Farewell 2012 – Welcome 2013!

Hello Dear Friends! I have enjoyed seeing the beautiful mosaics you have made for the year 2012! It’s just amazing how much fantastic quilts and many many other sewings has been made again! So much has happened this last year and many things has changed. I was going through last years photos and gathered some of them here …

Quite much has been made, lots of quilts has been quilted, stories has been told, many other things has been sewn, I hope something has been teached … and the most important … wonderful friends has been found!!!

This is a good time to move on and to turn new page at ‘Nero’s Post and Patch’. These last weeks I have been looking for a new blog  theme, then finally found it and started to fix it. I wanted and needed more space and I’m very happy with the new look.  I feel sad to leave this first chapter but exited to continue with the new one! I don’t feel this blog as an old one – there is new things till yesterday! This blog will stay here as it is and you are always welcome to read  and see Nero’s older posts and my older patches!

Blog stats at the end of the 2012:

Views 100.743 !!!

Followers 191 !!! - from 155 countries !!!

Comments 7.110 !!!

Posts 288 !

and all that because of You !!! Thank you so much!!! You are so amazing !!! I can’t thank you enough for being so wonderful and I do my best to write happy posts, make tutorials, give you ideas and inspiration!

So … lets jump to  The New Year 2013 and to the new ‘Nero’s Post and Patch’ II !!! Please take a moment and change the new address to your reader or if you like you can subscribe in the new blog. New address is shortly www.nerospost.wordpress.com

For me January is a month of celebration and I have so many things in my mind … this week I shall show you how to make a pinwheel brooch or an ornament! Nero is preparing his surprise (?) … 

Thank you soooooooo much for reading Nero’s and my posts and writing just amazing and sweet comments!!!

I wish you happiness, health and everything you wish for The New Year 2013 !!!  

Hope to see you soon – we are all waiting for you !!! TEJE - NERO - HANNA

PS. I started to quilt the stars!

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New Scissor’s Mat

Hello my Dear Friends! Only few days and it’s the Christmas eve! I don’t have any stress – really! I have enjoyed making all those bags, pouches, baskets, bows … but I really missed patchwork …

After finishing last custom orders, I was staring the mini quilt under my scissors and realized that it looked really dusty and needed washing. Second thought was that I need to make new for the spring. Hmmmm why I should wait till spring … I can have new brightening scissor mat now …

I took scrap box with latest beautiful patches and here we go …

Last Christmas I made so many mini quilts and one of them was this forest. It was in on the wall in the kitchen (too long time) and then under my scissors. I hate that clonck, cl, cl cl …. that scissors make when I leave them from my hands!

You see that for this new one I didn’t make the real binding. I made like I used to do it before I learnt to make the real quilt binding. It’s not good at all and took much more time. What we learn here: don’t be affraid to learn to make the good binding! Here it is the new scissors mat at work …

!!! This is not a commercial – just the most fun half minute brake! I knew I need a new vacuum cleaner but now I know which one! Don’t loose this funny moment! My sister’s friend has picked this super fun link!

And here we are back to sewing … last custom orders has been finished. These are bred baskets.

I was lucky to get some new fabrics – again – I know! But look – they are so perfect for new bags and baskets and for the notes I have an other idea!

You remember last week I cleaned the windows; usually this window is full of Nelli’s nose-stamps. So now I can show you who is looking out from my attic’s window …

It’s sweet, little Violetta who keeps me always company in my sewing attic. Nelli hasn’t realized that Violetta is a mouse so she can sit here and see the garden and card the jar filled with ? how can I call ‘those’ – they are much smaller than scraps! There is a reason why I save them, but I don’t think I shall ever have time for that project. Till then they make a beautiful decoration.

So not much Christmas sewings or decorations this year. I feel that we sort of ‘Skip the Christmas’. Not totally but let it be this year more simple and relaxing. Hanna and Nero (and me of course) are still coming here with our Christmas wishes! I can smell all the coocies, cakes, orange decorations and other goodies you are making! Thank you for so many lovely posts with your preparations! Have a wonderful weekend and see you soon! Thank you for visiting and for your sweet comments!

TEJE

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NEW SEWING SET!

Hello hello hello! I wish you good week and thank you for stopping by! Thank you also for your lovely, sweet comments! Welcome new followers – hope to see you often! Sunday is Sewing day or what! Box and bowl theme continues and I made new sewing set.

This fabric has been waiting to become something special = something I can have somewhere to see often. I thought it’s perfect for a oval storage box. What to put in the box? Sewing things – what else? I used to use a big ceramic bowl for some sewing things, to have them next to tv or outside in summer time. I think this fabric bowl is much better for that! Because I like matching things, sets, outfits with similar colours, I thought I should make also a needle book to match.

… and the needle book became a needle case. I needed also small pincushion for pins so better ’2 in 1′!

This looked also comfy armchair before I add pins and needles. Idea for a doll-house! I was looking for buttons (too long time for a small detail but it has to be the right one) but I didn’t like to add it under the clock to ‘brake’ the lovely cover, so I made the closing like this.

Sun is playing with us today! One moment it’s rainy and stormy and then sunshine. I had prepared photographing inside but then it looked so nice outside, that we went out with Nero.

Few photos we managed to take before it started to rain again …

For the binding I was thinking white fabric. Then I tried orange-red with white. Then red with turquoise and pink. But they didn’t look right … I think I didn’t want to pick the red colour for main role. So when I last tried this stripy one (even I thought it can’t suit well because of the green and yellow) it looked the best choise.  I’m happy with that – and it has white which is always important!

Almost with all the things I sew, I start to make them for myself, even I’m thinking they could go to my shop. Then if they look good and I’m happy with the result, I put them to my etsy shop TEJESARITA. So even I really thought this sewing set is going to stay at home, I’m more than happy to sell it or make an other one, if you would like to have one!

This needle case was a little bit challenge because it is so little. Lucky me to have small fingers (I think I have small hands?). I have still some custom orders to make before Christmas and I’m waiting from the postman few fabrics for them. That’s why I had time to make something out of my list. So I guess I shall go to check the postbox on the square of our village and hope to find a letter from Cindy and ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’! This ‘clock’ fabric is also from ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’! Lining is made with ikea’s fabric with written numbers.

Thanks again for reading my sewing post and I hope you like this sewing set with a new idea! Hope to see you soon!

TEJE

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FABRIC BOWL process and Christmas links

Hello Dear Friends and Welcome! I’m happy you found a moment to visit us - everyone is so busy these days. I almost gave up with all small projects and started to make a new quilt. I have been thinking to make a quilt as my ’holiday’ sewing. But then standing in my attic and thinking what I could/should do, idea came. Not exactly new but nice. When I said to my father earlier that I made a fabric basket, he said smaller could be for eggs! That sounds cosy – to have our fresh boiled morning eggs in a FABRIC BOWL!

Yesterday I cut pieces for two bowls and I left my sewing table like this as you see in the first photo. Starting in the morning I thought you should see the whole truth, one of my ironing mountains. You see it on left corner? All that is not from the floor! There is a chair under the mountain but on the far left there is an other similar chair. Did I really need to tell this …

Fabric baskets, boxes, bowls look quite simple to make. And they are someway but there are many steps to pass till they are finished. First I have cut the squares from 4 different materials. Then I have quilted the outside pieces, trimmed them again.

Then I sew all the four sides with the bottom piece. I press with iron those seams because later it’s very difficult. Then I sew the sides together. Then there is the lining to be sewn. When those two boxes are ready I cut the binding and pin it on it’s place. I sew the binding this time first from outside and then from inside.  Then I cut three more squares … quilted them … made the binding … to be a mug rug/potholder/plate for the bowl … as you wish …

Both of these fabrics are from Ikea. If you like to see what else I have made with those fabrics, here is the TABLE CLOTH I made in summer and several PLACE MATS made earlier (this post has Nero’s view also).

I was looking my earlier posts to see what I have made with Ikea fabrics and they happened to be with some great Christmas posts – I think you would enjoy them. With red-white fabric I made the ‘Peppermint’ bag and in this same post Nero is having a lesson with his School bag! There I show you also one idea how to hang and show your Christmas cards!

With the same red-white fabric I made a zipper pouch and with green-white-black and other zipper pouch. In this same post Nero features fluffy knitted scarf and I show our Christmas tree, decorations! This post is exactly two years ago and Finland had just celebrated the Indipendense day, as it does again today! Congratulations Finland!!!

Wonderful Christmas things are now every where. MIA from ‘Handmade by Mia’ and PENNY from ‘Planet Penny’ are sharing everyday something Christmassy! They have always so great ideas, beautiful decorations and something to give us lots of inspiration! Don’t loose their Christmas Calendar posts!

Today we have had half day rain and half day less rain, changing every half an hour, a little bit sunny moment between. I was really lucky to be outside with my eggs and mandarins when the sun showed out! Fabric baskets and bowls are great because you can fold them lower if you like. For me this bowl looks more ‘elegant’ and beautiful when it’s not folded …

Today I’m really happy with less colours! White, black and of course a spot or two orange, looks good! Now I go to continue with green and white and later red and white.

You remember the ‘Travellin Pic Stitch’ blog hop  where we made english paper pieceing blocks? Now it’s voting time! My block is in the European linkup and the number is 1 – I do hope so because there are fantastic presents to win! So if you liked my block and post, could you please vote at Laura’s blog  ’Quokka Quilts’ HERE!

Thank you for visiting and writing such a sweet comments! I wish you already wonderful weekend and have fun with your Christmas preparations!

TEJE

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Boots, Books, Brooch, Basket …

… Barbecue, Butterfly, Beautiful, Pinwheel …  I started to look words to find a name for this post but they were too many! Today all my items starts with B or P! But first I want to wish you the most beautiful December! And now let’s go – with my new boots …

I love this photo! for my surprise this very close up photo came out so well and sharp as you see. I have saved these boots for a while … then I made a block but the idea stopped there …. till yesterday …

Sweet little book with boots – needle book!

And there are the tickets, too! This fabric is Punctuation by ‘American Jane Patterns’ Sandy Klop for modafabrics.com and it’s sooooo goood! This lovely fabric has 4 different green prints in same & blue and orange tickets and boots on the selvage!

Because I finally managed to make this needle book, it was easy to continue with some other special fabrics. What about Moomins? Do you love them?

Here you are ‘Moomin’ pink and sweet needle book. It insisted to become so cute and girlish – I hope I’m not the only one who loves girlish things!

Pink ‘Moomin’ needle book is in MY ETSY SHOP and I have just finished second Moomin needle book with green fabrics. Our friend Mia from ‘Handmade by Mia’ asked what we wish to get from Santa. I said boots and ment real, great boots! So I guess my little boots are on their way to my shop, too.

Butterfly! These crochet butterflies has really got so much attention! I made the red polka-dot zipper pouch and this green was on it’s way. Now finished and in my shop. A while ago I received wonderful e-mail from a sweet lady who asked if I could make some butterflies to her – I was so happy that she didn’t hesitate to ask when she got a lovely idea to use these butterflies on a craft she was making! I haven’t forgot that many of you would like to get pattern for this butterfly. I hope I have time to do it in winter. The pattern is not mine so it’s a little bit difficult issue. I have tried to contact the blogger where I found it, but I think she has stopped her blog.

If you remember I made one fabric basket with written fabric with lovely red checked fabric. Now I have made the smaller one and it’s also in my shop.

And more and more Bees … they are brooch …

I ordered brooch pins from etsy and they came very quickly. So now I have been able to finish some brooch with these pinwheel stars. Also in my shop now …

Did I say any other word with B? Yes, B.B.Q … here your go, fishes from grill two days ago and yesterday we had B.B.Q. with pork chops and ate outside wearing t-shirts! First of December, isn’t that great! Today has still been very warm but too strong wind to sit outside. And you know what they say for the next weekend? Only +7 for us and for more north under zero!

As you can guess, I have seen again lots of fantastic ideas and sewings! Here are few links to give you inspiration:

‘Rainbow Hare Quilts’. Janine has made a beautiful quilt ‘I saw A Fish’!

Beautiful Christmas ornaments made with felt by ‘PurlBee’!

‘Sew French’ has always something inspiring to see! Now it’s a Christmas tree skirt!

I’m linking at Quilt Story’s ‘Fabric Tuesday’!

My garden doesn’t has lots of flowers but now there are beautiful rosies! But for an other B as Beautiful I wanted to show you my beautiful Nero. You see where he enjoys himself?!

Laura’s blog hop with English paper piecing has reached the end and the linky party. ‘Travellin Pic Stitch’ was my first ever blog hop and also I tried first time English paper piecing. Both so much fun – mostly the blog hop! I hope Laura has soon again new great idea as this was and invites me, too! When I crapped the plate with feta and centered it on my block, I didn’t realize that it could be fun; I saw only the colours. I had a good laugh with Laura’s funny words for my feta cheese block!

Time to go … I wonder what you are doing in the beginning of the December? I have made some cards to write and some sewing ideas are waiting in my thoughts, fabrics on my table … and some special fabrics are on their way to me! Can’t wait to show them! Thank you for visiting and for your sweet comments! I hope I inspired many of you to knit and to start to knit! Hugs to all of you from all of us here!

TEJE, NERO, HANNA & NELLI

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TEA COSIES!

Hello my Dear Friends! I hope you have warm hands – here it’s raining again and mine are cold! But I have very warming news – Cindy’s newsletter from ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’ has came out and there it is – my tutorial for  a tea cosy!

Cindy sent to me beautiful fabrics to make a tea cosy and tutorial for that. I couldn’t make up my mind, what fabrics to use, so I made two tea cosies!

First I made this colourful with more blue and green fabrics and the bird which I wanted absolutely! I thought this will be mine – I love this! When my friend saw it, she said the same and I had to say by by to my bird …

As soon as I have time, I shall make new ‘Bird tea cosy’ for me! When I was cutting these fabrics I thought that perhaps many people like something more modern style and I made the second with only polka dots and beige fabrics.

The newsletter from ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’ has this month again two tutorials! One is from my friend, Katherine from ‘Sew Me Something Good’ and one from me! Did you receive your newsletter? If not, you can subscribe on the homepage of ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’!

Choose your style, colours, prints and fabrics and create your own tea cosy!

I hope you enjoy my tutorial and find it easy and helpful! If you make your tea cosy, I would love to hear about it and even see it!

Now I wish you wonderful time and hopefully you have lovely weather – somehow the weather seems to be quite interesting issue – when it’s hot we miss cold, when it’s dry we miss rain and now when we have only rain, we do miss sun and dry! Is it so that ‘you get what you wish’?

Thank you for joining me today and thank you for your wonderful comments! Welcome and thank you also all my new followers!!! I hope you enjoy my sewing and other stories!

TEJE

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BUTTERFLY zipper pouch!

Hello and good new week to everyone! I know that you are busy like I am because even we can’t believe it, Christmas is getting closer and closer! I have squeezed a moment from here and there and made a new pouch!

I liked to make something with Christmas colours but something that is for all the year. The beige fabric is mix linen, then there are polka dots from ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’ and inside there are strawberries!

I have made more crochet butterflies and I like to use them on pouches.

I quilted the front and back pieces with fleece and fusible web, to be steady and thick. Backside is one colour mix linen and the size is 7,5″ x 7″.

Today it’s less words and more works but still I have to tell you about the weather … we had very strong and long lasting thunder during the weekend. It was raining so much and I felt it never stops. Finally yesterday it stopped and the rainbow appeared … full rainbow … two gold treasures I hope!

Now our garden is so full full of green! I think very soon we shall have fresh spinach and onions!

This Butterfly pouch is in my etsy shop and there are few more with other colours coming on.  So I’ll better go to continue snow pinwheel decorations. Nero said to me also that he wants to be brushed so I go to brush my puppies.

Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet messages! I wish you a wonderful week without rain and thunder!

TEJE 

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NERO’s wips and wifs and vofs!

Vof vof vof – it’s me Nero here! How great to see you - I have many things to show to you and also some great links at the end! Want translation? Vof is my language and means Hi! Wips = works in process and Wifs = works in finish – now you know some doggie language! In the morning it looked like this on our sewing table …

Sorry, but is someone messing up with my post? This photo just didn’t want to come here and now it doesn’t want to turn?

I don’t really sew, I just tell and show. Teje did some preparings in the morning and then there was SUN so out we ran to take photos. I have been waiting so many days to show you our new fabric baskets! Voila …

You can’t see them well? I thought you would love to see my beautiful face first. Okey, here you are, a closer shoot …

You see we were quick enough to catch Hanna in the photo. She is so good avoiding portret photos. Those fabrics with letters are so great for this kind of projects. They are not too hard but still more firm than normal cotton. Exterior has fleece and thin cotton and then there is also lining with that great red ‘kitchen’ fabric! We didn’t quilt those outside pieces but we shall try that, too. It will make them even more steady.

Our knitting project is going so and so. Three pieces (two sleeves and one front) are 3/4 ready. But I’m (she is) so lazy to start to think how to make the curves on the sleeves and other pieces, so she just starts the next piece … and at the end she has all the pieces at the unpleasant stage. Very soon she needs this jacket so hurry hurry!

This blogging is really so much fun and teach us so much! I don’t speak many laguages – only ‘doggie’, some ‘finnish’ and a little bit better ‘greek’ – usually I let them believe that it’s all greek to me. But anyway Teje learnt one new word last week: gab! You see I have that! She was writing the post title big bag but she is typing so many mistakes and wrote gab. Then she thought (she likes words and letters) that it looks funny word play and left the name: BIG GAB BAG. It is that green/white/black tote bag. She didn’t think even a moment that there exists a word gab. Then she saw that you used it also in your comments and she took her green, magic book filled with words and there it was! Lucky her that it didn’t mean anything terrible! Great word and I’m sure she never forgets that. To our Finnish readers I like to tell that the book says it means ‘lorpotys, puhelahja’ (please add in your mind those sopts over o). I hope the book has it right!

… here I am just gabbing! I wonder can I say like that? But I have an other question to you. Have you seen quilt card? If not, it looks something like this …

I have to confess that this is also a little bit wip because we put that tussel quickly with a safety-pin just for the photo. Now I/she needs to sew it there. This was idea of a moment when she saw those wonky triangles and they looked like a tree.

Beautiful Christmas basket! This basket is funny because it’s full of grass. One day Teje thought to pick this ‘antique’ basket from the ground and what she saw – lots of cute greens growing through the bottom …

Hanna is always some where near! I think quilt cards are wonderful way to send Christmas greetings to your friends! If you like to make some but you are not sure how, look our tutorial for mini quilt – coasters.

Hmmm, what else … aaa jes I said about links … I have seen again so many fantastic things to make and sew and some great tutorials! Have a look here:

* Pocket wall organizer made by ‘Sew Lux’ - this is beautiful and practical way to keep your Christmas cards, notes etc!

* Box bag made by ‘Truly Myrtle’ - this is great bag to keep your projects, make-ups etc. You can use fabric or piece of your old favourite pullover!

* Wonky pinwheel block made by ‘Green Leaf Goods’ - this is beautiful and fun patchwork block and I’m sure I shall make many of these!

I’m sure you enjoy all these great tutorials and beautiful blogs!

Something she has managed to do today. I go to have a nap with my girls and send Teje to her corner to continue … who knows what these are supposed to become (?).

We are linking with Lee at ‘W.i.p. Wednesday’!

We all from ‘My Post’ = Nero’s Post, send you armfull of hugs and thank you so much for joining our EPP adventure! Do you read Laura’s blog ‘Quokka Quilts’? Laura is hosting the EPP Travellin blog hop and we were so happy to join that! If not, you could stop by! She’s is so sweet and fun, too! She gave us a good laugh with our Greek feta cheese! Have fun and take care!

NERO & GIRLS

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Travellin’ Pic-Stitch Blog Hop

Hi and Welcome to Greece! We are now in Chania in Crete and I hope you enjoy your visit!

I was so happy when Laura from ‘Quokka Quilts’ asked me to join this blog hop … but also a little bit worried because I had never done English paper piecing or joined blog hop.

I would love to show you so much from Crete, but that would become a huge post, so here are few photos I tried with the ’Play-Crafts’.

I had difficulty to find right colours from my fabrics and I had to imrovise a little bit.

Something from the beginning. Perhaps I should have stayed with my first colours.

Because this was my first time with paper piecing, I thought it’s better to start with bigger pieces and first I cut diamonds with my GO!Baby cutter and then I made all the templates with paper. I basted all the pieces and got this beautiful bundle! I used hard paper – I’m not sure if  I should have done it with normal copy paper. With the hard paper it was more difficult to baste but more easy to sew (now worry to sew the paper) and they can be used again. Best is of course to use ready templates which you can find from ‘Paper Pieces’.

My block became quite big and I didn’t find yet good idea to use it. Now I wish I had made it smaller because I have seen so many beautiful pouches in this blog hop. So I guess that’s my next paper piecing project. But no worries, I know that one day also this block will find just the right place!

This post is part of the ‘Travellin Pic Stitch Blog Hop’, hosted by Laura from ‘Quokka Quilts’. You can find the full list of all the blogs and details for this competition HERE.

I know … don’t play with food, but few days ago I was trying to think what I can do with this block … then it was lunch time and I placed the Greek Feta on a plate add some oil and oregano … and I looked the colours! They matched so well to my block and made much better center piece than mine.

Don’t forget that November 30th there will be amazing prizes from all these fantastic sponsors!

Paper Pieces, Fabric Worm, Pink Castle Fabrics, Want It Need It Quilt and Aurifil!!!

Yesterday we hopped to Erica at ‘Kitchen Table Quilting’ and tomorrow is Dianne’s turn at ‘Quiltova’! You find also the link button on my sidelist, so you can easily visit and enjoy the blogs who join this blog hop!

Thank you so much for hopping to my home and joining me today! I hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy this Blog Hop! Laura and Katy are travelling around and taking photos and making English paper piecing – come to follow with me their wonderful journey!

I’m sorry if you were here earlier – no excusies but my blog partner woked me up many times last night. He wanted out, he was looking from the window, lying down, then again out … so we woke very late today and now he is sleeping!

TEJE & NERO

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MINI QUILT TUTORIAL for mug rugs and coasters

Hi! Tutorial for coasters and mug rugs is ready. When I made these coasters I realized that even it’s so small project, it has all the same basics as a big quilt. I took lots of photos and now I hope that you find this tutorial helpful. If you haven’t made any quilt yet, but would like to try, I hope this little patchwork inspires you to start!

This time I have made the tutorial so that you can upload or print it. Because this is my first time using this method, I would love to hear your opinions. All the feedback is welcome – if there is anything you think should be explained better or any mistakes, please let me know.

This link will take you to the tutorial:

 MINI QUILT – COASTER – TUTORIAL

I made these coasters with small patchwork block. Squares are 2″ x 2 “. There is white around and the backing is white. Binding is double foulded quilt binding.

First coasters I made, where with raw edge applique. I had made the ‘Butterflies’ quilt and it gave me idea to use that theme also for coasters.

There is endles way to make these tiny quilts! Fabrics, prints, colours, binding, quilting … all these change the look!

I made the tutorial with the patchwork block, but it’s very easy to make also something with raw edge applique. Just take a piece of fabric, cut any picture or shapes you like, and stitch them around as you like.

If you are interested about tutorial for raw edge applique, please let me know and I shall make that, too.

Enjoy making mini quilts and coasters!  If you make some, I would love to see them!

Have a wonderful time and hope to see you soon!

TEJE

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