Mother
Nature has been dealing with getting her house into Juhannus condition a lot
better than me. She has been pouring water all over, with force if I may add,
and every single surface is dust free and fresh and lush green. She is doing
some final rinsing today and possibly tomorrow and then I sincerely hope she is
done.
(This video is from last summer, but it has been about the same today.)
I am following her footsteps with milder determination, using mostly
vacuum cleaner and a bucket of soapy water and I don't plan to drag this
procedure for days. I plan to get done today and then I will go forward for
planning the meals. We will put up our kota (could not find a picture but will take you one, once it is up) and I am hoping to do some of the
cooking by the open fire down by the lake. Friday is the big day and most of
Finland stays up most of the night celebrating the Midnight Sun. The sun has
not set for days up here and I am not going to see when it sets next time,
because I really don't want to know! I love these white nights and wish they
would never end. I have been checking the weather forecast every single day for
several times to see what kind of weather we are having and it should be fine.
Some
questions and answers on the embroidery in my last post:
"Would
this type of applique work on crocheted items? I can knit but I prefer to
crochet."
Linda,
I think it would be even easier on crocheted fabric (of course this depends on
the type of the stitch) because crochet makes a good, solid, stable, non-stretchy
background.
"I
wonder if you will do something with your applique swatches - a nice cushion
cover or sewn together as a blanket or wall hanging."
Dawn,
thank you for the compliment. I could do that, but when I make a swatch, I want
to be free of the thought of the end product, I don't want to have any
hindrance to be able to sample. Of course later on one could do just about
anything with them.
"I
love the top oatmeal colored wool - do you remember the source?"
Jody,
the oatmeal colored wool is by Viola fingering weight merino and the color-way
is called, if I remember correctly, ghost. The owner is on a dyeing break at
the moment but I do hope she returns as her wool is so lovely.
"Both
mittens and swatches look fantastic. I am wondering what kind of material your
appliqué is? Wool obviously but ???"
Merja,
some of the wool I used for the applique I bought from a quilting store when I
visited USA quite some time ago and I have lost all the information on that,
but some is wool felt (100% wool, about 1mm thickness) and I have bought it
from an UK source, Woolfeltcompany.
"Would
it help stabilize the knitted fabric if you basted a square of muslin or
something on the back of where you want to place the applique? The extra fabric
could be trimmed away after the work was finished. Or would that distort things
more? I'm not a sewer, so don't have a clue."
Rooie,
a very good thought to think about stabilizing the knitted background but that
would build up the applique patch more and make the knitted fabric little more stiff
maybe and I try to keep the flexibility of the back ground as much as I can. But
one could try that of course and it definitely is worth the try. And there are
so many different stabilizers out there that one could work beautifully.
I
have been thinking of setting up a group in Ravelry where we could gather all the
questions and answers into one place. I have not got around it yet, and we
would need to have a good name. Any suggestions?
I
finished the beaded mittens. (It is so cloudy, it was impossible to get good pictures.)
I have been sampling little more with beaded beads. I am getting there... I am
happy with the outcome now, but believe me when I say, that this is not the
first batch of beads I have done.
I
hope you have a good week and cheers to the white nights of the North!
Wool
with you,
Lene
Very exciting to have the sun not set. I almost experienced this on a visit to Alaska, I believe it set for an hour or two while we were there. I love your beads, they are so gorgeous,
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
It's a great idea to have a questions site on Ravelry. Thank you for the answers , very interesting. MerjaUK
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy reading your blog. Your creativity is amazing and I also enjoy seeing bits and pieces of where you live. Thank you for sharing so much with us.
ReplyDeleteA ravelry group is a fine idea and you couldn't go better than having your Dances with Wool as the title! I've loved your writing and your work since you first started. Just love it.
ReplyDeleteI vote with Lyn....Dances With Wool is a great group name.
ReplyDeleteDeb
I agree with Lyn and Deb.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely DANCES WITH WOOL!Count me in please!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a wonderful, sunny "Juhannus." Do Finnish citizens have a day off to celebrate Midsummer as the Swedes do? Our daughter lives in Stockholm, Sweden, and we have been to some wonderful midsummer celebrations with her and her Swedish family.
ReplyDeleteLove reading your blog and the creative things you do.
Margie
Hope you're enjoying your midsummer's day.
ReplyDeleteYou prompted me to watch it get dark here tonight - it was totally dark by 9:20 PM!
margieinmaryland.
i for one would join your ravelry group. i love reading your wooly adventures when you post. i also like reading about your neck of the woods it seems so exotic to me to live in with white nights during the summer. your knitting is beautiful and inspiring. as far as a name i am with the others you will always be dances with Wool for me.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do start a Rav group. I just noticed that there is already a group called Dances with Wool, but why not call it Wool With You, the phrase you always end your posts with?
ReplyDeleteI've been catching up with your blog after a busy several months-very enjoyable, thanks.