Experiences

It is time of Garden Lupines and experiments. I have tried out few ways of plant dyeing by lupines and had some experiences how the different shades are made of. 

I have dyed yellow and...

...blue of them. I made blue also last summer. At the moment there is another experiment going on about it in my kettle. And next one in the following days. 

Today I drove to Rovaniemi and went to see two exhibitions at Arktikum (The Regional Museum of Lapland). 

Season of Colours  exhibition is about natural dyes and technology. It is made by Colour4CRAFTS -research project and is at Arktikum until 18.8.2024. If you are anywhere around and interested about crafts it really is worth of seeing. If not, follow the project, I am sure they will put up other exhibitions too.

Another interesting exhibition in Arktikum is Life and Death from the Late Iron Age to the Middle Ages. It is Arktikum's own exhibition. It is temporary but it stays until 1.6.2025. It presents the latest research and information in Lapland history. If you are not coming around but got interested, you can order a book about it in Arktikum museum shop. I bought my own copy (18€) today, already read it and am very satisfied about it. It supports the information received in the exhibition.

Kyellejääyri määccuk

The time has arrived to show you my Sámi costume. This is almost 2 years old picture. I am there with my mom celebrating YuleTide and her birthday. We wear Kyellejääyri määccuk and that means it is Kuolajärvi Sámi costume. For me personally it is quite difficult to call it Kuolajärvi Sámi costume. Kyellejääyri is called Kuolajärvi in Finnish and other languages today. According to its original Sámi language meaning Kuolajärvi should be called Kalajärvi which means Fishlake. Kuolajärvi means Spittle lake and it has a whisper of death in it too. The false name translation is one proof of colonialism and how we were taken our own language. To me it will always be Fishlake Sámi costume where the blue stands for the water, red for the fire, yellow for the sun and green for the forest, ground, soil, Mother Earth...

Next Forest Sámi Expo will be in Kittilä, Lapland, Finland in 5.-7.7.2024. I missed last year but this year I will go with my mom and have prepared an interesting 30 min lecture about costume history, lace and Forest Sámi female hats. I will have the presentation at 3 pm 6.7.2024 in Kittilä. If around, you all are welcome to find more about Forest Sámi people. Just ask, we are happy to tell.💚

Fingerpori

In 2024 I encourage you to read specific genres of literature. June 2024 theme is comedy.  Comedy is a difficult subject. For the challenge I started something else which turn out not to be amusing at all in my opinion. I usually never drop out a book but now I did. I decided I don't need to be in an audience of that crab only to complete the challenge. Reading should be fun! So, it was a library item, I return it and see what I have in my own library at home. 

That was when I found Pertti Jarla's Fingerporin päiväkasku. Jarla is a famous Finnish comic artist whose comics about Fingerpori are very famous. I must confess I have seen few pieces of his art but really never got into. I have always taken him as male author for men. Now I had very fun and found out his comedy is very amusing in my opinion too despite this book was collection of military spirited comics. 

Graduations

I made two upcycled cards for this seasons graduation cards. This one is made of a chocholate advert on a magazine.

This card is made of two different old calendars. Old wall calendars are perfect material for scrap booking and card making!

RecycledPlastic

When you wash your textiles and clothes the process causes the fibers coming out from the fabric. This is a natural process of the washing. We all who wash clothes are familiar with the phenomenon. It makes our clothes and textiles to have lint on the fabric. Some lint gets stuck on the fabric and some wash away by the water used in the process.

That loose lint is micro fiber. It goes through the washing machine, drains and end up to the water treatment plants and from there at some point it ends up to the water cycle of the world. So, at the end it ends up into the seas. If these micro fibers are organic (nature fibers) its better because then they have a change to compost and turn back to soil. But if not, that is a huge problem.

Today we can buy many garments and textiles made of recycled plastic. We think it is sustainable but actually it is not. Because during the washing process also these fabrics face the same that all the others. Micro fibers come out of the fabric. And, unfortunately, if the fabric is made of recycled (or new) plastic (=oil) the micro fibers that come out from the fabric are plastic. That's also how -at the end- micro plastic ends up into the seas and even human body. 

Already in 2016 and 2017 I wrote about oil drilling problems connected to fashion industry. It is easier to feel sympathy and save the rain forests and cute furry animals. It is easy to forget the micro-organisms and plankton that is destroyed by the oil drilling for fashion business. Plankton is not considered super cute so saving it doesn't sell as click news. But micro-organisms and plankton too are very important for the biodiversity.

It is good to use recycled plastic in the things you don't need to wash as often as your clothes and textiles. If in fabric, choose it for the items you don't wash very often or at all like bags etc. 

TextileHistory

This is a great pic of me pointing out how I must have looked most of the time in my education in Dublin, Ireland. We participated also on few guided tours and that really was interesting. It is important to know the history to be able to create something new. (Russborough House)

I learnt more about Soho art in textiles. It is a good reminder of it that cultural appropriation is not a new thing and fashion has always based some points to it through the entire costume history. (Russborough House)

Fire screes have interesting connection on fashion. They protected people's makeup to melt away while people were sitting by the fire to keep themselves warm. The servant always moved the fire screen between a person and fire depending on it whose face was in the biggest risk to fall off. Losing someones face (or not to) comes from this time and is still a proper saying in the modern world. (Malahide castle)

Very beautiful and perfect embroidery. I love the castles and houses where they have saved the textiles too! (Malahide Castle)

Beautiful lace with famous "Vitruvian wave - wave scroll - running dog - Greek key" pattern in Irish castle. (Malahide Castle)

Medieval woolen cloak in Archaeological Museum of Ireland. If you are interested about textile history and craft making, you should visit this museum if you ever visit Dublin. There are so many fascinating things to see which you are not allowed to photograph.

FashionNOW

In April I received my new ID card for a voyage to be able to travel for education aboard. I have been in Dublin, Ireland. I participated in "Environmental education: Learning and acting for a better future". It all is funded by Erasmus+ project and a part of my work. 

Because of my Sámi culture environmental issues have always been part of my life despite they had different words for the same meanings. At my early teens I became aware of environmental issues and animal rights in a global way. Meanwhile the others kissed on the school yard I taped posters on the school walls to protest against the animal testing. We -I say we, because I was not alone, perhaps some of you my dear readers were with me- have come a long journey after that. Today it is clear to everyone it is not ok to make animal testing for cosmetics and other vain purposes. 

Fashion business is one of the biggest polluter on The Planet Earth. I have been in fashion business since my late teens. I hate to call myself a fashion designer. I have used the term "textile and cloth designer" because I have not liked to call myself as a fashion designer which I actually am; in textiles and clothing. I have always been aware of the sustainability because it was the culture I was raised in.  Later in my life I have learnt and studied more. That's why I chose my path towards becoming also a teacher. Now I was in this education to update my knowledge and learn even more. 

In this education in Dublin we needed to think one change we are able and going to make in our own lives to make a change. There are so many things I have already done and changed, and hold on. First, I considered practical things by which I could live even more eco-friendly. But, at the end of the education I realized I will change me. Me in the way that be proud of it that I am a fashion designer and launch a new trend and it is:

FashionNOW 

-no overconsumption world

We have been waiting for so long the governments and politicians to make the solutions. We ask them to change the legislation and trade rules. But actually we don't need them for this. We need us: me and you. It is the money that talks so lets it talk. Let's make the change by our choices. We can't escape the responsibility and put the others in the charge of this. It is me and you who shop -buy things. We -me and you- have the power that this change needs. We decide what we buy. And the most important thing is that if it doesn't satisfy us we don't need to buy it.

Lets make out of fashion the fast fashion! 

It is personal but kind and educative activism we need.

On the pic above I wear "my daily style". The pants are at least 8 years old jeans. I bought this pair in a local super market by 20€. The cotton knitwear is 3+6 years old. 3+6 because I have had it at least for 3 years and my son MrW had it first for about 6 years. For him we bought it at local fashion shop for teens and young adults. The shoes are new but I received them from my mom who had bought new shoes but it turn out her old feet hate the shoes. I tested the shoes and my feet think they are ok so I use them now. I needed new pair because my old one really need to go away now. I have just washed these new shoes after the Dublin journey and they look brand new again. The bag I have is fashionable Marimekko trademark. It is 19 years old. The black shade has faded but I don't care. It is a proper and practical bag I received as a gift long time ago. So, this is me and my style. Can you wear the same? Do you dare to wear the same?

The Reading Challenge No6

 The Reading Challenge 2024 is here!

On 2024 I encourage you to read books in different genres. No other rules but the genre. The meaning is to introduce different kind of literature and authors to yourself. But, you can still choose your favorite one if the genre is familiar to you. Notice, you can always drop out the book if you dislike it. It is highly recommended to use second hand books, borrowed books and your local library collection. If possible, read in all the languages you can. Also, don't be afraid of to pick up a book you have already read in the past. The second round at different age may bring you new experiences. 

June 2024 theme is COMEDY!

Comedy, in all its expressions and forms. It can be a joke book, novel, play, short story...anything but at the same time: comedy. Something that makes you smile and happy.