DogWoolShawl

Right before Christmas 2016 my weaving project was ready to be finished.

I just needed to be brave and cut it all off from the loom!

Here is my own design shawl. It looks rustic and rough but feels unexpected soft. It is made of our own wool: 25% arctic dog wool and 75% Finnsheep wool. (We get the dog wool by grooming the dogs. Arctic dogs grow wool  under the normal dog hair to stay warm.)

Out Of Africa

I have finally finished The 2016 Reading Challenge. Last book to finish was the one I own but have never read: Karen Blixen's Out Of Africa.

To be honest I have read this for months. Not because it is dull. No, not at all. Because it is something I didn't want to bring to the inexorable end. I've seen the movie of it several times but this book is greater than the film despite it is one of my favorite movies. I must confess that if I had not visited Karen Blixen's grave and farm in Denmark last summer I had cried my eyes out of my head when reading through the misery end. But because I was at her Danish home I know it all was not -at the end- her end.

If you can read only one book; read this. Through these pages you really can hear a strong, advanced & progressive woman to tell you her story. You really can hear her speak. Despite it is old fashion story with old language we all can learn something from it; a bit of humanity... from even those things you may feel cruel at first. This book gives so much more than the movie but it is not either the book or the movie; it is definitely the B O T H!

I think this is going to be the one I will name if I'll be asked -in the future- to name my favorite book.

❤

PS. This year -2016- I have finished 20 books! It makes 12 of this complete challenge and even 8 more! I do challenge myself for the next year with this idea "a book you own but have not read". Meaning that next year I will read only the books which can be found at my library and have been waiting there ages for me to read them! Next year I will tell you all about them!

Christmas Is Back!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

❤

I wish you peace, joy, warmth and good future!

(The cross stitch Xmas tree decoration is stitched on plastic canvas. It is not my own design. It is from a magazine but right now I can not check it out because my Xmas tree stands front of the bookshelf right by the corner where are all my craft magazines and books. I will tell it to you right in January when I will take the tree out.)

(Updated: Designed by Maria Diaz, CrossStitcher, October 2005, p. 59. Instead of aida fabric I used Plastic Canvas to create the Christmas decoration.)

AAW SingleCable Socks No1

My own design SingleCable socks made of our own wool AAW (50% arctic angora wool, 40% FinnSheep wool, 10% nylon) (100g = 238m) for YoungLady's fencing teacher. It seems that woollen socks are the most desired wish from Santa Claus here in Finland. They are also considered made by love and care. Even kids & teens wish to have them!

Wall hanging

Do you remember cute little Robin designed by Lesley Teare (CrossStitcher, Christmas 2005) which I stitched at early December this year? I now made a pretty wall hanging of it. I used grey felt to create the frames. The back side is made of white raw silk. I placed some cotton wool fabric between the front and back side to make it look more soft.

Weaving

During the past days I have finally had time for weaving.

It is going to be twill.

And these are the shades I have designed to use.

FairIsleMittens

 

I designed and  knitted one more pair of mittens for coming Christmas. I used Single Cable stitches...

...and fair isle knitting to decorate them, make them practical and warm.

And they are big enough to fit a pair of gloves under them to make them even extra warm.

DoubleRunning SingleCable Mittens

I knit a warm gift for our riding teacher (one of them). When you wear gloves under the woollen mittens they get extra warm.

I decorated them by double running Single Cables. I used yarns I inherit from my Grandmother without labels.

Sewn bookmark -tutorial

I promised yesterday 

to publish tutorial about sewn bookmark today. 

Here it comes!

You need double amount of felt as you need bookmarks; for both front and back side. The needed size of the felt is the desired size of the bookmark. If one's finished size is 5 x 20 cm for five bookmarks you need 25 x 20 cm → twice, one for lining and one for front side.

By gently pen touch mark the bookmark edges on the felt. It is easier to stay in lines by starting sewing in this way: the edge decoration lines first.

Then sew always next one to the central direction.

If you are advanced in using sewing machine you can use back side's shade as bobbin thread. Otherwise always use similar shade with bobbin thread as the sewing thread. Mistakes with adjustments can not be seen so easily then.

When you are finished with the decoration place the back side fabric (lining) under the front side fabric and pin it onto its place.

Make sure you have marked all the edges and cut off the thread ends.

Sew around the bookmarks and cut off. Compare this and the picture above to notice you don't sew over the pen line that separates the individual bookmarks. That is the line for cutting.

Now you have easy home made personalized sewn bookmarks! My own design  but for sure you can personalize you own ones too!

Siblings - sewn bookmark

I designed and made two almost similar bookmarks. They are bookmark siblings for human siblings. This is also easy and low cost gift idea if you wish to give something for Xmas for someone special but can not afford much or want to give something hand made but are not very skillful. Tomorrow I will publish tutorial about it how to make these as a serial production. You need sewing machine with some decorative stitches, felt and different shades of threads.

FourCables' HandWarmers

 

It's been a long time since I made last pair of HandWarmers. But now I've actually done two similar pairs for Christmas 2016.

They are my own design. I used four SingleCables to decorate them but also to make the structure to stay in SlimFitStyle.

I used Novita's Rose yarn. It has 70% acrylic and 30% wool (50g = 190m).

Robin

This cute Robin is designed by Lesley Teare. It was published on CrossStitcher magazine's Christmas 2005 issue on the page 38. I used my loose end threads so I changed few shades to matching ones to avoid the need to buy any new floss.

For the 1st time I tried out Thread Heaven's Thread Conditioner & Protectant when using metallic threads. It worked well and was not waste of money. If you are not experienced with metallic thread stitching this is something you could try out to get it along better. I warmly can recommend this for beginners to learn to stitch with metallic threads. It is also an excellent gift idea! I found this one on sale; so despite I use a lot metallic threads without trouble I decided to try it out.

SomeBunnyTime

 

Yesterday I sheared the angoras. For a week they had been nagging at me and intimidate me by animal rescue patrol if they can not get rid of their coats. It all looked like it is just going to fall off. But of course it won't. They were still eating well but the time had arrived.

I cut it all down to 1-2 cm but left them two hand size coat over their backs. I needed to cut it down because it looked annoying them all so much. But because we live in North Finland and for example today the temperature has been -12 Celsius degrees I had to leave something on them.

They all are so happy now and jump around satisfied because the thick heavy wool is not on anymore. But to me they all look like silly funny hedgehoogs! ☺

I did brush all the long wool I left and got some wool off to make the coat be thinner. When the sheared parts grow up a bit I can cut off the coat. Or if it gets warmer for a week; meaning around zero temperature.

ForMe

As you know usually I don't do this but now I do. ☺ It is not that getting older year by year would be something I despise. No, I am very grateful of every new year I have been allowed to pass by! I just am not a person to celebrate myself on public, that's it. I like it more with close friends and silent experience, intimately chat and a mug of tea. Many of my friends live far away but still they pop in with their greetings and make me to feel they all are physically here.

❤They know I am a tea person ❤

They know I ❤ home made gifts and crafts!

I absolutely am cheerful about these Bridget Jones styled BunnySlippers YoungLady had picked me up! And I am happy about these safety equipment for my long dog walks here where the world can get very slippery.

And I love such  tiny simple things like soap! It brings you joy for a long time! Not to mention abut small bags you can use as a pen case or hide your glasses in!

Special delicate are always in my mind, heart and stomach! 

Do you still remember TheCraftChallenge2016? I made KnitingNeedleCase for DearJ who managed to surprise me by bringing in her home made cake I adore. Of course it is gluten free and the timing was perfect because my week was so full of work that I never even dreamed to have a time to bake a cake! Well, I can not figure out on which time she did this because she has 3 small kids and full time job too! Miracles happen! 

Hugs, thanks and kisses to you all!

BubbleStripeSocks

9th pair of my own design woollen socks for this autumn comes here. These are for my mother and made by using the yarns I inherit from her mother. (Still no labels for these.) I used Bubble Stitches for decorate knitting and just normal stripes. They feel very soft and are happy colorful!

YuleBubbleSocks

One more my own design woollen sock pair is finished. These are for my mother-in-law. Let's not tell her that yet. She will find these in her YuleGiftBack I always make for her.

I still am using the yarns I inherit from my grandmother without labels. I used Bubble Stitch knitting to decorate these socks. It works very well with grey-red contrast.

Patchwork Autumn Pillow No2

My own design Patchwork Autumn Pillow No1 got a friend. Together they form out a couple. I made them for my friend's birthday for her terrace.

Husqvarna C.B.

Some time ago Husqvarna Central Bobbin sewing machine arrived home. I was not satisfied with the sewing machine service just because they kept her for so long and I need to call few times if she is ready. At the end they said they'll do it when I give a date when I come to get it! Argh!

She has all the signs still on despite she is old and used a lot.

I have arranged all her stuff and organized them into small drawers of her cabinet. If you know something about these things you can notice all the things do not belong to her. There is for example old key for a toy! But it came with her so I put it in there... The desk of the cabinet still needs to be restored.

She is ornamental old sewing machine!

Gluten free SwissRollCake

This is extremely easy, fast and low budget cake! You need exactly the same ingredient as you do in baking a SwissRoll. But this one you don't need to roll up!

SwissRoll dough

Foam by electric mixer
4 eggs
1½ dl sugar

Keep on mixing well and add in the following order
2dl gluten free flour mix (I use Semper FinMix)
2 tea spoon baking powder

Cover the bottom of 26 cm diameter cake baking try by baking paper.

Pour over the bottom of the cake baking try
3dl your favorite jam or marmalade (I used home made pumpking marmalade)

Cook in 200 Celsius degrees approx 30 minutes. Remove the side edges. Turn upside down and gently remove the baking paper. Let it cool down proper.

Melt 100g chocolate and decorate the cake.

Eat!

ElfSocks

This pair of woollen socks remind me about Santa's little helpers ChristmasElfs. These are my own design and for DearE to warm up her feet during chilly weathers in TheBigWorld. I -again- used the yarns I inherit from my grandmother without labels.

NovemberFrost

Officially November is the last month of autumn. It includes rain, darkness, wet ground, chilly winds until it turns like this with frost, snow and arctic breath with the wind. If you ever plan to visit up here in the north; skip at least October. No one can guarantee there is snow in November these days because of the climate changing and global warming. But if you are lucky you see Finland in this way already in November.

This year All Saints' Day was on November the 5th. Traditionally we don't celebrate Halloween but All Saints' Day.

The weather has been chilly with -10 Celsius degrees for several days. The ground is getting frozen but we are still missing the snow covering. Poor Nuka got a cut to her toe. It is a bit difficult hunting weather because the ground is frozen but nothing covers it. For example sphagnum moss is like a pile of tiny sharp knives instead of soft pillow! Now we need to see if her nail gets off or not. Her sick leave's length depends on the nail. It is just a small cut around the nail but nasty looking one; even the vet said "ouch" when she saw it.

Christmas Stationery

 

The time to make some Christmas Season Stationery arrived again with November. This time I used very old typing paper. Can you see the watermark? These belonged to my grandmother and I found them last June when helping out my mom to sort out rest of the papers.

I stamped the pictures and then colored a bit.

The deer got also some outline color to look more chic.

I found also some old envelopes I bought on sale years ago after Xmas. They are perfect for these writing papers!

One letter will be enclosed with this reindeer card...

I wish you all

Very Home Made Christmas Season!