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Hello!
Just a quick reminder before I get to this week’s featured stitcher, last week Sue told you about our effort to help the hurricane victims in Florida by making a donation to the Red Cross. You have until October 22, 2004, to help by purchasing the four featured items. Please click here to review these items and make your purchase.
Sue will tell you what we are able to donate to the Red Cross because of your participation in her newsletter next week. Let me just tell you that we are very pleased with the total so far and urge you to take part in this humanitarian effort. Thank you so much.
If you have a desire to go beyond basic cross stitch and explore some different techniques and ethnic embroideries, this week’s featured stitcher, Phyllis Maurer of Lincoln, Nebraska, will be an inspiration to you.
 I asked Phyllis about the first piece she stitched? She replied, "As a child, I stitched on tea towels. The first adult project that I held on to was a crewel clock (which I still have.) You can even see where I ran out of the yarn color furnished in the kit, and substituted embroidery floss to complete the area. With the size of my current stash, I wouldn’t have the same problem today."
Phyllis, what types of needlework do you do now and what is your favorite? "I’ve stitched a whole range of needlework types, from Crewel to Hardanger to Blackwork. The last 20 years or so I’ve been exploring Ethnic techniques, including Ukrainian Nyzynka, Japanese Kogin, Japanese Temari, Swedish Sollerosom, German Schwalm and of course, Norwegian Hardanger.
My favorite needlework is the technique I haven’t yet mastered. I generally spend about two years researching and stitching samples of the "new" technique before I feel competent enough to teach it to others.
 How much time is devoted to needlework? "It depends on what else is going on in my life. The only time I always count on is when I’m watching (listening to) the news on TV. It seems like there’s never enough time for stitching."
What other hobbies besides needlework do you have? "Church activities, gardening, reading (listening to audio tapes while stitching), singing, working out, and playing with our two cats.
My husband, Les Williams, has always been there for me – giving me great support and encouragement when I went through open-heart surgery two years ago. I learned to how to enjoy life a lot more as a result of that experience. The Lord has been good to us."
Do you have outside work or career – present or past? "I retired just this past March – Hooray! - after 20 years from a full time career with the telephone company. During my career, I have worked in groups including accounting and support functions before ending up in database programming."
Do you have a particular project you would like to stitch or new technique you would like to learn in the future? "The technique I’m looking forward to starting on next is Swedish Naversom (also known as birch-bark weaving.) The designs are created from a grid, built out of linen. Naversom uses only four stitches, but the variety of designs that can be produced from those four stitches is amazing. The Naversom designs have a very open and lacy appearance, suitable for use as table runners or doilies."
Do you have any "bits of wisdom" you would like to share with fellow stitchers? "An incorrectly cut thread can start you down a path of discovery. I first began designing when I accidentally cut some Hardanger threads & decided to salvage the project by creating a different design.
Many Ethnic designs are misinterpreted when they are seen in older pattern books. Older charts are illustrated as cross-stitch designs, when in fact these designs should be rendered in the technique traditionally used in that specific culture. When the diagram has regular repetitions (of either an odd or an even number of stitches) this can serve as a key indicator that this chart should NOT be cross-stitched."
 What reactions have you received from people who have received pieces of your finished needlework? "Amazing!" or "What is it?" or "How did you do that?" (From other needleworkers that have never seen the technique I used on the project.) Probably the most satisfying reaction is when other needleworkers express an interest in learning the technique."
Here are a couple Temari books we have in stock:
I asked Phyllis if she had any additional thoughts to share and you will enjoy her insights.
"Out of respect for all those nameless grandmothers who stitched remembrances of their heritage, I feel I have to say that the attention should not be focused on me, the teacher. Rather, I feel the attention should be centered on the various Ethnic techniques that are being lost, with the death of our grandmothers. If the few projects I have managed to stitch stimulate an interest in other needleworkers I will feel my work has been worthwhile.
Most of my recent work uses techniques that many other stitchers have not been exposed to. Because so much time and effort is spent in learning a technique, I would like to pass on to others what I have discovered. I am hoping to have my website - ethnicfiberart.com – online early in 2005 to be able to communicate with / teach other interested needleworkers. I would LOVE to be able to share my knowledge of the technique with others."
Phyllis was recently chosen to teach classes at the 2005 CATS festivals that take place across the country. Phyllis will teach: Ukrainian Nyzynka, Japanese Kogin, Yugoslavian Darning, Swedish Weaving and Japanese Temari. We wish Phyllis all the best as she shares her gift of teaching ethnic embroidery with others.
 It’s fall and the weather took a turn for the worse last weekend. No matter how many nice weekends we have to prepare for winter, there are never enough. I LOVE fall with the crisp fresh air and the crunchy leaves beneath my feet. I love putting on my comfy sweaters and sweatshirts and walking out in God’s beautiful creation. When it comes to eating – there’s nothing like a big bowl of soup to warm your body and sooth your spirit. One of our favorite soups is a recipe from my friend, Kathy.
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We immediately ate a delicious lunch at Betty’s Pies, just northeast of Two Harbors. They are known for their out-of-this-world pies but all of their food is terrific. The fact that we had to wait a half-hour to be seated at 1:30 pm for lunch, proves that it is a very popular eating place for travelers.
