ForSantaClaus

I made the warp for these tablet weave bands in last month. They are my own design but I bet very traditional style. Now I was able to finish these for Fathers' Day 2025. They are for Santa Claus' fur shoes which also our hunters use. So, they really are going to be a real traditional shoe bands for fur shoes Sámi and other arctic nations have used since the old times.

HomeDecoKnitting

Just take a look how cute home decoration knitting I made! It is a sweeping brush handle woolly sweater! It is made of left over / loose end yarns. It is very easy to complete. It is done by circular knitting with 5 knitting needles. I had no 3 needles and the yarns approx 100 g = 200 m. It actually doesn't matter. You can mix all kind of yarns as long as they are about the same thickness. You can mix 100 % wool and artificial fibres. I even had some glittering in few, which you can't see on the pic.

I used 4 stitches on each needle (16 stitches total). I knit all the stitches. The length is of course individual but the basic handles at my corner of the world are approx 140-145 cm high. I just made a knot at each different yarn start/end and left 3- 5 cm loose end and pushed it inside the sweater. At the end I just knit together 2 stitches on each needle, and on the next round again 2 stitches together on each needle. Then I had 2 stitches left on each needle (8 sticthces total) and I cut the yarn and pull it through these 8 stitches and tightened. I never turn around the sweeping brush sweater. I just carefully used a needle to zig zag the yarn back and forth inside the sweater. It really was possible because I didn't do it longer than the length of the needle. Then I pulled the loose end of the yarn to the front side, tightened a bit and cut it off. 

 

At some point the sweater started to get a bit too long to be easy to knit so I used safety pins to keep it in order and easier to work with. It was all fun. And, this actually is low budget gift idea for the upcoming Yule tide with FashionNOW idea if you use your loose end yarns and don't buy any new! Knitting this is easy and fun so it does good on your mental health and on the other's health too because I can promise it will bring a smile at everyone's face who will see it! 💖

TheBooks7

In this year ReadingChallenge I decided to show you what on Earth I read. In September and October 2025 I've read few books. One is the famous Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (in Finnish, mine) I have read it at my teens but have wanted to re-read it again because of a reason. It has been about 35 years since I've read it so I remembered the key point but have forgot how the story literally goes. I recommend it for all. It is an excellent book for adults but also for the teens. It is a fiction but could be a true historical novel. It is objective and just tells the story. As a teen I wondered why on Earth she didn't write more but now as an adult I can see many reasons why not. It was originally published in July 1960 so it doesn't include bloody details etc.

I wanted to read To Kill a Mockingbird again because I actually wanted to read Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman (in Finnish, mine) which was published 2015, 55 years after Lee Harper's 1st novel. Go Set a Wacthman actually is the 1st version / earlier draft of her book To Kill a Mockingbird. But it works well as a sequel for To Kill a Mockingbird if you remember it is actually a draft and another story. At first it disturbed me but then I got over it and enjoyed the story. I can warmly recommend you both, exactly in this order like I did.

I've read also few craft books. Teija Alanko's book (in Finnish, mine) tells about the textile history and her own journey to it. It is a science book with a personal touch. It is published in 2024 and is available only in Finnish.

Riikka Platonova's craft book (in Finnish, mine) tells more about nettle as a textile fiber and in spinning. It is a very interesting issue and fascinates my mind. I do grow nettle in my arctic kitchen garden but I use only the seeds for food. Using the rest of the plant for crafts would be great! Unfortunately also this is available only in Finnish.

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In September-October I have also read for about 40 research articles (mainly in English) about the costume history related issues.

ForestSámiWomen'sHat (wool) (modified)

This Forest Sámi women't hat is slightly modified from the original traditional pattern to fit better for modern Forest Sámi women style and need of use. I will bring also this out in my upcoming book.

ForestSámiWomen'sHat (wool) (trad.)

I graded the traditional ForestSámiChild'sHat (wool) to bigger sizes. Also women have used it in daily life but given up slowly after WW2 because of the discrimination. It has been replaced by a full fur cover hat style that reminds more other Sámi group head wears. It is also a traditional pattern but not so different style looking than this wool or partly wool made of hat. Also about this you will hear more in my upcoming book.