A needle and some thread

Start of the 2010 Weekly SAL

2010-01-03T15:30:00.003+02:00

I started my 2010 Weekly SAL project on 1st of January. The first update to the SAL blog was due today. My project is "Wild Ones Alphabet" by DMC. I counted that I need to stitch about 1000 stitches per week to get this done by the end of the year. As I was so excited to start I have already stitched over 2000 stitches so I am ahead of schedule. :) Updates from 26 participants can be seen on every Sunday at the SAL blog.

I finished my first HAED!

2010-01-01T14:01:00.006+02:00

Happy Dance, Happy Dance!!! :D I finally finished my very first Heaven and Earth Designs chart on 30th of December 09. I took part in a two week long end of the year Stitch-A-Long and used about ten days to finish the QS White Rose Fae by Nadia Tate.

She is stitched on 25ct Lugana (colour Blush) with one thread over one. For the sparkly parts (there's a lot of sparkle here! :D) I used Petite Braid 10. I started to stitch her in 29th of May 2008 and stitched most of her in that summer. Then I lost my mojo and only stitched a few stitched every now and then. When I saw the end of the year SAL on HAED Bulletin Board I decided it was time to finish this and I am so happy that I did. :) I already have the frame and the mat for her so I'll try to frame her soon and post a picture.

Advent Calendar - Day 24

2009-12-24T06:10:00.001+02:00

This is the last day of my Advent Calendar this year. I hope you have enjoyed all the freebie charts I've found for you. Now all is left to do is to tell you that this year Santa is not coming. That is because he gave his job to "Santa Bunny"! :) Click the picture to go to Coats and Clark website to download the chart.

Merry Christmas!
Love,

Advent Calendar - Day 23

2009-12-23T06:11:00.000+02:00

We're so close now! This Christmas tree "Sapin d'Elisa" is so simple and so beautiful. It's from Chez Elisa blog. Click the picture to go to the blog and download the chart. I hope you like it. :)
Today we will go and eat Christmas food with my husband's grandparents. We usually go on Christmas Eve but this year on Christmas Eve we are on our way to a cottage early in the morning so we don't have time tomorrow. The cottage has an outdoor hot tub so I guess I will soak myself well during the Christmas. :D

Christmas Ornaments

2009-12-22T18:32:00.003+02:00

These two Christmas ornaments have hopefully reached their destination by now. I stitched them from the Aurelle's chart that I showed you on the Day 3 of my Advent Calendar. I used Floba fabric and stitched two over two. Threads for the green one are Sample Thread's colour Pine and DMC's gold, for the red DMC's 304 and gold. I finished them to pillow shaped ornaments and sewed some ribbon around them. I luckily had two pieces of Christmas themed fabrics on right colours that I used for finishing. Click the picture to see the ornaments better. I hope the recipients like these. :)

Advent Calendar - Day 22

2009-12-22T06:12:00.001+02:00

To celebrate the snow that we got yesterday... and the fact that we will have more today and tomorrow also since the snowing will continue, I love it! Really white Christmas... oh yes, back to the business. Because we have snow I'd like to show you this lovely winter chart called "Sampler Winter" from Hobbies' House blog.See also Simone's beautiful red version of this here.

Advent Calendar - Day 21

2009-12-21T06:12:00.000+02:00

Red for Christmas on this 21st day of the Advent Calendar. "Santas & Stars" tablerunner and placemats set will look really pretty on Christmas table.

Today I will pre-make carrot and rutabaga caseroles for Christmas and put them in the freezer. On Christmas Day we will cook them and have nice dinner with my husband, my sister and her boyfriend, my brother and his fiancée, my mom and her gentleman friend and my dad with his fiancée. We will also have ham, salads, potatoes, cold smoked salmon, creamy roe jelly and other delicious foods. I can't wait. :)

Advent Calendar - Day 20

2009-12-20T06:11:00.001+02:00

Christmas is really close and there's only a few days left on my Advent Calendar. Today there are six freebies, "Bags of Fun!" from Classic Stitches. They are cute little charts. Maybe there's still time to stitch one of these. Or they will be perfect for next year's Christmas cards and gift bags.

Advent Calendar - Day 19

2009-12-19T06:11:00.001+02:00

It's a bit crooked but the stitching is straight. All done by me. :) Funny how these new ways of finishing turn out, not what we expect but still we like them... Someone will receive this soon but nobody knows who... My little Christmas secret. :)
Day number 19 and a chart I hope most of you like, "Quaker Holly" by The Workbasket. There are many more quaker style charts on the same site, just click the pic.

Advent Calendar - Day 18

2009-12-18T06:11:00.001+02:00

When the temperature goes way below zero you need something to keep you warm. So lets stitch some hats, scarfs and mittens! :) "Couleurs d'Hiver" chart is from Au Chat Qui Dort and the colours are fabulous. They fit for the Christmas too.

Advent Calendar - Day 17

2009-12-17T06:10:00.000+02:00

As we see him in the shopping centers and on Christmas markets I thought it's time for him to make an appearance here too. :) So here is Santa! This jolly Santa is from AlitaDesigns. Click the pic to go to the chart. Ho ho ho! :)

Christmas stitching

2009-12-16T20:15:00.009+02:00

Eventhough I said days ago that I might not show anything I've stitched before Christmas here comes another pic. :) And there might be a couple more before Christmas.
I stitched a present for my friend Michiko and sent it to her to Japan. She has received it so I can show you the pictures. I found a pretty wooden box and I just knew I had to stitch something on the top of it and give it to Michiko. :) I found the charts from Rico Design and used Permin's 28ct Ruby Red linen (again) and stitched with DMC's white thread (again :D).

When the lid is opened there are these words that I wrote with soldering iron.

Inside the box I put two small Mauri Kunnas' Hiihtoretki (skiing trip) cups for glögi (a Finnish Christmas drink which is like German Glühwein or mulled wine in English), a small bag of glögi seasoning and Finnish blueberry chocolates.

Advent Calendar - Day 16

2009-12-16T06:10:00.001+02:00

Day 16 and something I have already stitched. This chart is called "Joyeux Noël" and it's from Aurelle's blog. I used a great fabric, 25ct Floba. The colour of it is like oatmeal and it's perfect for creating a rustic feeling. I used DMC's colours 304 and 902 and stitched one over one. This is going as a gift to someone who doesn't expect it so I'll show you the finished piece later just so I won't spoil the whole surprise. :) Click the picture to go to Aurelle's blog and click the picture there to download this chart. I love this one. :)

Advent Calendar - Day 15

2009-12-15T06:10:00.001+02:00

As the weather gets colder I wish we had a warm cosy fireplace. But as we don't have the real thing I thought maybe I should stitch one. :) Haven't got around doing so yet but I found this lovely chart that I just might stitch for Christmas next year. The chart is called "Cheminée Noel" and it's from Bien le Bonjour aux Brodeuses. Doesn't it just look so warm and inviting? Pull up the chair near the fireplace and start stitching. :)

Advent Calendar - Day 14

2009-12-14T06:10:00.003+02:00

Today's freebie is a "Quaker Motifs Christmas Stocking" by Matrioshka Biscornu. This is a pretty project to do when waiting for the Christmas to come. :) Click the picture to go to the blog and there click the chart to see it bigger.
We have some snow now and the temperature has gone way below zero to -17 Celcius. Luckily I don't have to get up early in the morning for work. There are some good sides being unemployed sometimes. :) I just check the thermometer when I wake up, fix myself a cup of tea and go to sit in my stitching chair with a blanket.

Yesterday's link might not work. If you are unable to download the reindeer chart from the day 13 please send me an email and I'll send you the chart.

Advent Calendar - Day 13

2009-12-13T06:10:00.001+02:00

For the 13th day I'll how you these funky reindeer from Coats Crafts UK. I think they are so funny and the ones in this picture have that "deer in the headlights" look. :) Aren't those boots just the cutest thing? Click the picture to go to the website and there's a link to the pdf-file.

Edit 14th of December: Some of you have noticed that the link on the website is not working. I hope it's just a temporary server problem but if you are not able to download the chart please email me and I'll send it to you.

Advent Calendar - Day 12

2009-12-12T06:10:00.002+02:00

We are now half way through the Advent Calendar. I hope you have enjoyed the ride so far. Now we can already see Santa's reindeer, no Santa yet but we can hear his voice. :)
Today's freebie is from Mausimom's blog and it's called "Santa Comes". I have already stitched it and finished it as a postcard to Piret in Estonia for Pretty Exchanges blog's Stitched Christmas Card exchange. I used opposite colours to what the chart had. The fabric is Permin's 28ct Ruby Red linen and I used two strands of DMC's white to stitch over two threads. Writings on the address side of the card I just free-handed.

Here is the original chart. Click the picture and you can download it from Mausimom's blog.

Here are also some "making of" photos since Meari and couple of others have asked me earlier how do I make these stitched postcards. I cut a piece of thin but strong cardboard to fit the card. This time I also used red felt so the cardboard won't show throug the fabric. Next time I'll try the dark iron-on interfacing that Daffycat said she uses. So here are all my pieces cut into right size.

Then I'll fold the card fabric and put the felt pieces and the cardboard inside. I fold in the excess fabric and start to sew from one corner. I go from one side to the other in the way that the thread is not visible. You have to tighten it every now and then to make the seam look neat. As you can see I used one piece of fabric for the picture and the address side, that way there's one seam less to sew. :)

Advent Calendar - Day 11

2009-12-11T06:10:00.000+02:00

This sweet angel of the day 11 is from Lavender and Lace. She's the 2002 Christmas Angel. Click the picture and you can choose in which form you want to download the chart (pdf/tif/gif).
I had a really busy day yesterday so I wanted to have something peaceful for today.

"Hug the Postman" week again

2009-12-10T23:00:00.009+02:00

Or actually we have a postwoman. This week has felt like Christmas came already. And again I wanted to hug our postwoman since I can't reach to hug the senders. :)

On one day I got two packages. The first one was a PIF from Leena. She had stitched me this beautiful old world Santa and sewed a cone ornament. The there was some Christmassy finishing fabric, a candle and some beautiful heart ribbon too. Thank you Leena! I love this PIF package! :) *hugs*

The second one was a total surprise gift from Mustikka. She had written in the card that as she saw the Plum Pudding Needleart chart "Happily Ever After" she thought of me as I love sheep. :) Then she saw the "All Is Calm" chart and wanted to stitch it for me. And there was chocolate mousse chocolate (since she knew I love chocolate too)! Isn't she just sweet! Thank you Mustikka for all these lovely gifts! :) *hugs*

And then the package that I sort of bought for myself for Christmas arrived. :) It's my first Moda Layer Cake "Hello Betty" and a Quilted Bag pattern from Green Fairy Quilts. The fabrics are sooo beautiful and there are 40 of them! :) I made myself very happy with this so I guess I'll just hug myself then. :D

Advent Calendar - Day 10

2009-12-10T06:10:00.000+02:00

It's the tenth freebie of this years Advent Calendar and there's more to come. :)
Today's freebie is from Blue Ribbon Designs and it's called "Red Birds for Peace". I think this is simple and beautiful design and makes a lovely ornament. Click the picture to go to Blue Ribbon Designs' website, then click "Freebie" link on the left and this design is first on the freebie site. If you scroll down you'll also find Christmas freebies from 2007 and 2008. These would make a gorgous trio.

Advent Calendar - Day 9

2009-12-09T06:10:00.001+02:00

For the day 9 I chose this sampler since if you have all your Christmas stitching done you have time to stitch it all but if you only have time to do a small project you can pick one part and stitch that.
I'm not sure what it's called since it's from Coats Bulgaria and the whole site is written with Cyrillic letters but the picture is named Xmas1. Click the picture to go to the chart and there click it to see it bigger.I've had so many lovely comments about my Advent calendar. Thank you for all the comments :). I am happy that you like this. Some have been thinking that it's a pitty they don't have time to stitch the ones they like before Christmas. Maybe next year I should have a pre-advent calendar on November so there's more time to stitch before Christmas. :)

Small stitched things

2009-12-08T22:31:00.004+02:00

Last week and this week I stitched small things on two RR fabrics. These might just be the last stitching pics from me before Christmas since all the other project are for gifts. If I do have time I'd like to squeeze in a small ornament just for me. :)

Kirsi's RR is going to her daughter Emma so she wanted some cute things on her fabric. I stitcher her a cat and a teddy bear from a small booklet called "Cards for every occasions", it came with The World of Cross Stitching magazine.

Pirre's theme is trees so I stitched one that is a bit like a bonsai three and other that has trees and hedges on the edge of the forest. Th charts are from a small Italian booklet.

Advent Calendar - Day 8

2009-12-08T06:15:00.001+02:00

It's 8th of December and we don't have snow, but you know what, our part of the village is the only one with no snow, go figure. :) Well at least we see snow when we go and do our groceries shopping.

On this day 8 I show you a cute and warm chat called "Bouquet of December" by Madame La Fée. I love the Christmassy colours of this sock and I'd love to wear socks like that on Christmas. :) Click the picture to go to Madame La Fées freebie site, there are many other great freebies too, this one you'll find further down the list.

Also go and have a look at the lovely ornament Brenda made from this, it's here on Cyber Stitchers website.

Advent Calendar - Day 7

2009-12-07T06:10:00.000+02:00

On the day 7 there is something modern and stylish. This reindeer is a kind that you can have on show all year round or add a little bit of sparkle to make it more festive. These Reindeer Cushions are from Classic Stitches. Click the picture and download the chart from the website.

Advent Calendar - Day 6

2009-12-06T06:15:00.000+02:00

Today is Finland's independence day. We have now had our independence for 92 years.

For our independence day and day 6 I found this beautiful Christmas three. It's a design called "Navidad 2009" and it's from the blog AlarTTex. I can't wait to see what colours you use for the blackwork part of the chart.
Please send me an email and a picture if you find a chart to stitch from my Advent calendar since I would love to see which ones inspire you and what kind of finishes you all come up with.
Click the picture to go to the blog and there click the "pdf" button under the picture to download the chart.