HandleTheDoor

We live in Kemi, Lapland, Finland. Few are the days every year when we want to keep the doors open to my arctic garden. That's why, when needed, we have always just placed something to keep the door open. During all these years we have found out it is quite unpractical because the wind from the Baltic Sea hits straight to my garden after speeding up all the way from Denmark to here. We often hear the wind to bang the door closed. On that moment, if being in the garden and hearing the bang, you wish you unlocked it just in case.

That's why we have set our brains to active creative mode to figure out an simple and budget way to keep the door open. We wanted the result to be easy to use. Here you can see the result. It matches with the brush sweater. I love these "here lives artisans" signals.💘

I maid the handle band by plaiting 3 different shades of rug weft. This tricot weft is flexible so the plaited handle band stretches gently with the movement of the door the wind causes. Brilliant, isn't it! You can easily plait yours by up-cycling your old T-shirt if you don't have any weft. See how to cut your own weft in Rag -tutorial post.

Basket No 2 Ribbon

I designed this 2nd warm up basket to follow the 1st one. This was far more complicated because of the material I used. The design is simple basic design but the material creates the challenge.

I had to start it twice until I was satisfied how it got on, progressed and looked out. I used the ribbons I bought years ago. The ribbon is very slippery.

I could have sewn the finishing with invisible stitches. Instead I wanted something firm to keep the tall basket stand straight also at the top. That's why I used wider ribbon around the mouth of the basket to hide the finishing. It also secures the slippery ribbons and prevents them to get open and free.

Jubilee

In April I started sewing a new summer style Sámi Costume for myself. It's been ready for few weeks. Today is the big day for it. At work we have the 80th jubilee of foundation. The feast start at 2 pm with coffee & cake and continues with program at 3 pm. So, the dress code is not evening dress, neither cocktail, but not to mention casual. It needs to be festive but not too much. 

That's why I chose unformal Sámi summer costume style. It is a great option for very occasion from concerts and birthday parties to more formal moments where your traditional woollen or silk Sámi costume would be too official for the dress code.

Anyway, I wanted to use traditional fabric because it is 80th jubilee feast. That is why I chose Flemish style flower printed fabric with modern touch because I used tricot/jersey for the costume and satin for the decoration. Woollen fabric I used only for the front shield.

At this corner of the world Flemish fabrics are usually mistaken to be called Russian because they arrived to Finland mostly via Russian trade routes. But they are as Flemish as other similar fabrics used elsewhere in Europe. Manufactured in Flemish region of Europe.

Actually, I chose the final print for my costume fabric because of this traditional woollen shawl I have inherit almost two decades ago. The new costume needed to match with this scarf. Now it has got new fringe of 100% wool (tex 28 x 2). It has taken for hours to get it done but every minute was done by love and patience for the craft making, but also with the love and respect for the past generation. If following the tradition, it is important not to place too thick fringe even you'd like to add some extra with modern touch. 

Also this style of shawls are often called Russian but actually the print and design comes from Ukranian and Slavic regions/nations. Over 100 years ago there was an awakening of collection national costumes and nationality idea. Folk costumes were not used by the upper class. They collected samples and ideas from lower social class (farmers, artisans, serfs) and appropriated them. That was when happened (again) the cultural appropriation, which -unfortunately- is not a modern phenomenon but has appeared every now and then during the fashion history. That's why also Ukranian, Slavic and Flemish elements are nowadays -at least somewhere- celled Russians even they are not.

So, why I then have Flemis print in my Sámi costume and Slavic print in shawl? Because my ancestors didn't make printed fabrics but when it came possible, they bought them from peddlers and at fairs, and started to sew prettier & lighter summer costumes and shawls. That's how they turn out to be part of summer dressing among Easter Sámi nations living in Kola peninsula region.

Jeweler is a part of feast dress code. I do have my traditional silver and bronze items. But I have also something else. Because the feast is not "evening dress coded" I am not going to wear my Sámi head wear (=hat) I still need to tie up my hair because I am married woman who is also a granny. That's why I am going to use this tie made of leather, mallard's feathers and silver thread. (We've eaten the mallard already long time ago.)

Traditionally my Sámi tribe has used organic materials for jewelry because they were poor but very skillful craft makers. Only nowadays silver has became more popular in our jewelry when the wealth has increased since the wars.  

Around my waist I am going to tie up this new tablet weave band I recently made.

Sign

I bought a new born baby winter overall. It is spring already but my grand daughter still needs winter clothes like everyone of us. This was on winter sale so I made a great bargain with 75% discount. 

I added a small decoration as a sign of her Sámi heritage and tribe colors. She is the reason why I don't stay silent anymore. As a grandparent it is my duty to transfer the cultural heritage.

Eight day of December

One simple gift idea also for small children to make is to twist an easy keyring from yarn. Only little bit of material is needed.

First put the yarns through the ring. Then start to twist the yarn from both ends. When there's enough twist (you can feel the yarns get tighter) make sure the ring is in the middle of it. Then fold the twisted yarn and hold the ends all the time. Let the key hang free so the yarn will get double twisted (both ends get twisted around each others). Make a knot at the end so the keyring is finished.