Valentine's Day exchange

I should have posted about my latest Fair & Square exchange earlier, but I had the pictures stored on my husbands work computer and only remembered today, to transfer them to my own. 

Anyway, the latest exchange was a Valentine's Day theme and I was partnered with Pokua in Australia.  Pokua is a very talented stitcher and I admire her style a lot. So it is needless to say that I was very pleased having her as a partner.

These are the squares she stitched for me.

Secretly I was hoping for a heart shaped design. I have always wanted to add a heart pillow to my Fair&Square basket and my wish came true. 

I think it looks gorgeous. What do you think?

Her is a picture of the square I stitched for Pokua. The design is from Samplers & Santas and is one of her pear designs. I had to move the first few letters a little to fit it into a  more square-like shape.

The picture is not of a  very good quality. I am sorry about that.

Fair & Square Exchange

Besides working on my bus project I haven't done much stitching this week. But I'd like to share pictures of my latest Fair & Square exchange with Ruth.

These are the squares she send to me. Aren't they absolutely gorgeous? I love how she added the Finnish flag to the design. It makes it even more special.

I had to finish the squares straight away into a pin cushion. Usually I use the signature square on the back of the pillow, but this little apricot tree is far to special to hide it there.

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And here are the squares I stitched for Ruth. The design is from Maryse and called the "Sweet heart Cottage". I have stitched this design once before in it's original colours, but for Ruth's squares I changed them.

Fair & Square pin cushions

This morning I felt a lot like sewing something. So I decided to finish my remaining Fair & Square pieces into little pin cushions.

Here is an update picture of my Fair & Square basket. It is quite full already and very soon I need to get a bigger basket.

The basket is the center piece of our dinner table and gets a lot of attention whenever we are having guests.

from Linda in 2009

from Milly in 2011

from Pam in 2012 - Pam designed those squares herself.

Fair & Square from Pam and a finish

First of all I have to apologize if I am writing any nonsense in today's post. I came down with a very nasty flue. I am having a runny nose all the time and can barely breath, but luckily I don't have much fever.

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So last Saturday we had another stitching gathering. This time at Mia's place. I made a little something for her as a thank you gift for hosting the meeting.

The box itself if from white painted metal and the design on the lid is from "la forêt des croix contées"

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I have also received the squares Pam stitched for me, during the last Fair & Square exchange. She designed them completely herself. Aren't they lovely? They will make a beautiful addition to my pin cushion basket.

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At last I have one more finished piece to show you. This design is a freebie from Passione Ricamo and is called Violet Garland. I stitched this one as a gift for a dear friend.

Fair & Square finishes

Almost two weeks ago, I bought myself a brand new sewing machine. My first one. It's just natural that I was highly motivated to try it out. I couldn't think of any better sewing project than turning my Fair & Square exchange pieces into finished objects. I still have 2 more exchanges that are waiting for finishing, but this is how my Fair & Square display basket looks so far.

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Here are the pictures of all the single pin cushions

These were the very first ones from Gillie back in 2008

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Those squares are from Kim and they are completely stitched 1-o-1

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from Kathy A.

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from Jennifer F. in 2009

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Summer exchange from Malinda in 2009

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from Suzanne in 2009

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from Renée in 2009

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from Marcy in 2011

Happy New Year!

Finally! Today's the 1st January and the start for the Crazy January Challenge 2012. The day I've been waiting for so long.

I have decided to start my 15 crazy projects in alphabetically order and the first one is "1814 Butterfly collection" by Carriage House Samplings. What I didn't take in consideration is, that the Butterfly Sampler is the most difficult project in my selection. Almost each butterfly has different instructions, lots of parts are stitched 1 over 1 and I am stitching on Indian raw linen which is about a 38ct and extremely uneven.  

As many others the Mr. and I celebrated New Year's Eve. We have been invited to a friends party, had good food and drank beer, champagne and Russian vodka (one of the invited friends is from St. Petersburg, Russia that's why there is always vodka included). Now our friend lives on the other side of the town and there was no way of getting home during the night. (I tried to get a taxi for hours without any success) So we got home today around 10am, after having a "Robert's Coffee"-breakfast at the railway station. (Chai Latte and French Croissants)

And with this huge lack of sleep I've started bravely my first butterfly right after a little nap. I took this picture soon after starting to catch the last beam of sunlight, but by now half of the butterfly is ready. 

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Just a few days ago, I have also started a new Christmas design. It's called "1999 Christmas Sampler" as well from Carriage House Samplings. I am stitching on 18ct. black aida and to make a confession: It is the first time for me stitching on black fabric, even thou I am stitching for almost 30 years in total already.

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Last but not least, I like to share the Fair & Square Round 27 pieces, that I received from Milly. 

Aren't those the most beautiful squares. I love the design and the colour they are stitched in. They will make a great addition to my exchange-pieces display.

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Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Fair & Square for Milly

I have heard from Milly that she received my exchange squares sometime last week, so I can finally share the picture of what I have stitched for her. Thou I have to apologize for the bad picture quality. We barely get sunlight here in Finland this time of the year and if we do it is usually covered by a thick layer of clouds.

The design is a small part of a much bigger Sampler by Kathy Barrick-Dieter. It is one of the very early designs still published under the name Barrick Sampler. and called "An American Landscape". A picture of the whole sampler can be seen on my Crazy January 2012 page.

Received Squares and Petit Sampler update

Again! It's been a long time since my last post. I wish I could find a good excuse but honestly, I believe I was just too lazy writing and editing pictures.
Here are the beautiful Square that I've received during the Fair & Square Round #26 from my partner Marcy. I can't thank her enough for these beautiful squares. I love them very much and I shall finish them very soon into a little pin cushion.

And here is a little update on my Petit Sampler which I am stitching as a SAL in the German group Sticklounge. It is almost ready and I can't wait finishing it into a box lit cover for one of my floss boxes. At least that's the plan for this piece.

Design: Petit Sampler (freebie)

Designer: Claire Findlay

Thread: Cherry Cola from Nina's threads

Fabric: 40ct. white Newcastle Linen

New stitching progress!

Surprise surprise! I have a few cross stitching pictures to share.
First of all I'd like to show a picture of the Round Robin, that has been stitched for me. I got it back just a few days ago. It's not hard to guess what theme I have chosen. In the empty square bottom right I will stitch some more information, like when it started and when it ended.

As next I made a little progress on Special Delivery. Beginning of December the Mr. and I went to his hometown Oulu and I used the time in the plane to stitch a little.


Then there is another kind of Round Robin, just that this one came with the floss and pattern. It is a Sampler from a German cross stitch magazine and I made the start.



At last I have to show the square I received from my last Fair & Square Round. I am very sad to say, that I am disappointed with this one. It is required to stitch two squares, the actual square with a nice design and a second one with the name and hometown of the person who stitched it. This time I just got the one. No second square, no message, no note and about 3 weeks late. I kind of have the feeling that my exchange partner had no interest in exchanging this time and just stitched something quick after my squares already arrived there. But oh well, the tree sampler square is a really cute design and I bet I will find something nice to turn it into.

F & S Round 16 received

Here's a picture of the beautiful squares I received a while ago from Linda. Aren't they beautiful? she stitched the design in purple silk. I just love them so much. Thank you very much. Unfortunately I don't have a picture to show of the squares I stitched for her. For some reason I forgot to take one.

Fair and Square

It has been quite a while since my last post and I am so sorry about that. Live is getting really busy over here and I haven't done much stitching at all. The only few things I was stitching on are a couple of Round Robins.
I stitched these three doves sitting in a tree for a friends wedding sampler. It was quite a challenge for me. The fabric is something around 11ct. and it was supposed to be stitched over 2 threads. I haven't done such a rough fabric for nearly 20 years and it took me quite a while to get used to it.
I personally stick to my high ct. fabrics.


I also got notice for Jennifer that she received my squares of the Fair & Square Autumn round. So this is what I stitched for her:

The design is by Brooke's Book and is called Autumn Pantry. I thought it is quite fitting. I am just very sorry about the quality of the pictures. I like to iron my pieces before taken pictures to have a nice and smooth surface, but just right before taking the shots my iron broke. Now how does a woman survive without an iron. I am desperate getting a new one soon.