KuukkeliUkko

Last weekend I had a pattern making course in Salla, Finland. It was about my siida Sámi costumes. We had a hard working weekend and all the students succeed to finish their individual Kuolajärvi siida Sámi costume pattern, either for men or women.

I stayed at a friend and helped her family in Kuolajärvi siida Sámi costume pattern making. We had time also for some empowering nature activities. 

If you ever visit Salla region go to see the museum Noiti Viessu (Hetteentie 4, Salla). It is very interesting regional Sámi museum. It is there, just go to see. You can find (at some time) even cafe and accommodation there. It is run by a private Forest Sámi person.

These mysterious horn work miniature sculptures you can see on this post are made by Kuukkeli-Ukko. He is Forest Sámi and makes volunteer work for our Kuolajärvi siida. I bought these two miniature sculptures (to support my siida) for Him and YoungLady who were at home while I was away. This reindeer calf is for YoungLady; my own calf. The adult moose is for Him.

Kuukkeli-Ukko is the artist name of Jukka Säntti. Kuukkeli means Siberian jay and ukko means man. There´s Advent calendar post Kuusâk about Siberian jay in Forest Sámi culture.

NaturalDyes

The plant dye process keeps going on. I keep on using our own AAW yarn and also some 100% Finn sheep wool I inherit on 2010. Here´s what came out from my Earl Grey Tea soup.

In Finland garden lupine is classified in the top five invasive species. Because they pose a threat to Finnish nature. I have grown lupine in my garden on purpose. We moved in on 2009 and the feral garden had a huge hog-weed problem. Also hog-weed is classified in the top five invasive species in Finland. On my list the hog-weed is more unwelcome than lupine because here by the arctic its getting far too cold for the lupine to spread around and survive in massive way. Opposite to hog-weed. And hog-weed is much more dangerous than lupine. In my arctic garden I noticed where the lupine grows hog-weed will get drown under it and die. That's why at early years I had massive lupine field. Now I have been weeding the lupine away but I still need it to grow over hog-weed if needed because hog-weed still is a huge problem everywhere. My garden is in control -finally- but dogged hog-weed still tries to rise up its head every now and then here and there. And I know it won't stop until the municipal does its work and gets rid of massive hog-weed fields everywhere. Before that happens I keep my tiny lupine flower bed just in case. 

Meanwhile waiting the hog-weed to face its eternal end I use lupine blossoms in dyeing. It is very interesting and at this point it feels a bit crazy when you have it all in the kettle at the same time. You start to fear nothing will happen and you get just huge amount of trash into your yarn.

At the end it makes the difference, and the difference is fabulous! Worth of every step in the process. Can't wait next summer to get more!

It is interesting to collect samples of the dyed yarn to remember the shades later. Also, the sample cards are easy way to show my friends and students what I have done and how. Also, the years and yarns and growing places impact on the dyeing process and the final shades, so I always include the year on my own sample cards.

So far I've used these on this summer.

Weld

This time it was time for yellow. I used weld (reseda) for our own AAW yarn. Yes, I dry the dyed wool in the sun. Some people say it fades the shades, the others say it doesn't. Well, I say it is true, sun fades the shades. I use sun for bleaching white textiles and spots in some other. But it doesn't happen in a minute. And if it does it is only good. 

It is true. After placing the dyed material to dry, very soon the shade may fade away. Some people avoid fading by avoiding the sun. Why I don't? Because I do use my woollen clothes also in sunlight. Around here the sun is extra hard on spring time. By the arctic the spring time is cold compared to Central European, or South Finland. My spring means minus Celsius degrees. I may ski or go for a dog sled ride wearing pullover on top, facing the sun light. The leg parts of the woollen socks face the sun always at spring time. So, it is nice to know beforehand to which state the shades fade before knitting anything of them. Sometimes the shades fade a bit, sometimes more than a bit, usually not at all. But when they do fade I am only happy because then I see how they truly look. Besides, if the color is not fastened it will fade away no matter is there sun light or not.

Hop & Cochineal

Dyeing is not meant for busy and restless persons. This week I've been doing plant dyeing. At the same time I've been writing a letter to a dear friend, using the yarn winder to make balls of dyed and dried yarn. Reading is also a good idea when dyeing.

I have quite a lot hop growing in my arctic traditional garden. Every year I use it for different purposes. It has sedative effect but it is also suitable for plant dyeing.

For the 1st time I bought and used cochineal for dyeing process. It is a tiny cactus-dwelling insect that produces a vibrant red pigment.

Here you can see the result compared to original natural shade of AAW yarn. But, this is not the end of dyeing. There are still many kilos left AAW yarn. I am working to get more than the natural shades. 

BrokenNeedles

I used small baby food jar to design and make a temporary trash bin for broken needles. I used pens for glass to decorate the jar. 

To avoid restless look I paint the inner walls of the jar by decoupage varnish. It took quite a while to dry out proper. 

LilacBirthday

I used my Le Suh's Anna's Art horse themed 3D book to make one more card for YoungLady. The lilac back ground paper is from a commercial item. Immediately when I saw it I knew it is for Her birthday card. Always on Her birthday the lilacs of my garden are in full blossom. No matter is it early or late, they bloom always on Her birthday in my arctic garden. 

BodyScrubSoap

I did HandMadeSoap in 2021. Now I did it again. This time I used -again- rose petals but also broken Sea Buckthorn seeds. Both herbs origin from my award winning garden. I used rose petals for balancing, calming, healing and refreshing. Sea buckthorn seeds I used for scrub effect of course but also for skin care and skin healing.

You can see small bubbles on the bottom side of the soap. The soap is upside down in my molds and the extra air bubbles born during the process rise up. I could cut them off but I let them be. They really don't matter if they are there, after the first use they'll be washed away anyway. 

It is very interesting that during the process -because of chemical reaction of soap and plant- rose turns out green, not red in soap making process. It scents like rose and buckthorn but looks like green because there is not used chemical dyes. 

I wrap them into baking paper and secure the pack by paper cord. Looks pretty indeed. The little one I will take to work as a sample work later in autumn when the schools start out again.

NHS

In July 2023 I encourage you to read a book that tells about Europe. I read for the challenge This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay (in Finnish, audio book, free try out month by Nextory as a customer bonus from Nordic Green Energy from which we have bought our electricity since... when they started to operate in Finland)

I chose this item as a book that tells about Europe. I realized I mostly read the books that are somehow connected to Europe, perhaps because it is my home continent even tough I live by the arctic. 

Great Britain is a place about which National Health Service I can often read about in my labour union's magazine where they introduce Finnish nurses that have moved to work aboard (I am also a physiotherapist). Nothing but good is told about compared to our nurses' wages or benefits at work life. So, when choosing this book I expect to hear incredible and amusing stories told by a doctor. What surprised me was the working conditions of NHS doctors. If there is the truth, at time when Adam Kay worked as a doctor, it seems they don't get paid for the hours that get over their weekly hours (40 hours) and still it is impossible to say "No, I go home".  None of us wants the doctors would operate and care us with so little sleep and resting time. Sometimes it sounded like a slaughterhouse. I know it is written with a comedy aspect but there's a truth behind every joke. 

This book is not suitable for children or persons at early teens. It is not suitable for persons who don't like to read about blood. It is also good to know that Adam Kay worked in baby business, it means he helped out to deliver the babies into this world. It is messy and bloody, not always happy. That's why I neither recommend this book for pregnant ladies, not at least for the 1st time. Not in any case for women who have never been pregnant, no matter are the planning or not to be in the future. It might be a bit traumatic.

Squirrel

I decorated a baby food jar by squirrel themed napkin. This is a coin can. I think the squirrel theme fits perfect with the idea. :)

Surgery

At work I have -so far- found 7 different kind of sewing machines abandoned under the tables, on the shelves or in dusty corners. Some of them have been labelled broken and recycled. So far I have serviced and fixed 4 of 7. Three of these seven are actually so broken that they need a professional service with new parts.

See the cracked white part which has lost half of it. The lost half is mostly behind the part but you can notice it on the pic. I actually found two similar Bernette so we'll see if we can fix them both at low cost or make one whole of these two. These are old proper sergers from early 90's so they are worth of trying.

More about servicing your own sewing machines you can find on these posts:

Emerald 118

Serger Care

Dusting my Helga

Remember: Opening the machine breaks the warranty, you do it in your own responsibility, always plug off the machine from the power before opening it (turning off is not enough) and take pictures by your smart phone from every step you take because it helps you to put it all back!

SámiKeyRings

I volunteered, designed and made 95 key rings for my siida. These will be for sale at Forest Sámi Summer Event 2023 in Peltovuoma (8.-9.7.2023), Lapland, Finland. I won't -unfortunately- be there but these key rings are already on their way to the happening.

Green stands for the earth and forest (nature in generally). It has a very special meaning to us Forest Sámi people. Blue stands for the water, yellow for the sun and red for the fire. Zig zag figure stands for the fjelds and northern lights. Circle/dot/hole stands for the sun but also for a spot (key hole) where a shaman or witch can move from a place to another, also from the present to past or future. Silver or any sun catcher hides and protects you from the evil.

The 2023 Reading Challenge No 7

The Reading Challenge 2023 is here!

On 2023 I encourage you to read books from different places. No other rules but geographical location. You can choose the genre! 

July 2023 theme is Europe!

Europe, the origin of modern culture and civilization, a place where democracy was born. 

Europe, the place where massacrudes were committed, eyes closed and looks turn away.

At the moment I am in the middle of two European books, we'll see which one I will introduce with the challenge...

Fidel Castro

In June 2023 I encouraged you to read a book that tells about Central America. For the challenge I chose Juan Reinaldo Sánchez's book The Double Life of Fidel Castro (in Finnish, mine). The book tells the story of Juan Reinaldo Sánchez, but more than that, it tells the hidden truth of Fidel Castro. To be honest, I was seeking a different kind of book that tells about Central America. I didn't want to read tourist guide books or any commercial items we've seen hundreds of pages. I wanted to read a beautiful story about the Central America written by a native born person. After reading this book I understand why it was so difficult to find that book. This book was recommended to me by Him and later Mr W. wondered if we can find such a book for me written by some Central American writer who don't live there anymore. Anyway, during the years I've been considering should I travel to see Cuba or not because it is quite far away. Now I know I won't. Read this to find out why.