The Reading Challenge 2026 - Part 1

I have been in The Reading Challenge for 10 years now in this blog with you. Last year I decided to show you what on earth I read. It turn out a great idea so at least in 2026 I will repeat it. 

In 2025 I read:

3 books written by Kate Morton: The House at Riverton, The Clockmaker's Daughter and The Forgotten Garden

2 books written by Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman

2 novels by Minna Cath

Jane Austen's Persuasion

Anne Lyons' The Air Raid Book Club

Viljo Rauta's book about The Great Wrath

Plus many craft, history and science books. 

In this year 2026 January - February I've read:

Astrid Lindgren's War Diaries 1939-1945 (in Finnish, mine). Actually I've started it already in November 2025. It was a bit heavy to read because it tells a lot about Finland's war time years in Ukranian war time. That's why I read it slow and with the time. 

I've read also Johannes Schefferu's Lapponia (in Finnish, mine) which is very interesting and historical book about Sámi people from the year 1674. I do recommend it to all who want to read a comprehensive book about Sámi history. But when reading you must remember it is written in 1674 by an outsider for the outsiders, by Christians to Christians. 

And I've read also Jenni Räinä's Vaino (in Finnish, mine) that's available only in Finnish and like Viljo Rauta's book it tells about the Great Wrath but is fiction that bases on the facts meanwhile Rauta's book is a science book. These books tell about genocide also around my local area in 1700-1721.

Skating

Today I was skating under the starlight sky. For the 1st time this winter. I am 50+ so it is not the same anymore. And I am not so skillful in it anymore like I used to be. But I still like it, enjoy it and relax when doing it. Despite I am 50+, I am not going to stop it. It does so good to my body & soul.💕

AAW Mittens No10

I have fell in love with this new method Shepherd's crochet I learnt only in this year in January. Just few weeks ago. In January I made similar looking pair of mittens but in green shades. Actually they differ from each other. I designed the difference in increasing the stitches. Both are slim fit designs to be able to use these mitten under bigger ones to create more warmth when needed. Or, when it's warmer they are perfect to be used on their own.

I used our own AAW yarn (50% our own ethic produced arctic angora wool, 40% ethic produced FinnSheep wool and 10% nylon) (100g = 238m). I plant dyed the yarns with coffee and tea. It is ethic and sustain produced wool and dye. It is a slow craft. And they are FashionNOW. 

Hankikanto

I designed and knit this beautiful set of knitted gloves and woollen socks. It is called Hankikanto which actually should be "kantohanki" that means the snow when it has a cover that bears a human  to walk or ski on it. So, it is a wordplay. 

It is a challenging design with the impression of skiing track and Lapland's iconic deadwood. And I am not sure yet what I will do with the pattern, like with Metsänneito. I used Novita yarns. I'd like to publish it in some form some day so no more details available now. I can tell this set was designed and made for a special person for the Yule 2025 and February 2026!

ForestSámiWomen'sGoatFurHat (trad.)

This is traditional style Forest Sámi goat fur hat. Its pattern bases on the traditional style form that is used in different types of Forest Sámi hats. Previously in this blog I introduced the same pattern in Forest Sámi woollen hats. This is the exactly same hat but made of fabric. For this GeatFurHat I made the ties by historical fingerloop braiding technique.