My blog in Finnish (blogini suomeksi): Neula ja lankaa

Tuesday 30 December 2008

Frostbite

After Christmas the temperature is going down and my blog got a frostbite. :) New winter look is here.

Backrounds and the border on the header are from Frosted by Michelle Coleman (LittleDreamerDesigns.com). Backround on the header is from Rasberry Road Designs and the letters and snowflakes are from Shabby Princess.

Friday 26 December 2008

Gifts given and received

Now I can show couple of gifts I made for Christmas. These mittens I knitted for my mum from the Freedom Spirit yarn that I bought from the crafts fair. I like the colour. It was easy to knit these to my mum since we have same size hands. Gladly she liked these too. :)

I showed here earlier the Drawn Thread's Home for the Holidays that I stitched. I finished it to a cube and gave it to my friend. It's the first time I finished my stitching this way. Next time I'll be wiser and I won't round the corners of the cube. The fabric on the back is the same one that I used on the sides.


I must have been nice this year since I got many great gifts from Santa. :) I think he has stopped by the book store since I got two Ken Follet's books and these two books. I have many good new patterns for socks since I got this Interweave's book. I already found at least two patterns that I'll definitely knit.

I have many knitting patterns for girly stuff and now I can also knit something to my husband. He already found a pattern he likes, black hat and mittens with red skulls and other figures. As soon as we go back home I will look for some yarn from my stash and start knitting them to him.

I also got a pink iPod Nano! It's a very small and cute little thing. :)

Wednesday 24 December 2008

Advent Calendar - Day 24

MERRY CHRISTMAS!


The last day of the Advent Calendar and for the last freebie I chose this angel design to bring you a peaceful Christmas. It's from Aurelle's blog and it's called "Agnes Love". Click the picture to go to the chart.

I am going to spend the Christmas with my family. We gather at my sister's home this year. See you soon! :)

Tuesday 23 December 2008

Advent Calendar - Day 23

One more night and then we get to open our presents. In Finland Santa comes to visit us on the Christmas Eve, gives the presents and spends a while with the family. I can't wait to see what he brings to me. :) Today's freebie is from The Prairie Schooler. Click the image to go to the site where the chart is.

Monday 22 December 2008

Advent Calendar - Day 22



Christmas is very near and there's not so much time to stitch before it so for the Day 22 I chose a Christmas ornament design that can also be used in non-Christmas occasions. It's the Christmas Delight by The Cat's Whiskers Design Studio. Click the pictures and you'll get to the site where you'll find the chart.

Sunday 21 December 2008

Advent Calendar - Day 21


The freebie of the Day 21 is "Home For the Holidays" by The Drawn Thread. I stitched this (mine in the picture :)) and I think it looks quite nice. :) I used DMC threads instead of the Weeks Dye Works that are listed in the chart (WDW 1276 -> DMC 500, WDW 1271 -> DMC 938, WDW 1331 -> DMC 815. Beads on the border are Gütermann's 1030 (bought at the crafts shop, not "official" stitching beads), on the trees Mill Hills 123, 165 and 557. There's still enough time to stitch this before Christmas, that is if you don't have tons of other stuff to do. ;) Click the picture to open the chart.

Saturday 20 December 2008

Advent calendar - Day 20




Here is a fun design for a Christmas tree ornament. Build a house! :) You'll find the chart when you click the pictures. I think this looks a fun project to stitch.

Friday 19 December 2008

Advent Calendar - Day 19

This little angel brings peace and joy to all. Design is called Rejoice and it's from www.gloria-pat.com. Click the image to go to the chart.

Thursday 18 December 2008

Advent calendar - Day 18


I saw this one at the Echevette's blog and totally fell in love with it. It's so pretty! The picture is from Le Blog de Clo, she has already stitched this and made it in to a lovely pillow. By clicking the picture you'll get to Echevette's blog posting and there click the picture to get the chart.

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Advent calendar - Day 17

Have you wrapped all the presents? Here comes one, already wrapped. :) Freebie of the day 17 is from Bonheur de Brodeuses. Click the picture and then "clic clic ICI" to get the chart.

Tuesday 16 December 2008

A great day and another inspired stitching friend

Pirjo at the blog Pike stitching again! had a giveaway for having 5000 readers at her blog and I was the closest to the 5000 so I got a surprise. It arrived today and boy it is great! There was some chocolates, Janlynn's Celestial Santa ornament kit with frame and all, two great charts with sheep (I think she has been spying at my blog ;)), the cutest little knitted sock and lovely stitched pillow. I forgot to take a picture of the backing fabric, it has sheep too! :) You can see it at her blog here. This was a great surprise. I had a nice day at work and after coming home this was waiting for me so a perfect day don't you think? :)


My advent calendar has also inspired Elli to stitch this lovely design. Click the picture to see it better at her blog Sisiliskokset. I like the fabric she used, it brings out the colours very well.


Inspired by my Advent calendar


I saw the first stitching from my advent calendar freebies at Rantapuikko's blog. She hasn't stitched in years and was inspired by this chart to start again. Isn't the tree just beautiful! I am so happy she found a chart she liked and started stitching again. Click the picture to see it bigger on her blog post. She writes in Finnish, go and see the pictures even if you don't understand the writing. :)

I mounted the reindeer that I stitched earlier to a card but forgot to take a picture before sending it. I hope the one who receives it takes a photo. :)

Advent calendar - Day 16


This is a new chart I just saw yesterday. It's from Solaria Gallery. You have to do a Quiz or a Puzzle to get the chart but they are not hard. Click the picture to go to the website, click "Click here for Solaria's Christmas Giveaway" and choose which one you want to do. Enjoy the freebie of the day 16! :)

Monday 15 December 2008

Advent calendar - Day 15

You saw her "sister" on day 10 and today on day 15 you can download this beautiful angel with red dress. She is also originally from Lavender & Lace and found from Told in a Garden website. Again, click the picture for the chart.

Sunday 14 December 2008

Reindeer and Christmas fair

I actually finished this on Friday but haven't had time to post about it. This beautiful reindeer design is from Daffycat. As soon as I saw this I just had to stitch him. I used DMC 904 for the green parts since I didn't have the 3051.


I went to a Christmas fair today with my friend and had fun. Didn't buy much though. Just two small Christmas presents and some fresh bread for my husband (I have a coeliac disease so I never find fresh bread for myself). After the fair we went shopping elsewhere and I found some supplies for finishing. I found these lovely pins so I guess there is no more excuses not to make a pinkeep. :) So maybe I'll try to make one soon. I also bought some Christmassy ribbons.

We also went to a great coffee house called Burts Cafee for a cuppa and bite to eat. The place is great since they have so many delicious gluten-free choices. I had a blin with cold smoked salmon filling and a piece of strawberry-chocolate cake ( I think there was some lingonberry in it too since it tasted so great, sweet but with a twist :)). Yummy!

Advent calendar - Day 14


On this 14th day of December the warm mittens are needed. The text on today's freebie: "Etait une fois une reine et son roi qui vivaient bien camouflés dans leurs moufles emmitouflés" means something like this: "Was once a queen and a king who lived well camouflaged, wrapped up warmly in their mittens"...and if you look closely you'll see them. :) This chart is from Anne les petites croix. Click the picture and on the website again click the picture to see the chart. If you can translate the text better, please leave a comment. My french is not very good. :)

Saturday 13 December 2008

What colour Christmas tree you should have?

I took this fun test. Click on the link below to find out the colour of your tree. :)

You Should Have a Gold Christmas Tree



For you, the holidays represent a time of optimism and wealth.

You definitely have a generous spirit, and you give a lot during the holiday season.

You really go over the top for Christmas. Everyone on your list gets a great gift.

Even if you don't have a lot of money during the holidays, it's the one time you pretend like you do.

Your gold tree would look great with: All kinds of metallic decorations

You should spend Christmas Eve watching: Miracle on 34th St

What you should bake for Santa: A ton of cookies, cupcakes, and candy. You would enjoy spoiling him.



Advent calendar - Day 13


For Saturday's stitching here comes the freebie of day 13. Christmas Wish is from The Cricket Collection. Click the picture and the on the website click the picture of the chart to download the pdf-file.

Friday 12 December 2008

Advent calendar - Day 12

The day 12 is a gingerbread day! :) I found this happy gingerbread man from a blog called Cross Stitch Happy. Click the picture to go to the blog post where the chart is.

Sari from a blog Sari knitting and stitching, got some lovely gingerbread fabric in an exchange and I sent her a link to a "buddy" of this gingerbread man and she stitched a him and made a beautiful ornament of it, you can see the ornament here.


Thursday 11 December 2008

Christmas exchange


I sent this elf boy wallhanger to Heidi in the Christmas exchange package. The x-stitch kit is from Rico Design. Hyvää Joulua is Finnish and means something like Merry Christmas (hyvää=good). :) I used Lizzie*Kate's alphabet graph from Baby Sampler (can be found here) for the "Hyvää Joulua!". I forgot to take a picture of the other things I sent her but you can see them in her blog. You can also see the top of the hanger better in Heidi's pictures.

Advent calendar - Day 11

Day 11 and "an all time favourite". :) You might have seen this singing snowman stitched on some blogs since this chart already has fans all over and I also think this is really adorable. :) He is from Plum Pudding Needleart. Click the picture to get the chart.

Go and see Gaynor's giveaway "12 days of Christmas". She gives something away every day for twelve days.

Wednesday 10 December 2008

Advent calendar - Day 10


This lovely Christmas Angel is the freebie of the day 10. She's originally from Lavender & Lace and I found her from Told in a Garden website. Click the picture to go to the website where the chart is.

If you stitch a chart that you found from my Advent Calendar it would be great to see some pictures. You can send a picture to my email (at the sidebar) and I'll post it here and tell who stitched it. :)