UpcyclingToBasket

I return back to basket weaving in 2024 but it has been a bit silent in basket weaving. Now I have started a small interesting project for my work. It is up to upcycling something into a brand new different item. You'll hear more about this soon. It is going to be FashionNOW home decoration project.

FairIsleVest

Take a look what I've been up to lately during the autumn. It is my own design loose fit woolen vest. It is made or our own AAW yarn (50% our own ethic produced arctic angora wool, 40% ethic produced FinnSheep wool and 10% nylon) (100g = 238m) and dark brown Novita 7 veljestä yarn (80 % wool, 20 % polyamide) (100 g = 200 m). I plant dyed AAW yarn by coffee, tea, mushrooms and carnation. I used many loose end yarns for this project!

Last weekend I made many pictures for my upcoming Forest Sámi costume history book but I also made a pic of this super warm vest of me&myself so that you can see it.💚

The Reading Challenge 2026 - Part 5

 In September-October I've read novel and science book. 

Victoria Hislop's One August Night (in Finnish, mine) tells the story that was not told in her 1st book The Island. It is the story we all want to hear, because we are curious and can't just let the things to be. She wrote this book years and many books after The Island. It is more about noisy continental Greece than the island(s). If you liked her other book, this is a good choice for you.

Petri Halinen's Lapin arkeologia (in Finnish, mine) translates to Lapland's Archaeology. Unfortunately it is available only in Finnish. It tells the history of Lapland from the archaeology point of the view. Very interesting and educative. 

Hanne Andreassen Hjelmås & Torunn Steinsland's Knitting from Astrid Lindgren's world (in Finnish, library item). You know I read also craft books. I mean really read-read. I crashed at this super cute knitting book at the local library when I went to fetch something else there. Anyone who loves Astrid Lindgren's world and desires to knit should see this. Some of the designs include a link to tutorial video. The instructions are easy and understandable. This book brought me back to my long nights at the local library as a kid where I just sat and read by the shelve where Astrid's books were placed.

HealthyTea

Last week I juiced the last berries of the season. I make berry soup of it. And it is part of my daily diet. I must admit that this mixed berries soup was incredibly good. Buck thorns created interesting but great taste with the cherries to it all.

In the woods I have picked up juniper berries. Did you know that it takes 2-3 years of juniper berries to get matured? That's a long time. At first they look green but when they turn black they are ready. I crushed some juniper berries.

I mixed it with dried rose petals, dried meadowsweet leaves and blossoms, lady's mantle leaves and common yarrow blossoms. All from my award winning arctic garden.

 

I added good quality plain black tea. Now we have a great and healthy mix for the autumn and winter! Notice this mix is not for pregnant ladies.

CraftsGoingOn

I have always crafts going on. At the moment I am up to few sewing projects but also this my own design GrannySquareBlanket for Lappala.

Also, I am up to this my own design Fair Isle knitted vest for myself. I am slowly getting there. Only few more rows to knit and neaten all the loose ends.

Finally, I have made juice from the last berries of the autumn season. Here are crops from my arctic garden: buck thorn, cherry, red currants and saskatoon. It is very exciting that we have also old kitchen garden at Lappala where it all is falling to winter season. Can't wait the spring to start to breathe it alive and update it.