Greetings from Finland

Hei all my SAL -friends!

This shared year has been a wonderful experience. I have got many new ideas and I have got a lot of more courage to try them in practice. It would not had happened without you, my dear stitching friends!

The year would not have been this amazing without Chookyblue and Susan... hmm... and of course... not to forget their whip swing-effects ;o)

I'm so happy that our last project is Anni's sweet Needle Book. This was a second time, when I made it... the first one I sewed last Christmas, a present to my sewing friend.

This time I made it to myself;o)

Finally I had a chance to use that GORGEOUS button, bling-bling petals with a velvety center!!!

I used a velvet also inside the needle book, the white velvet heart. And maybe you will laugh to me now, but I did it again...HEXAGONS!... this time 1/2". The stitchery I did with hand-dyed cotton by Atalie, color Peridot. As in the first time I finished the needle book with the binding. I think it's quite nice way...

I hope so SO much that we will meet again in some other time... in other SAL. 

But I also understand that organizing these SALs is not an easy piecy!

I wish you all a creative, exciting and happy end of this year!!!

with hugs Satu

August Greetings from Finland!

I can't believe this is our next to last project together...

and I can't believe that I have done all SAL 2013 projects;o)

... so far...

And one thing, which makes me smile even more...

I have been able to add HEXAGONS almost in every projects ;oD

I "cheated" little with the stitcheries... I stitched only one of the patches of the bag front, because I wanted to use those sewing themed fabrics.

I surely hope that Chookyblue (& her assistant whip cracker) has enough time and strength to continue our inspiring SAL -group also in the next year!

I have DEEPLY ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT with YOU...

see you in next month!!!

with hugs Satu

July - Greetings from Finland

Hello, my dear SAL -friends!

During this month I have seen many beautiful Chilly Penguins Bags and also many beautiful variations of it!

As many of us I also decided to stitch another Natalie's stitchery than penguins, although I deeply LOVE penguins. But this time I wanted my bag to be more summery than wintery ;o)

One morning I found my 'little' cat sitting under petunia flowers and then I got the idea to use a cat stitchery from Natalie's Red Home book.

 Aren't they both quite cute in the middle of flowers?

Maybe the hardest part of this project was to find a nice lining fabric.

I had many candidates, but after all I chose this Quilt Gate's Mary Rose fabric. The other floral fabrics I found from the Papillon -collection by 3 Sisters.

Well, now it's time to start to think about next project...

it seems more complicated than this bag.

with hugs

- Satu -

Greetings from Finland

My version of 'Little House' -pincushion is...

... finished!!!

Because I love hexagons... in different sizes... I made two sides with hexagons.

You can imagine that I'm already excited about doing the next project...

Yippee... hexagons;o)

Happy Stitching my Dear SAL friends!!!

with hugs Satu

May Greetings From Finland!

Hi there!

I'm happy to tell you that my SKofW Bag is finished!

... however, it does not look exactly the same as Anni's bag in the book...

Maybe I explain a little why I made - again - some changes.

First I have plenty of those crocheted flowers and I hadn't yet figured where I'll use them. After I choose the fabric for the bag, I decided not to embroider it... mainly because it's black and thin... the tracing of the stitchery on this fabric would have been difficult. Then I remembered those flowers and bling! I got the idea! I will applique my bag! I enlarged the cat and the butterfly about 120%.

Then the handles are longer, because I want to carry the bag over my shoulder. I cut 30" long handle stripes. The solid beige strips sit on the upper side of the handle... not on the underside...

And I didn't make a small back opening.

Well, my SKofW Bag is a little simplified, but I like it ;o)

Hopefully you too enjoy making of this bag as much as I enjoyed!

See you in June!

- Satu -

April Greetings From Finland!

Hello all my SAL friends!

I have seen many BeaUTiFuL and impressive wall hangings during this month at our blog!

Today

I'm happy to show you my version of Bon Noel ;o)

Here is those three stitchery patterns, which I chose.

And yes ;o) I made few changes - again!!!

My birdies welcome Bon Noel sitting in their Christmas tree. Maybe they are right now decorating it?!?

An angel has an appliqued star in her hands. And I used - as many of us - more color in stitcheries: different kind of reds, yellows greens and grays...

When I thought of the fabrics I noticed that this pattern is 5" x 5" charm friendly.

You'll need only 8 charm pieces for this top.

 Isn't it nice?

I used fabrics of Basic Grey's 'Blitzen' collection.

I hope you all enjoy this project as much as I did...

now toward May! 

Can you believe May is soon here? It's horrific how time flies...

wishing you a creative stitching time
- Satu -

Women's Day Greetings...

... from Finland

 with my version of SKofW Pincushion!

... and with few glimpses of making it...

My pincushion is more square than round shape. I would liked it to be round and flat-based. Gray linen is also not quite as nice as I would have liked it to be... 

but at least March is now done... better shapes and colors next time;o)

Joyful Women's Day to you All, my dear SAL friends!!!

- Satu -

February Greetings from Finland

True Friends tote bag has been...

 ... inspected and approved for useful!

The fabric collection, which I used is Benartex's City Girl.

Some details about the bag:

The edge of the pocket is stitched by machine, some kind of triple stitch. The quilting is simple, only straight lines. Instead of the iron-on pellon I used the wadding fabric, which is bought for the coat someday on 80's (oh, that's old!) I was excited how it'll work... so far I'm very pleased with it. 

I also found a very old button, which is my mother's wool coat button, probably from 60's. (Wov, that's older!)

With those old things my tote bag is a real vintage thing ;o)

I like it!!!!

I'm ready for March and pincushion!

 I have seen here many pretty, gorgeous, amazing, colorful and so on...

True Friends tote bags

and I'm so proud to be part of this fabulous group!!!

You ALL inspire me a LOT, girls!!!

See you again in March!!!

- Satu -

So far in February...

Greetings from Finland!

Stitchery and applique piece for the tote is now done! And I have picked up some fabrics and ribbons...

If you look the stitchery closer, I made few changes: the door and the star are appliqued too.

The embroideries I made with the DMC six stranded thread, color 53 (variegated gray).

Happy Stitching time to you, my SAL Friends!!!!

- Satu -

Two Thread Catchers

Greetings from Finland!

First I want to thank Chookyblue, 

that you allowed me to join AGAIN this inspiring group!

THANK YOU!!!!

I AM happy and I promise to stay on track this year...

In January I decided to make two thread catchers, because I don't now need a shoe bag.

I really enjoyed to plan small changes for these baskets... 

and you SAL girls give me an extra boost!

I found the cute appliqued rose pattern from Natalie's book. I also wanted to try a decorative stitch on the border as many of us has done. And finally I figured a use for the pastel-coloured hexagons.

It's amazing how many splendid and different version of the thread catcher I have seen here.

This SAL year will be terrific!!!

And I'm ready for the next month...

See You again in February!!!

- Satu -

SKofW - Greetings from Finland

Hei, all my SAL friends!

I'm not proud of myself, because I have made only few My favorite things -blocks in this summer.

And here they are...

Fenix - my pet cat ;o)

Butterfly and bird blocks are stitched in finnish.

The sun block is now the sunflower block, because they are one of my favorite autumn flowers.

So I AM a huge step behind you, 

but I have enjoyed to see your great progress and finished quilts.

I wish you a happy end of August...

with hugs Satu

Greetings from Finland

Month by month 

I'm staying more and more behind you... sorry, girls! 

Here's is my Tree block.

Fenix is dreaming of tuna delicacies under the blossoming apple tree.

I must be careful... not to promise you too much...

but I'll promise - at least try- to finish June blocks in time ;o)

with Happy Stitching wishes
- Satu -

SKofW Greetings from Finland

I'm so sorry, but I'm badly behind our schedule.

This is all what I did in April. I surely need to pick up...

I replaced the words 'Gardening all day' with finnish words. Oma puutarha is in english my own garden.

I think my quilt is telling a story of my favorite things, dreams and memories...

Even if I haven't done much, I have followed your progress with joy. Some day we will see many gorgeous My Favorite Things -quilts!

with Hugs Satu

March Greetings from Finland

This is all I have done in March... 

... only the House block. 

I know it's not much and I'm little bit sad about it, 

but I haven't done much of anything for two weeks, except upgraded myself.

But don't worry, I'll be back in April with more blocks and stripes.

Happy Easter to you All!!!

- Satu -

Gardener's Journal...

 

 Satu's GJ IS FINISHED today!!!

I think you all know, what I'm feeling now,

I smiled the whole day with the sun ;D 

 

... some details...

I started GJ in April 2010with you and there it's now!

Wow, it took only 2 years ;D

BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE FINISHED IT WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT

and

SPECIALLY WITHOUT CHOOKYBLUE'S WHIP ;D

with smily hugs SATU

February Greetings from Finland - SKoW and GJ news

Let's begin with My Favorite Things!

... and you'll learn again some finnish words ;o)

 

My favorite ice cream is (has been over 40 years) herkkutrio (one product of finnish dairy, Valio). There is three different taste in it... strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. Unfortunately it's no longer taste as good as a kid, but it taste good enough. Especially when the summer day is hot! 

Oh, I already miss the Summer... 

At this moment outside is -7 degrees of Celsius. It's snowing and blowing. So when you have skied or walked in such weather as it's now, nothing is better than a cup of really hot chocolate... in finnish kuuma kaakao. I changed the place of the words, because I didn't want to cover that pretty rose on the mug.

And if you don't want to go outside, nothing is better than take a cup of choko and curl up to read your favorite armchair. Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is in finnish Ylpeys ja ennakkoluulo AND a good book is hyvä kirja. It's funny, I have only english version of it at my bookshelf, but I have never read it in full. I purchased it when I saw it as a series in TV. 

Oh, Mr Darcy was Colin Firth!

Hopefully you aren't totally bored with my tale, because it'll continue...

I've thought about just sew two stripes instead of three... BUT I'm not yet quite sure about that! Maybe those alterations are too much and it's not Annie's lovely pattern anymore...

Chookyblue, shall I get one mark (D or J) beside my name? ;o) please...

And I would like to have more of these lovely new fabrics of Moda.

 I have only one layer cake of 'Papillon'. Perhaps in March there is hope to get them more...

In the end some news from my Gardener's Journal...

... I started to quilt it by hand, the sashings on the middle block, but it took too much time 

(and I'm little afraid of Chookyblue's whip)

so I'll machine quilt it, except the outer borders. They I'll quilt by hand ;o)

I have a goal to FINISH myGJ in MARCH!!! 

So keep all your fingers crossed that I can make it!

Thanks for your support & Happy Stitching to you all!!!

- Satu -

SKofW - January Greetings from Finland

Here is my SKofW blocks for January.

Once again I did some changes...

 

For the chocolates block I found nice Confections fabric (designed by Jennifer Huber for R. Kaufman). I also replaced yum - word with nam ;o) Chocolates are really one of my favorite things... May I tell you a secret? At last Christmas I ate ALL TOO MUCH confections... several boxes... 

Maybe that is the reason, why my trousers feel like shrunken... hm, :o/...

 

Let's look the other block now!

 

On that

I added finnish word kukkaniityt, which is the flowering meadow in english... or something like that...

I just love the summer and wild flowers; especially hare-bells are my favorites...

I hope you don't mind, if I sew sashing and border stripes later... (I'm planning to sew them after all applique and patchwork). If you wonder why... it's only that I haven't yet decided my stripe fabrics... and there is a new fabric range coming from Moda / 3 Sisters called 'Papillon', which I would like to use in this quilt...

I wish you all yummy - moments with your January blocks ;o)

with hugs Satu

Happy New Year - Greetings from Finland!!!

My favorite things... 

SKofW is proceeding well also here at the quilttales

 I have earlier introduced Pattycakes and The Umbrella blocks and the changes on them.

Maybe few words about the other three blocks too...

My jeans are old, cosy and grey with silkribbon embroidered rose on the left leg.

We finnish people drink a lot of coffee. I was about five years old, when I 'learnt' to drink it. Oh, that sounds really nasty, but it's true and I'm still drinking it about four- six cup in a day. 

During my life I have travelled in many countries. For this suitcase I picked up some extra fun journeys with my dear mother.

These are the stories behind the latest blocks, which I today sewed together...

I didn't sew those narrow stripes, because I haven't yet decided what kind of fabric (= colours) I want to use... I'll make a decision of them after the second row is ready... Hm, I'm giving myself two extra months for very difficult decision ;o) I hope you all understand me...

During boxing-day I finally made 'a sandwich' of my GJ...

... and it's ready for quilting. My dream is to finish it before summer ;o)

This year gave me a lot of fun memories with you all...

and I'm really looking forward 

a new exciting stitching year 2012

together... with you!!!

with hugs Satu

First Two Together...

Greetings from Finland!

 

This is very exciting... see the blocks together... and notice:

I'm again doing something very pastel and romantic...

but this time 

I'm adding some my own memories and some finnish words...

maybe you'll all learn some finnish words during our journey;)

After previous posting I have found out that  

Patty cakes are Muffinsit in finnish

and

last time I heard a real star (= not me) singing...

singing in the rain, just singing...

was in August 2010 in U2 concert. Then Bono sang that song... and of course I and others were joining...

THAT I remember for the rest of my life!

So you'll learn something about me too;)

I wish you happy stitch-a-long memories!!!

- Satu -

Patty Cakes from Finland

Hey there,

I'm Satu from Finland (the 'old ones' already know me) 

and

I would like to share some cakes with you;)

I haven't yet stitched it, because I'm still thinking of use some finnish words in this quilt...

but I have one tiny problem, I don't know what are those patty cakes in finnish. I know they usually are salty delicious (=pasteija) here in Finland, but these cakes don't look salty at all...

Then shortly about my fabrics:

I'm going to use some colours / fabrics from Moda

3 Sisters' new range Etchings

and

French General's Pom Pom Paris

and

there is few tempting fabrics from Lecien and Red Roosters too...

So my quilt will be scrappy one... and quite romantic;)

I'm really looking forward to our new adventure, which we are going to share!

I WISH you ALL happy APPLIQUEING week!!!!

- Satu -