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

Sunday 30 March 2008

Nothing to do this weekend

When I got my two cross stitching project ready this week I started to wonder on Friday what I am going to do this weeekend. Then I remembered Novita Tennessee yarn and my plans to crochet a bag so I took my Stitch 'n Bitch Happy Hooker book and checked how the granny squares are made. I haven't crocheted anything in a while and last time I made granny squares was about fifteen years ago so I had to update my skills. :) And when I started I couldn't stop so this morning I had eight squares ready and other side of the bag sewed together. The bag is going to have four squares on each side. I crocheted the squares with only one colour and made seven rounds so the squares are quite big. The handles I bought earlier are going to be on this bag.
Oh, and most of this sunday has gone translating Neula ja lankaa to this blog. Now this is all done and up to date. So if you see spelling mistakes or other errors it is because I am sooo tired and now I have to go to sleep otherwise I am goint to be half dead tomorrow at work. :D


I did it!

I finally finished Michaell Powell's Wedding Sampler I! Here it is! A nice memento of our very important day. :) The date 29. helmikuuta is 29th of February in english.



I think I have written earlier that babies have been born and still some due among our friends so Aunty Sari has kept the needle running. :) Here is the newest addition to baby gifts. I am going to sew a towel with a hood and this is going to be on the hood. It's from Rico Design, design 73846, from the booklet number 77. That booklet contains several charts with these same funny characters. I changed the chart a little bit so it fits on the towel.


By the way I got the last chart downloaded from Heaven and Earth Designs. I got an email telling that they activated the link again and there was no problems when I downloaded it.


Here comes the HAED-madness

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 23 March 2008)

I registrated on Heaven and Earth Design's Bulletin Board to get some good advise before starting to stitch Heart of the World. I have never stitched a chart that big. I got a lot of tips about selecting the fabric and other vital things. As I read the BB I realized that there is a thing called HAED fever since no one can leave it to just on having one HAED chart. :D And as they had an Easter sale (-25% off) and the dollar is quite cheap for us euro users I got the infection. So I bought five absolutely beautiful charts and got them downloaded right away. Unfortunately there was an error with one download and I did't get the chart but I'm not worried. I sent them email and I bet it's going to go well after all.

Now I just need to order threads and fabric for the Heart of the World and also for the Storykeeper Storykeep so I can change between them if I feel like stitching something smaller for a while.

Click the pic to see it larger

Charts I bought(same order than in the picture):
Lily of the Valley (Rachel Anderson)
Rune Gypsy (Stephanie Roberts)
Storykeeper (Selina Fenech)
Catch The Stars (Lee Anne Seed)
Winter Song (Lee Anne Seed)

I almost forgot that I bought this Humphrey's Corner kit: Humphrey in Dads Shoes because it was on sale and I have been thinking about buying it earlier. It goes to wait it's turn and some day when I need a present for a little boy I stitch this.

Shopping again!

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 18 March 2008)

Here are some photos of the yarns I bought last week. A local department store had Novita Fiesta yarn on sale so I bought a couple of reds and a couple of browns. The brown one has some turquoise among the brown and it looks really nice. I think I knit some hats from these.

Pink Novita Kuura (frost in English) and red Tennessees are from the internet store. Kuura yarns are for a sweater and Tennessees for a crocheted bag with the handles that are also in the photo.



I haven't been able to go to town this week because of a flu so I still don't have the black thread for the Wedding Sampler I. Luckily it doesn't have a deadline since it is going to be a memento of our own wedding day.


Ran out of thread!

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 14 March 2008)

The unfortunate thing happened. Wedding Sampler I is a few stitsches short to be finished on and I ran out of black thread. I am planning on going to a local store near my working place that sells Anchor threads and try to find some. Eventhough they don't have a large selection of colours I would think that they have black. Another option is that since I need threads for my new project from Heaven and Earth Designs, the Heart of the World I am going to place on internet order and might get the black thread with it. Heart of the World is going to be a BIG project but look at the colours! They are so deep and delicious. :)



I also got a wonderfull knitting pattern for a bear overalls for a baby so some knitting yarns are also on my shoppig list. And I already ordered some yarn from Novita-club's internet store and I bet those are waiting for me today when I get home. I should take some photos of the yarns as soon as I fetch them from the post office. It's like getting a present eventhough I have paid them myself. :D


Quiet blogger

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 5 March 2008)

It has been a while since the last time I posted something. That's because almost the whole February went so that I didn't read or did any handiwork. My shoulder decided it doesn't wont to co-operate with me and I couldn't even hold a book because of the pain. It's finally getting better and I get my hands on my project again. You can imagine how boring it is when all you can do is lie aroud and watch tv. I promised myself that I get aphoto of finished Wedding Sampler I here soon. :)


An eye opener

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 5 March 2008)
Today I finished reading Sonderkommando - Auschwitz. It's written as an interview as Shlomo Venezia, tells his story about being a sonderkommando at the concentration camp of Auschwitz - Birkenau. He was sent to the camp when he was 21 years old. He had to work at the gas chambers and destroy the bodies of murdered people. When you read this you realize even more clearly the horrible things that the nazis did the WW II. But there is no way anyone can understand how people are able to act that way against other people. What also felt bad was when Shlomo tells how he tried to tell people whatt had happened and no one believed or wanted to hear. After holding it in a long time he wanted to tell his story when antisemitism started to rise its ugly head again around Europe. Shlomo Venezia has been telling about his experiences in schools. I really recommend this book. It is part of the world history that should never be forgotten.


Almost there!

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 4 February 2008)

Michael Powell's Wedding Sampler I is advancing well even though I haven't stitched a lot in the last week because of other things I've had to do. I still have to stitch the hearts around the main picture and a small piece of the church. And of course the backstitches which is going to take some time.


Marley and Me

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 4 February 2008)


On 30th of January I finished Marley and Me byJohn Grogan. It is a really funny story about Marley, the wildest but also th emost loving and loyal dog. John thinks that Marley must be the worst behaving dog in the whole world and even if it destroys everything and puts John and Jenny in very embarrassing situations it still manages to steal their hearts.

I dont' have pets but I imagine that almost every dog owner finds something to relate to in this book. Every pet has a little bit of Marley in them. :)


Haven't got anything finished

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 13 January 2008)

Last posts have been more about books than handiwork. That is because I have been stitching a bit bigger chart, Michael Powell's Wedding Sampler I. I could have posted some WIP pictures but I have been focused on stitching and haven't remembered to take any photos. This is the photo of what it's going to be like when I get it ready (photo taken from Michael Powell Art:



Shopping books

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 13 January 2008)

Sales have started at the internet bookstores and so I ordered some more books to my ever so full bookshelf. A positive surprise was when I found Stitch 'n Bitch books The Knitter's handbook and Crochet The Happy Hooker with very low price tags on them. I have been looking for the Finish version of knitter's handbook since it was sold out (the Finish version has yarns that are easier to find in Finland).


The third book I bought was Dorte Lyager's Knit - and relax. A small book about stress and the fact we all knitters know: doing something creative with your hands releaves stress. :) Patterns in the book are nice and easy so you don't get stressed with them. ;) I would have liked some colour pictures but all in all this is a nice book. In addition to these books I bought some novels and a cookbook too.


Read another one

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 7 January 2008)


5th of January I finished reading Pieni Lankakauppa (Friday Night Knitting Club). I read till half past twelve at night since I was so close to the end that I couldn't put the book down before it ended. Book is about Geaorgia, a single mum who owns a yarn shop. Every friday a group of very different people start to gather to the shop to knit or just talk about life. One thing that made the book interesting is of course the theme but at the beginning it was a bit boring. But after about a hundred pages the story took me in a grip and it was hard to put the book down. I read it in Finnish and I think it lost something in translation, at least there were some grammar errors and misspellings and when that happens it takes some of the magic away since it takes you away from the world you have travelled to. I would love to read the book in English so I could see whether it works better in original language. But after all it was a good book and I can't wait to see the movie when it comes out (I heard Julia Roberts is playing Georgia).


Reading a lot

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 27 December 2007)


23rd of December I finished reading Diane Setterfields The Thirteenth Tale. I had to finish it before Christmas Eve because I had a feeling that I might get some books from Santa. :)

The book is about Margaret Lea who is a passionate reader and works at her fathers antiquarian bookshop. She gets a letter from Vida Winter who is a famous and loved author. Vida finally wants to tell the truth about her life and wants Margaret to write the story. The book takes the reader deep on Vidas past and tells a peculiar story. The ending was surprising which was really refreshing since nowdays you can quite easily guess what happens in the end of most books.


Santa brought me Marko Leino's book Joulutarina (A Christmas Story), and I started to read it right away. I finished it the next day.

Main character in a book is Nikolas Pukki and the book tells a story of his life from when he is five years old, brisk little boy to when is an old man. Christmas has a big meaning in his life since every year he moves to a new family on a Christmas Day as the whole village raises the orphan boy. He starts to carve wooden toys to all the children of the families he has lived in and when years go by he becomes the mythical character we all know: Santa Claus. Even if the book is named Christmas Story it is not very chistmassy but a story off growing up with all the happy and unhappy moments of life. Book is based on o movie script and in some parts I felt like the author assumes that the reader has seen the movie and knows what everything looks like. Characters and places would have needed more describing. Luckily I have a good imagination so it fixed the holes in a story. :)

Reading now: Kate Jacobs' Friday Night Knitting Club.

These came in the post

(Posted on Neula ja lankaa 20 December 2007)

Here are all the lovely things I received from the exchange. Even though we had no theme these all are stars and snowflakes. :) Thank you for everyone who was taking part in this. For the first timer this was really exciting and I bet I'll participate in another exchange later.


Rica sent me these beautifull snowflakes and an angel:


Made by Sloth:


Snani sent me these:

And these are from Appelsiini who hosted the exchange:


Ornaments for the exchange

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 20 December 2007)

All the exchanged ornaments are now arrived so here are some pics of the ones I made. They are made of thin felt, cottonwool and sewn with Novita Wool yarn. There is some glitter glue on the white parts.

Before sewing the edges:


All finished:


And a close-up:


Christmas cards

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 20 December 2007)

Because we are so close to Christmas now I can post the photos of my Christamas cards since most of them are already delivered.

Here are twenty finished cards.

And one on a close-up. Hyvää Joulua means Merry Christmas.


Christmas Ornament Exchange

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 6 December 2007)

I took part in a Christmas ornament exchange on Ihan itse-forum and now I have them ready, photographed, packed and on their way to the post office. It was a bit on the last minute since they are due on Monday and I get them on the way tomorrow on Friday. Well when you have all sorts of project going on at the same time these things happen. :) But I still made it on time. I won't post any pics yet so I don't spoil the surprise if they happen to take a peek here.

This is my first time I take part on exchange so I am quite excited. Can't wait what I get from the others. I definitely join in one again if something suitable comes along.

Ravelry invitation

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 3 December 2007)

The invite arrived at 1st of December. Great! If only I had time to get to know what's in there. I had a quick peek and it appears to be a great site. I especially like the fact that you can keep a list of all your yarns and you can see with one glance what kind of yarns you have in your stash. That is a very good feature since I have no idea what yarns I have and where I have them. :D

Ravelry waiting list

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 21 November 2007)

Here is where I am on the waiting list for Ravelry betatesting. So it might not take so long before I get my invitation after all. :)

Found you!
  • You signed up on November 12, 2007
  • You are #56325 on the list.
  • 5535 people are ahead of you in line.
  • 4189 people are behind you in line.
  • 84% of the list has been invited so far

Thursday 27 March 2008

Stitched

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 15 November 2007)

I got these stitched a couple of weeks ago but because the broken camera I post these now.

This one I stitched for my friend. The figure is Kokopelli and you can read the story about him from the previous post. Free cross stitch chart can be found here.


This Christmass tree I stitched for us. I had to attach over 150 little beads on it and I didn't have a needle that would have fit through the beads. So I had to use a needle and a needle threader to attach the beads. That took me two nights and next time the chart requires beads I make sure I have the proper tools fot it. :D



Kokopelli

(posted on Neula ja lankaa15 November 2007)

KOKOPELLI
Known as a fertility god, prankster, healer and story teller, Kokopelli has been a source of wonder throughout the country for centuries. Kokopelli embodies the true American Southwest, and dates back over 3,000 years ago, when the first petroglyphs were carved. Although his true origins are unknown, this travelling, flute-playing Casanova is a sacred figure to many South western Native Americans. Carvings of this hunch-backed flute-playing figure have been found painted and carved into rock walls and boulders throughout the Southwest.There are many myths of the famous Kokopelli. One of which is that he travelled from village to village bringing the changing of winter to spring; melting the snow and bringing about rain for a successful harvest. It is also said that the hunch on his back depicted the sacks of seeds and songs he carried. Legend also has it that the flute playing also symbolized the transition of winter to spring. Kokopelli's flute is said to be heard in the spring's breeze, while bringing warmth. It is also said that he was the source of human conception. Legend has it, everyone in the village would sing and dance throughout the night when they heard Kokopelli play his flute. The next morning, every maiden in the village would be with child.He is regarded as the universal symbol of fertility for all life, be it crops, hopes, dreams, or love.

"He of the singing reed,
He of the sacred seed,
comes to assure the fertility
and good fortune of our people."

-Linda Lay Shuler-


Story
Long ago when the world was new, a child was born in Pueblo in New Mexico. He had a large head and grew very tall. His name was Kokopelli. The other children in the village teased Kokopelli because he looked different. The Medicine Man seeing this problem decided to make Kokopelli a clown. "See Kokopelli, people will laugh with you not at you. "Kokopelli became a wonderful clown and entertained the villagers at all the dances and festivals but at night he would climb into the hills and cry because he really did not want to be different.One night he cried so loud that he could be heard throughout the universe where Spiderwoman was hanging the stars. She called to Kokopelli to come to her, so up he climbed into the universe and told Spiderwoman his sad story. "You have a good heart Kokopelli and deserve a reward. Go fill your back with stars." So he did. Then Spiderwoman gave Kokopelli a magic flute. "Go back to earth and play this flute from village to village. The music will be so beautiful it will fill the people's hearts with joy. The joy will make their feet dance. The dancing will make the joy rise into the clouds and the clouds will cry tears of joy which will water the three sisters: corn, squash and beans. Then there will be an abundant harvest and at every harvest festival, Kokopelli, you throw a handful of stars into the crowd and each young maiden who catches one will hold it to her breast and it will go inside her body and someday she will have a little baby."So from that day on Kokopelli has been a symbol of all these good things which are: music, dancing, rain, harvest and fertility.


We have a new camera

(posted on Neula ja lankaa 12 November2007)

We got a call about our camera and the warranty covers the broken part but because they don't have those parts any more they gave us a brand new camera which is a newer model too. So we're going to have a new Canon Powershot and this shows that once in a while its not that bad if something breaks down. :) We picked up the new camera and there is some no features on it so I'll be exploring what new things I can do with it.

Today I registered on Ravelry. It's a knit and crochet community that is on its beta testing. So I am on the waiting list for the invite and here is where I am at the moment.

You signed up on Today
You are #56325 on the list.
11042 people are ahead of you in line.
1 people are behind you in line.
80% of the list has been invited so far