Friday 8 June 2018

Manuela from Manuela's Flowergarden

We have a very special treat for our German followers with this week's Blogger of the Week.  The interview is in both German and English!  I met this blogger through RJ and Mary's Birthday Party again and thought "we really need more European bloggers here".  She is a stitcher and a quilter with a keen eye for colour.  I do enjoy seeing quilts on display even though I don't make them myself.   She answered the questions in German and then her husband and daughter translated them into English, so a real family affair.  Please welcome Manuela from




1. Please Introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

Hallo, mein Name ist Manuela und ich wohne in einer kleinen Stadt in der Nähe von Hamburg/Deutschland.
Ich bin seit über 25 Jahren verheiratet und habe drei Kinder, zwei erwachsene Söhne und eine Tochter im Teenageralter.

Hello, my name is Manuela and I live in a small town near Hamburg in Germany.
I am happily married for over 25 years. I have three children, two adult sons and a teenage daughter.


2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

Das Sticken habe ich im Alter von 11 Jahren in der Schule gelernt, zwischendurch habe ich auch Stickpausen gehabt, aber seit ca. 7 Jahren hat mich das Stickfieber wieder sehr gepackt.

I learned stitching in school when I was 11 years old, had some breaks in between but 7 years ago I caught a fever for stitching again.


3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start? Is there a story behind your blog title?

Mit dem Bloggen habe ich im Februar 2011 gestartet. Ich fand es interessant andere Blogs zu lesen und zu sehen, was so gehandarbeitet wurde.
Ich liebe das Patchworkmuster Grandmothers Flowergarden. Daher habe ich den Titel meines Blogs abgeleitet, also Manuelas Flowergarden.

I started blogging in February 2011. I found it interesting to read other blogs and to see what needlework was done.
I love the patchwork pattern of Grandmother's Flowergarden, so I called my blog Manuela's Flowergarden.


4. How would you describe your stitching style, Are you a serial starter, a rotator a OAAT (one at a time) highly organised, random and eclectic, etc?

Meinstens sticke ich an ein oder zwei SALs und dazwischen habe ich immer eine Hauptstickerei (OAAT). Meine unterschiedlichen Stickarbeiten sind ordentlich in kleinen Kisten verpackt.

I usually do one or two SALs and between them a main stitching project (OAAT). My various stitchings are packed in small boxes.


5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

Ich habe keinen Lieblingsdesigner. Ich liebe die deutschen Designer wie UB Design, Acufactum und Christiane Dahlbeck, die europäischen Designer wie Cuore e Batticuore, Veronique Enginger und auch die USA- Designer wie LHN, CCN and Mirabilia Designs.
Das Motiv, welches ich sticke muss mir einfach gefallen.

I have no favourite designer. I love the German designers like UB Design, Acufactum und Christiane Dahlbeck, the European designers like Cuore e Batticuore, Veronique Enginger and also US-Designer like LHN, CCN and Mirabilia Designs.
I just have to like the design I want to stitch.



6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

Meine USA Karte von Eva Rosenstand. Ich habe sie mittlerweile viermal gestickt, für uns und jeweils für meine Kinder und ein Afrikanischer Elefant von Anchor.

My United States map by Eva Rosenstand.  I stitched it four times: For me and for every child



 and also the African Elephant by Anchor.




7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

Vor vielen Jahren habe ich eine riesengroßen Verzählfehler bei einer Materialpackung gemacht. Ich habe diese Stickerei nie beendet, sondern leider entsorgt. Die Anleitung habe ich aufgehoben. Vielleicht sticke ich eines Tages das Motiv nochmal. Wer weiß?

Many years ago I made a huge mistake on counting within a project. I have never finished this work and disposed it. I kept the pattern so maybe some day I will try it again, who knows?


8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

Vor vielen Jahren habe ich schon eine neue Handarbeitstechnik erlernt, das Patchworken. Ich liebe es mit Hand zu nähen und habe schon viele kleine und große Quilts für mich und liebe Verwandte hergestellt.

Many years ago I learned a new technique: Patchwork. I love to sew with my hands and have made a lot of small and big quilts for me and my lovely family.




9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces? Or is everything FFO’d? What’s your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

Ich habe keine unfertigen Teile liegen. Ich versuche meine Teile immer fertig zu sticken und auch zu verarbeiten. Meisten rahme ich meine Stickereien, gern patche ich die Motive ein und mache kleine Miniquilts daraus.
Seit ca 2 Jahren nähe ich aus kleinen Motive sehr gern kleine Deko-Kissen oder Ornamente. Auch habe ich aus Blumenmotiven Tischdecken mit einer Hohlsaumkante genäht.

I have no unfinished projects, because I always try to finish a project and process it after working it.
Most of the time I frame them, I also like to patch them into mini quilts. In the last two years I stitched small motifs as decoration pillows or ornaments. I use flower motifs to created table cloths with hemstitch borders.



10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

Ich habe eine Vielzahl von unterschiedlichen Motiven gestickt. Ob Autos, Blumen, Häuser oder Landschaften.
Meine Lieblingsmotive sind meistens etwas mit Rosen oder Blumen.

I have a lot of different stitched designs, be it cars, flowers, houses or landscapes.
My favourite designs are mostly something with roses or generally flowers.

Mirabilia Rose of Provence


11. Tell us a secret about yourself or a joke. About anything!

Die meisten kennen mich nur als Stickerin oder Quiterin. Vor 25 bis 30 Jahren habe ich ganz viel gestrickt. Ich hatte fast nur selbst gestrickte Pullover und Strickjacken im Schrank.

To the most of you I am known for stitching and quilting. But 25 years ago I was heavily into knitting. In my closet was hardly anything but selfmade sweaters and cardigans.


12. Anything you would like to add?

Ich danke Jo für die Einladung hier ein bisschen über mich erzählen zu dürfen.

I would like to thank Jo for the invitation and the chance to tell a little bit about myself and my hobby.

Liebe Grüße and Best wishes, Manuela.







16 comments:

  1. It was lovely to learn more about your stitching Manuela. I'm a follower already. Your projects are beautiful. I am curious to know which project you had to throw away?

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  2. I loved challenging myself to try and read this in German first. We have quite a bit in common my friend. I learned to stitch when I was 12. I have been married 25 years. We have two adult sons and a teenage daughter. :D You already know I admire your work!

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  3. Hallo Manuela, ein schönes Interview, deine Bilder sind große Klasse.

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  4. Es ist so schön das ich auch auf Deutsch etwas lese hier. Du hast viele hubische Sachen gestickt.AriadnefromGreece!

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  5. Hi, Manuela~ Your small pillows are beautiful. And your blue flower garden quilt! I am very jealous of your closet of knitted sweaters. I hope to achieve that someday. :)

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  6. Great answers. Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Lovely to meet you! Your projects are stunning :o)

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  8. Beste Manuela.
    Genoten hier van je mooi verslag. Heel fijn dat de copmuter het voor mij vertaald in het Nederlands.
    Groetnis Annie

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  9. OH, das sind alles ehr schöne Sachen, und auch sehr interessante Antworten. Am besten finde ich ja die Antwort auf Frage 9. Du und Martina, ihr seid die einzigen, die ich kenne, die alles gleich fertig machen. Finde ich ganz tolll

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  10. Hey, Manuela, da erfährt man ja eine ganze Menge über dich.
    Winkegrüße Lari

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  11. Very nice to learn more about you Manuella! Your African Elephant is beautiful and your Mirabilia is stunning.

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  12. So lovely to learn more about you, Manuela. Gorgeous stitching - you are very talented. I have had a similar craft journey to you, knitter, cross stitcher then patchworker and quilter and now back to being obsessed with cross stitch!

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  13. P.S. I forgot to say that I love your U.S. map - it is stunning and stitching it four times? Wow!

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  14. Hi Manuela, schön, dich kennenzulernen! Da denkt man immer, Sticken wäre im deutschsprachigen Raum nicht so verbreitet, aber man trifft doch immer mal wieder jemanden, der dieses Hobby teilt.
    Patchworken mag ich auch unbedingt mal ausprobieren...da kann man so tolle Sachen machen!

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  15. I discovered Manuela's blog since RJ and I started ours and enjoy her quilting and stitching projects immensely. I followed her stitching the US map on her blog but I'm so impressed that she stitched it 4 times!!! I loved getting to know more about you Manuela!!

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  16. What a joy to find you as blogger of the week Manuela. It was so nice to learn more about you. I truly admire your stitches and your gorgeous quilts. It is even more amazing that you do them by hand. I too LOVE your map and enjoyed each post to see what state you were stitching that week. You are a great Mom to stitch one for each child too and all of the wonderful vintage cars you have stitched for your son. I enjoy your blog very much. RJ

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