Previous Programs

January's Smocking Demonstration was posponed due to severe weather. The demonstration was made during the June potluck meeting instead.

Rose Basket Needlebook Finishing

Finishing the needlebook started in November 2008 was on the agenda.

Miss Chessie's Tuffet

A tuffet design by Linda Lautenschlager for Chessie & Me was cross stitched on 28 count laguna. Kits were distributed in January so stitching can be completed before class. Class time was devoted to assembly and finishing.

Our originally scheduled "Ribbon Candy Ornament" class was cancelled. We instead used this meeting to further prepare for the upcoming Regional Fall Meeting hosted by our chapter from October 23-25, 2009.

Annual Dinner Meeting and Special Program

Lattice Smocked Pillow Demonstration

Lattice smocking was demonstrated using techniques taught at a Heartland Region sponsored class.

No Meeting

We were on our summer break and did not have meetings.

No Meeting

We continued our summer break and did not have meetings.

Table Favors and Boutique Items

Members worked on table favors for our Fall Regional Meeting or on boutique items for the Oktoberfest show.

Fabric Locker Hooking Demonstration

Locker Hooking can be done to make many useful and decorative items for the home. It is done using a 6" long crochet-type hook with an eye at the opposite end, mesh canvas, 1" cotton fabric strips and cotton string. This class demonstated the technique and let everyone to try making a few 'stitches'.

Textile Conservation

This discussion gave an overview of conservation techniques to ensure that new and newly acquired pieces are around to be enjoyed for many years to come.

Holiday Social & “Show And Tell”

Name Tag

We created a nametag using a variety of embroidery stitches, ribbon work, and beading, finished with a corded edge. Patterns by Victoria Sampler were provided as was a small variety of flosses, ribbons, beads and fabrics.

Name Tag Finishing

This class focussed on the finishing of the nametags started in the previous class. We learned how to assemble tag into a pin or one to be worn ‘necklace-style’. Cording was also taught and made for the edging.

Heartstrings Snowman – A Continuation

We worked on completing the snowman we started in our October 2007 class.

Needle Felted Tuffet

We learned the art of needle felting, making a Valentine tuffet using wool roving and hand-dyed felted wool.

”The Extraordinary Aprons of Evalina Grimes”

Laurann Gilbertson, Textile Curator at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, IA, displayed and discussed aprons from the museum’s collection.

Unfinished Projects and Summer Potluck

On summer break - no meeting

On summer break - no meeting

Flight of Fancy Candlewicking Pillow
By Barbara Baatz

A winged beauty spreads its wings and pauses mid-flight upon a delicate candlewicked trellis. The setting was composed of simple stitches suitable for a beginning embroiderer. The butterfly was composed primarily of satin stitches, allowing the brilliant colors to steal the show on this diminutive pillow. The trellis and border were an ideal introduction to candlewicking, a favorite American folk art.

Flight of Fancy Finishing

Finishing techniques for the candlewicking pillow started the previos month were taught.

Rose Basket Needlebook
By Rae Iverson

Tiny, dainty stitches of linen and cotton threads adorn a needlebook that could have been made two hundred years ago by an accomplished needleworker. The open lacy look was the result of highly textured, pulled thread stitches that are delightfully simple to execute.

Holiday Social & “Show And Tell”

Holiday Card

We made a holiday card by stitching on cardstock. We used a pattern to prick holes for stitching on the card stock and used basic stitches to create our design for the card.

HeartStrings Santa

This charming Santa designed by Pat Thode was stitched on canvas. Stitches used were the diagonal mosaic, heart stitch, star stitch, upright cross, criss cross Hungarian, knit, nobuko and corduroy stitch.

Sparkly Star Ornament

This sparkle and shine ornament was published in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. We stitched this felted wool star using feather and blanket stitches. For sparkle, beads were added.

Holiday Dinner

This month's meeting was our annual holiday potluck.

Frienship Purse

This little purse and accompanying scissors fob included several counted thread stitches. Project was made with 28 count Daytona sand Glasgow linen with the stitcher's choice of fibers. Over-dyed selections were suggested but not required.

Needle Tatted Ornament

Tatting is an ancient form of lace that combines rings and chains made of simple knots. This ornament was our project for October 2006.

Needlepoint Frame Cover

We learned several easy and new stitches to make a 5” x 7” mat cover or a small frame. A additional outlines and ideas for other frames, plus additional stitch diagrams were given.

July Sampler Accent

This patriotic little pillow designed by Barbara Rakosnik featured Holbein, Rhodes Star, a new way to do the Queen Stitch and a Spider Web Rosette.

Punch Needle Ornament

Designed by Sarah, one of our members, for Crosse Stitchery

Sarah designed this lovely Valentine design and taught this technique in our January and February meetings. It was drawn on weavers cloth and punched with DMC floss, using a 3 strand punch needle. January's class covered working the design, while February's class focused on ornament finishing.

-- Permission was granted by Sarah and Crosse Stitchery to print this photo. This photo may not be reproduced in any way other than for personal or chapter/region use.

Beginning Hardanger

This project incorporated the most commonly used aspects of hardanger in a small project, including the star motif, kloster blocks, eyelets, the buttonhole edge. The stitcher also did some cutting and needle weaving for this tiny Christmas ornament.

This was our annual Dinner Meeting and program. Guild officers were elected. The program consisted of a talk by Stitch'n Sisters, members of the Amani ya Juu group, who traveled to Nairobi, Kenya and met with and delivered donated stitching materials to the stitchers there.

Huck Embroidered Finger Tip Towel

Huck Weaving Design Adapted and taught by guild member Cindy

Huck or Swedish Weaving is a form of surface embroidery where decorative threads are woven underneath the woven vertical threads or fabric "floats" on the surface of fabric.

--Permission granted by Cindy to display her photographed towel. This photo may not be reproduced in any way other than for personal or chapter/region use.