Pegs

This is my very old peg basket. It is almost 30 years old. It has finally faced the end of its time. The plastic has weaken so much that every time I just look at it, small plastic pieces falls off. I've been seeking a new one, actually for a year by now. The problem is they don't sell baskets for pegs without pegs. I don't need pegs. I need the basket. I have been looking different kind of options but each one would have needed some DIY extra.

That's why I ended up to design my own one and crochet it. I used loose end weft from YoungLady's rug project. I am satisfied with the result and it works well. I hope it to last the next +25 years!

NB Hat No2

I designed and made this needle binding winter hat. No, there is no design for it. Typical for needle binding is that they are made "on you". It means you bind a bit, try it on, keep going on until finished. I used our own AAW yarn (50% our own ethic produced arctic angora wool, 40% ethic produced FinnSheep wool, 10% nylon (100g = 238m). I plant dyed the yarns by weld (reseda), onion, lupin and reed. I used Finnish stitch (2+3 F2). I crocheted the flowers and leaves for the decoration.

It is FashionNOW slow craft and I plan to wear with wollen jumpers. This hat matches with the shade of my pale eyes. 😍

AranHeadband No1

I designed and knit Aran Chain Cable twisted headband. I started it at the Aran Cable Knitting workshop in Dublin 2025. 

This was my 1st ever twisted headband. I am sure I will make more! I used cable knitting and actually crocheting too.

The yarn is King Cole's Dollymix DK yarn (100% acrylic) (80 yards = 78 meters) in the shade Peach. Never used it before. Actually I didn't know it exist. I usually don't use 100% acrylic yarns but this was just fine for the work shop and sample work.

SilverScarf

I designed and crocheted a very simple & soft scarf. It is not for me. It is made of DROPS Brushed Alpaca Silk yarn (77% alpaca, 23% silk) (25g = 140m). If you are allergic to lanolin (sheep wool has it a lot) or itch easily, alpaca and silk are perfect options for you. 

BabyBlanket No9

 

I designed and crocheted BabyBlanket No9. it is made for cuddle and comfort. I have crocheted all the stars of the sky into it. The design itself is extremely easy and anyone who knows the beginner level of crocheting can for sure complete this. It reminds a lot Blanket No1. I just used pastel-lilac 100% cotton yarn (Mandarin Classic yarn by SandnesGarn) (50g = 110m) for the base and dark lilac teetee gaala yarn to create the starlight sky effect with sequins (85% cotton, 12% polyester, 3% sequins) (50g = 155m).

BlanketNo10 (revontulet)

I have crocheted one more BlanketNo10. I was inspired by the May 2024 Aurora Borealis that were seen all over the Europe and California in 10.-11.5.2024. I started this blanket right after that. I was especially happy for the people who had never before had a change to see this magical phenomenon!  

It is much lighter than the actual BlanketNo10 but follows the same idea just like BlanketNo10 (brown) and BlanketNo10 (berry porridge). Because this one is not as thick, you can use this one also as a shawl during the cold wintry weathers if you need to go out. For this one I used the same yarn than I used for OfficeLadyPoncho. It is House Kuvio yarn (85% acrylic, 10% wool, 5% mohair) (100g = 542m). The yarn has the variegated shades so it makes stripes. It all appears differently depending on it which way you go: back and fort or just around all the time like I did with BlanketNo10 to form out one huge GrannySquare.

It is very easy way to crochet a colorful square blanket just from one ball of yarn. The colors just form out without trouble or thinking and they all be set in unique and individual way. Just like The Northern Lights which never are the same. From here you can read about The Northern Lights in my culture and why we call them "revontulet" = fires of fox.

I am sure you want to see her so just add an extra photo. Dear beloved Nuka is having a holiday season. No hunting, no physical exercising. Just sniffing around the village. This is a heat weave we can't stand (+23 C). But we don't complain because it feels like a Mediterranean holidays at 90's.

On the pic above you can see Nuka's throat and neck area. It looks like a bit weird because of the dog attack she survived in 2019. She was bite very badly straight into her throat and it needed two men to get the attacker off by opening its jaws by a human force. Nuka is 9 yrs now. Yesterday a worker man who needed to step in our property asked are my dogs nice dogs. Both dogs were howling and barking like mad. I replied: "Don't they always are?" I had put the dogs on the terrace deck behind the gate and was in the garden with the worker.  He looked at me and seemed not to believe a word. I have 2 m high fence around the garden because of the dogs. But that is mainly to keep the stupid people out. My dogs can behave but all the humans can't. 

It's been 5 years now from the dog attack Nuka faced. Her rehabilitation was succeed. The only difference in her spirit is that she doesn't question. And we can't blame on her about that. It means that she is not an aggressive dog. She never starts a rampage, simply never. But when she has a reason, she is ready to fight for our lives 'til the end. She fears nothing, not even bears. You simply can't frighten her. But because of her experience she knows where it leads to so immediately when she gets a reason (open aggressive signal) she is ready to defend. Even on that moment she is under the control of  humans. That proves she does it on purpose and it is not just a primitive reaction.

What Pii has learnt from her is that dear Pii doesn't accept any kind of bad behavior from anyone. She comments immediately by her malamute howling if someone is acting against the rules, like walking on the wrong side of the street! 😂 Also that proves Nuka's behavior is planned and expedient instead of primitive. It follows certain pattern and Pii has not learn to be aggressive, she has learnt to be natural Alaskan malamute who is naturally a bit obsessed on rules.😍

NewEnd

Do you remember BlanketNo4? I did it 9 years ago!!! Can you believe how the time runs?! BlanketNo4 is still here. Injured and fixed. Someone (dear Pii) ate (accidentally) a piece of it when chewing a bone meanwhile laying on the blanket. 

At the end everything ends up to animals when old and used enough. BlanketNo4 ended up to dogs privilege to use because in cold season when having my nap I allow them on sofa with me to warm me up. I always used BlanketNo4. So, the dogs learnt it is ok to lay on it. So, they sometimes lay on it without me. And that lead to the accident and moment I noticed there was a hole in the blanket.

No panic. Almost everything can be fixed. And well planned is half done. So, after planning it well and thinking a lot I took my scissors and cut off approx 35 cm from the end of the blanket where the hole located. Then I gently unpick the last 1-2 rows of crochet stitches and used a big plastic tapestry needle to take a thread through the remain and opening stitches to catch them.

Then I used white Novita's 7 veljestä yarn (75 % wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) to crochet the new end for the blanket. The original yarn is Sirdar's Babouska yarn. (52% wool, 39% acrylic, 9% nylon) (50g=115m) and after 9 years we still have the blanket also in human use. The Babouska yarn seems to be a real bargain.

PotHolder/Duster

I crocheted a simple design pot holder. I used Novita's Natural Collection Cotton feel yarn (100% cotton, of which 50% is recycled) (50g = 120m). The pot holder is thin so if wanted you can use it as a duster instead. 

I crocheted it just without any special design but you can find similar type from Tove Fevang's book. I wrap it with matching tea towels in a Christmas gift.

OfficeLadyPoncho

I designed and crocheted a poncho. The adjustable dress form is far too big for the poncho's size but lets don't mind about that. I could have changed it smaller to get better pics but in this way you see the structure of the poncho better because it stretches out a bit.

It is very easy design and pattern. In practical you crochet one long rectangle with the same method you crochet BlanketNo1. Then you just fold it and connect the end of the rectangle to the side of the begin part. You can see very easy how it folds out by looking at these pics.

It is shorter from back but could be done opposite. I used House Kuvio yarn (85% acrylic, 10% wool, 5% mohair) (100g = 542m). The yarn has the variegated shades so it makes stripes. From the shawl's stripes you can see how I fold it.

I wanted to make the front longer than the back. It is going to be my sister's Christmas gift. She is an office lady and needs it at work. I don't want her to sit on it or get attached to a chair when standing up. I also wanted to make V-neck. If you want the back part to be longer, just make O-neck.

Collar for Skater

I designed and knit a collar for Christmas. It is for a figure skater princess to keep the neck area warm in practice before the show. I decorated it by crocheting the lower edge.

I used Novita's 7 veljestä Lapintaika yarn for the knitting. (100g = 200m) (75% wool, 24% polyamidi, 1% polyester). I love the whisper of bling bling in the yarn.

BlanketNo6 (wine)

One more my own design BlanketNo6 has left the house. It is made of Novita Rose (70% acryl & 30% wool, 50g = 190m) for someone very special. 

BlanketNo 10 (berry porridge)

I've crocheted one more BlanketNo 10 with this easy giant GrannySquare method. It is similar to first BlanketNo 10. Made of four balls of House Lurex yarn (76% polyacryl, 23% wool, 1% metallic) (227g = 238m). The shade is blue-pink. 

The outfit is tasty traditional childhood memory "lappapuuro ja mustikkamaito" which means "Finnish whipped porridge and blueberry milk". Traditionally we use lingonberries for the porridge and pour milk over it when eating. Blueberry milk is like a home made milk shake except no shake or ice cream. In my childhood I didn't no any better food or drink than these.

Now there are two same size but different shade blankets and one bigger one. 

Very beautiful pair of blankets.

BlanketNo10 (brown)

 

Earlier I designed and crocheted blue BlanketNo10. This time I repeated it in brown shade. I used brown shade House Lurex yarn (76% polyacryl, 23% wool, 1% metallic) (227g = 238m).

This brown BlanketNo10 is bigger than the blue one. For the blue I used 4 balls of the yarn. It means 4 x 227g = 908g. For this brown one I used 6 balls. Which means the blanket weights 1,362kg! 

Despite of the size and weight, it is not too big nor too heavy. It is a fabulous cover to hide under or sit on.

It is not difficult at all to make it. You just start in the middle and crochet one single huge giant GrannySquare! 

GrannySquare pot holder

I designed and crocheted a pot holder. It is very easy to make. Just crochet one GrannySquare from a thick yarn!

I used left over yarn I found from the items YoungLady left behind when moving out. It was actually a piece of started knit project at the school but they had ran out of the yarn so it never turn out anything. She had left the project for me to take it down and re-use the yarn for something else. All I know from the yarn is that it is recycled now from her project to mine.

When you unravel a knitted or crocheted project, at first it seems the yarn is too curly for anything new. Just unravel it and wind up to a ball and let to rest for a while. There is no need to wet it. It may still be curly when you start the new project but I promise it all will settle in. If not, you can always wet/moisten and iron (gently, steam) the new finished project!

BlanketNo10

I designed and crocheted BlanketNo10. It is so easy that anyone can go it without instructions. It is very easy and very fast to finish as being a blanket. 

I used blue shade House Lurex yarn (76% polyacryl, 23% wool, 1% metallic) (227g = 238m). The metallic fibers make a nice bling-bling or start dust effect. The yarn is thick, soft and warm. 

The basic idea of the yarn is to create a variegated effect. That makes it to be perfect for this BlanketNo10 design. You can see the similar idea with BlanketNo3.

Just crochet a huge GrannySquare out of it! 4 balls of the yarn do just fine. The shades of the square form out without a trouble, just crochet on! Making a GrannySquare quilt has never been this easy or fast!

It is already in good use during these cold arctic winter days!

For the Warmth

 

I've crocheted one more my own design Mohair Shawl.

It is almost similar to the white one I made before.

I used grey Schachenmayr's KidLight mohair yarn (38% nylon, 32% polyacryl and 30% mohair) (100g = 600m). There's a tutorial for you to crochet a shawl of your own. 

GrannySquareScarf

 

I designed a new project and bought some Novita Elegia yarn (62% cotton, 35% acrylic, 3% polyamide) (150g = 443m) for it.

I crocheted GrannySquares of it and attached them to each other in a line. 

I finished the outside edges by Wetterhoff's Sivilla yarn (30% silk, 70% wool) (50g = 250m).

Sivilla is loose end yarn from my Knitted collar project. 

I love how the shades variage in the scarf because of the Elegia yarn. 

The scarf is a gift for the Christmas 2020.

VeggieBag

This time I designed and crocheted a bag for shopping. This is a small bag to put the greens & veggies in when buying them - to avoid using plastic bags. These veggie bags last forever. I used 100% cotton thread for making it so you can wash it even at 90 Celsius degrees if needed.

Actually the thread I used is left over lace making thread I received from a friend over 10 years ago. It is very thin and the finished bag weights nothing. The ribbon and holder are recycled.