-(

Nathalie my adoptee from the Stitching Bloggers Exchange BB emailed me that she received the birthdaygift I sent her. This is what I stitched for her, Petite Exemplary No.2 by EEF

Today I took out my Sampler Gameboard because yesterday was SAL-day with Cathy. 2 more squares :-) Can't wait to see Cathy's progress pic....

I was busy yesterday and finished page 2 of Martina's Quaker Sampler Mystery. I really love this one. It will be awesome when finished ;-) but it's a long way to go.......

WOHOOOOOO! Got it! The first corner is completed :-)

It's time to go to bed now and there are still 8 algerian eyelets left to be stitched... :-( It took much more time to stitch them as I thought. I'll do them tomorrow morning and I'll post a pic immediately ;-)

This is a picture of how far I got my MTM yesterday. At the moment it seems as if I can get it managed to finish the first corner tonight! :-)) .....but we will see.....

And again not much stitching time for me. I don't know why there is few spare time for me the last weeks... This is my progress on Saturday.



On sunday I took out my Gameboard Sampler for the sunday SAL with Cathy.....but there was even less stitching time for me than on saturday :-((( I only stitched a few more letters on the top border.













And now I 'm back stitching on MTM - no chance to catch up to Carol :-( Hei Carol, you did a great job on yours :-))))

I'm so thrilled!!!!! I received this wonderful Valentines gift from Outi. She's my adopter at the Stitching Bloggers Exchange BB. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I love it so much. Look, there are some Lingonberry scenting beauty products like shampoo and bodylotion etc. 2 very lovely pink fabrics. 4 heartcharms, 4 red Swarowsky hearts, a box of pink beads, 1 red variegated DMC floss, 1 red of the new DMC Jewel Effects and 1 GAST Hibiscus. And look on the envelope containing a letter from Outi this sweet (selfmade?) heartstamp.... You spoilt me so much!!! You made my day :-)



Last night I stitched on the Quaker Sampler again. It's such a big fun to stitch this one. Page 2 is half done. But tonight I'm back to Medieval Town Mandala again and I'll try to catch up to Carol again ;-) But she is so much ahead...

Wooohooo! I stitched a bit on the Gameboard Sampler....can you beleive it, Cathy? :-)) Half a square and a few letters, not much but better less than nothing.

That's the way Medieval Town Mandala looked when I took it out of my WIP-box yesterday evening...
That and some stitches on little gifts were all my stitching for the past days. I was a bit demotivated because my sewing project last friday wasn't as perfect as I wanted it to be. But after a lot of mulling over I decided to send it to it's recipient....

Page 1 of the Quaker Sampler is completed. Now I'm waiting to receive page 2. This morning I stitched a bit on MTM but when DH came back from work he went for a run with some friends and took Lisa with him. So I grabbed the chance to sew one of the gifts I stitched during the last days. But, of course, I can't post a picture at the moment ;-)

As you see I got my digicam back yesterday :-) Yippppieeee

My start with part 5 of MTM isn't that much as I hoped..... It will take me a long stitchingtime to finish this part.


Still thinking about what to stitch to today. Go on with MTM or do some stitches on the Quaker Sampler....I'm not sure yet...

I made up a list with February Goals. Maybe this will help me to keep up with all my current WIP's. I hope Carol's not angry that I copied this idea from her.....

February Goals
Finish part 5 of Chatelaines Medieval Town Mandala
Work on another part I haven’t finished yet
Finish one Prairie Schooler ornament from A Prairie Christmas
Continue with Drawn Threads Gameboard Sampler SAL on Sundays with Cathy
Continue with von der Wiehenburg Quaker Sampler
Continue with Ilses Christmas ABC
Continue with Catherine Agnes by Indigo Rose
Continue with Eventide Autumn Needleroll
I will not do a Lizzy Kate Block it square this month because I don’t like the March one very much ;-)

Yesterday during daytime I worked again on the Quaker Sampler though I hadn't much sparetime. In the evenings I'm stitching little gifts for some friends having birthday in the next few weeks.
I'm a bit sad not being able to work on the QS again but I got the password for the next part of MTM and will spend todays stitching time on this one (of course except the evening...)

It happened again.... I couldn't stop myself from starting something new yesterday..... It's a wonderful Quaker Sampler by von der Wiehenburg. I stitch it on the same linen as my Prairie Schooler ornaments. It's the dark 40ct. Weddigen. The picture doesn't show the right color. I hope this will work better tonight. My choice of floss is the DMC 3750 a blue with an antique touch. I'm sure my friend Manuela will be angry with me because I started this without having finished an older WIP .... ;-(

I wish I had my camera today.... I started to snow again yesterday and everything is wonderful white again. The sun was shining and it was simply beautiful! But the forecast says that it's melting away tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. ;-(

Today I stitched a small gift for a friend. So I can't show it ;-) And......I finally completed part 4 of Chatelaines MTM!!!!!! I'm so happy. It's the first part I really completed... I would love to stitch a bit on DT's Game Board Sampler but I have to stitch another gift first. There are a lot of birthdays to come in february.....

Last weekend, from friday morning 7am to sunday evening 9.30 pm I was away from home for a wonderful time full of chatting, stitching and sewing. We had a great stitching retreat from my german SAL Yahoo Group in the South of Germany. I sew a bag to carry MTM with all the needed charts and threads. And I plan to do another bag. We talked a lot about crazy patchwork and looked at some CP squares .... I will have to do at least one of them as well.....

One of the women had birthday on sunday so there was a big party also :-)

But I forgot to take my digital camera back home so I have to wait for the postman to bring it home ;-(

I stitched only a little bit during the last two weeks but I will post some pics as soon as possible...

Hei, did you see the 2 new Drawn Thread designs at Stitching Bits and Bobs? This one I have to add to my wishlist: Three Friends the other one doesn't look like a real DT design in my opinion: Red Lace Sewing Case
What do you think about these designs?

Oh yes, Anne, come here and we're goingt to have a wonderful stitching and chatting retreat. Does anybody else want to join? :-))))

Annemiek, let me know when you are going to start My Stitching Treasures maybe we can do a SAL....

I indulged myself to stitch an CA today. It is such a big fun.....

Yesterday at 7pm there was an unexpected knocking on our door (we don't have a bell) and two very good friends of us were visiting us. I haven't seen them for nearly a year. So there was again only a little bit stitching during the day.


Look what was in the mail today. My first Vikky Clayton silk. The conversion for Jeannette Douglas' My Stitching Treasures. I'll bond my hands behind my back to make sure not to start it immediately :-)

A fellow stitcher visited me and we made a little trip to my local Quiltshop. She had a lot of WIP's with her to show and there were some I really loved..... No, no, I will not start something new ;-) I made a little progress on MTM but I will work on it tomorrow as well.

Look what was in the mail yesterday..... Carol sent me this wonderful gift: a Tacky BOB. I've never heard of a Tacky BOB befor Carol told me about it. And I love it!!! I'm so excited to use it for MTM :-) Thank you so much, Carol!




My first monthly Prairie Schooler A Prairie Christmas ornament is finished and I love it.











I stitched a few more crosses on february Lizzy Kate Flip it Block.










The last days were a little bit like a late christmas. At first I received the wonderful Tacky BOB. Then my Accessory Pack for Heirloom Homecoming Sampler by Victoria Sampler was in the mail and than I got the Just Cross Stitch October Issue containing Jeannette Douglas's Autumn Stitches..... Yummy

Today I stitched some hours on MTM and had to undo every single stitch of it.... Cathy, we're getting every 1'st of the month a new part of the chart. This will be the last time in september this year.

Now I'm off giving MTM another try.

Worked a little bit more on MTM today. I haven't finished even one part of MTM and it would be really good to catch up with the other parts so this will be my most favored WIP to work on this month.

Selina, this design is called Medieval Town Mandala by Chatelaine, a german designer. You can find her designs on www.chatelaine.net

I've nothing to tell today:-) I'm still having a cold and that's really annoying...

I started February Flip it Block and I'm sure this will be a quick stitch. But that's good my stitching schedule for this month is very tight :-(



Oh Cathy, it's wonderful that you started the DT Game Board Sampler that will keep me on track :-)

Annemiek this dark Oehlenschlaeger fabric is great but I had another one before that wasn't so good. The vertical and horizontal hadn't the same thread amount so a square wasn't a square....

Happy New Year to Everyone!!!

I was totally hooked when I saw Carols massive big Q-Snap. I fear I will have to order one for myself too ;-))))

Though my opinion about asking Martina for sending the chart and password is the same than Carols I couldn't resist to start part 4 when receiving the password yesterday. I got it at 8pm and that is what I got done while waiting for the New Year.


Today I stitched quite a lot on the first A Prairie Christmas ornament by Prairie Schooler. I'm so excited how it will look on this dark fabric when it's finished...

















Now I'm off to work on the Lizzie Kate Flip-it Block that was officially started this afternoon.... :-)

My stitching goals for 2006

But I'm sure I missed some things :-) And there will come up more during the year as well, don't you think so?

Finish:
Drawn Thread - Gameboard Sampler
Chatelaine - Medieval Town Mandala
Indigo Rose - Catherine Agnes
Eventide - Autumn Needleroll
Permin - Sampler 1852
Acufactum - Findus der Maler

Start and Finish:
some gifts for special friends :-)
12 Lizzie Kate Flip it's with my Germand SAL-Group
12 Prairie Schooler - A Prairie Christmas Ornaments with Friends Gather BB

Start:
some ornaments
at least one needleroll
Jeannette Douglas - My Treasure Box
Drawn Thread - Summer into Autumn
Drawn Thread - An Open Heart
Drawn Thread - Souvenir Sampler
Indigo Rose - Armchair Pin Keep
Hillside Samplings - Seasonal Samplings
Little House Needleworks - Daisy Lane Cottage
Blackbird Designs - Summer House
Victoria Sampler - Heirloom Homecoming Sampler

Do you think it is too much ? ;-)

I made a little progress on Ilse's Christmas ABC:

Tomorrow starts the Prairie Schooler SAL. I'm going to stitch A Prairie Christmas

















on this 37ct Oehlenschlaeger Linen with one DMC over two.

After two days of stitching this is my MTM and it is still a LOT to do left.....


I just picked out the threads for the Prairie Schooler SAL with the Friends Gather BB. I want to stitch A Prairie Christmas. But before I could choose the linen it started getting dark so I have to wait till tomorrow.... :-( But there's a good thing with it... I will not be tempted to start it right now ;-)

The last snow melted away before christmas but last night we got snow again. I took this picture very early this morning. As you can see it's just getting light outside....
I'm stitching on MTM and will post a picture tomorrow morning.

I feel like coming down with a cold, but I applied for participating in a 15km run on New Years Eve morning....please keep your fingers crossed for me being healthy on saturday. It happened twice to me that I couldn't run because of a cold in the past years....

Unfortunately there wasn't much stitching for me today. Lisa was in such a bad mood today :-( But the good thing is, it only can become better tomorrow....

CA is really exciting but I have to spend some more hours on MTM there's a lot left to do before the 1st of january. I thought about a To Do list for 2006 as many of you made. I love to read them but I don't know if I find the time to make one myself the next days. But I promise I'll try to...

Today I ordered my copy of the Just Cross Stitch october issue. I hope it is the one containing the Autumn Stitches by Jeannette Douglas :-)

I stitched a few crosses on the gameboard sampler and now after we were out for a run I'll continue with Catherine Agnes......

Thank you so much for your kind words on HCS. I loved to read them :-)

When I got MTM out of my WIP-box I realized, that it needs 3 Gloriana Threads, 2 silks and 1 Luminescence.... but I only got 2 Threads *grrrrr* Of course I immediately checked my order and it said I ordered 3! Now I have to investigate the whereabout of the missing thread. I can't believe it that's still 1 Thread missing!!!! Anyway I started to fill the remaining crosses in part one and stitched some other on part 3.



Today we had a big lunch at my brother in law and his companion in life. My parents in law and my sister in law with her family attended as well. We had a great time and the children enjoyed to unwrap their christmas presents. :-)
Just after lunch it started to snow so driving home took us quite a long time...





From left to right:
Derek (DH), Lisa (DD), Hannelore & Ted (PIL)

I wish you all a merry Christmas filled with lots of love and a big bunch of family.
We had a wonderful cozy evening last night with Lisa's (DD) both grandparents and her grandgrandmother.
Our Christmastree is a very small one because we were frightened that Lisa could overturn it and hurt herself. We tied the tree on the table and even screwed the table on the floor. :-) It really doesn't make that much of a difference because we have a rustic wooden floor and you will not notice the holes.


On Christmas Eve's morning ( do you say so?) my still missing Gloriana Threads for MTM were in the mail!!!!!! I nearly didn't believed in receiving them ever any more...

Ahhhhh, I nearly missed to tell everybody that I finished my Heirloom Christmas Sampler on Thursday the 23rd at 11.45 pm. Just in time before Christmas :-)))))
And here it is:

Yesterday I started something new again :-)))) Do you remember my Christmas ABC-RR? There wasn't very much stitched on it when I received it back... Ilse a very nice german stitcher was one of the persons who offered to stitch a letter and motif for me. She gave me this Christmas ABC of hers to stitch on it.


I started to stitch a wonderful fireplace with three stockings hanging at it:


Annemiek, do you own a blog? I would love to take a peak at your Catherine Agnes and the other things you've done :-)

Carol, when do you plan to restart CA? Maybe we can do another SAL?

After watching TV last night it was too late to post a pic. We get up at 5.15am every morning so we usually got to bed 9.30-10.00 pm. And yesterday it was even later so I show my little newstart today :-) Do you know what it is?

I stitched a bit more on MTM ..... and I think the butterflies will take AGES to be stitched. Carol, how did you mange to stitch them up that fast?????? I didn't even finished ONE!



Woooowooo and 1 and a half more squares on DT's Gamboard Sampler. That's my first .....let's say: boring DT design. But if I stitch every now and then on it I will finish it someday....... ;-)








And now I'm off watching TV with DH and START SOMETHING NEW!!!!!!

Thanks for your comments! I love reading them!!!!! Please don't stop commenting :-)

All the beading is done :-) The big disc beads in the tree look as if the would glow. But that's only because of the cameras flashlight :-) I started to prepare it for hemstitching. I want it to be finished as a bellpull.

I added a few pearls to CHS and made some stitches on MTM. Hihi, look on the upper left corner...I couldn't stop myself from starting part 3. But with the still missing Gloriana threads there's not much left to stitch on part 2

I'm so happy! This morning we had the first bit of snow. When DH went out to scrape ice off the windscreen he took three pictures. It continued snowing the whole day so it is even more white outside. :-) But I think tomorrow it's melted away...



I'm still sewing on the beads to Christmas Heirloom Sampler but I will do a few stitches on Medieval Town Mandala tonight.

Hardanger is completed!!!

Thank you for all the nice comments on my Hardanger pics!!!! They motivated me so much!!!

There wasn't much stitching and internet time for me the last days. Nicolaus came to our babygroup on Wednesday and after that hubby and I went to a christmas party of our runninggroup. Thursday and Friday were booked out with similar dates.... Here's a pic of my Christmas Heirloom Sampler from Wednesday. Hardanger is completely done and it wasn't as difficult as I thought. My fear wasn't necessary at all :-)



I started to add the beads, lazy daisies and colonial knots from the bottom to the top. Maybe I can show a picture this evening. The only thing we have to do today is going shopping to buy some food and afterwards having dinner at my MIL.

Becky I'm sad that you have problems with some of the bands and would love to help you if I can but I'm not sure how to help you.... If you want me to help you please let me know!!!!!

Now I go and have a look on some blogs and leave some comments :-)))

As you see, it seems as if I will get the hearts done without problems. It was even a bit of fun to do the wrapped bars with dove's :-) But I'm sure Hardanger will not be my favorite needlework in the future ;-)

No excuses any more ... smile to Anne :-))) All the algerian eyelets and foursided stitches are done. Now I have to start cutting the first threads. Please, keep your fingers crossed for me.
Hei Cindy, maybe you're right and it is really fun .... but I will decide this when the Hardanger is done ;-)