Thursday, June 22, 2006

Mittumaarja

I want to thank you all for the comments I received for the Fina Hyrnan. Following the comments I keep finding new and interesting and inspiring blogs to read. It must be the Midsummer, Mittumaarja, bringing out the beauty of green. I had to pay a quick visit to my LYS for some green. And I had to cast on immediately, because I fear that this love of green might be a very short phase... But then again, this might not be a short phase... Cardigan, yes. Simple, plain stockinette. Boring, yes. I chose stockinette because I thought I would do some embroidery on the cardi, but now that I have done few rows, I think this color has it all and does not need any other action... A bit overwhelming for me, a bit...

Midsummer, which is now, is a very big celebration in this corner of the earth. We celebrate the sun and the nightless night. Mittumaarja (also Juhannus) is full of magic and you can do all sorts of different things to make sure you'll dreams will come true. You can eg collect 9 different flowers and bury them under your pillow and you will definitely dream of the one you are going to marry... I don't collect flowers. Yes, you guessed already. So I will put pieces of nine different yarns under my pillow to make sure I keep seeing yarn and projects for the rest of the year. (I will include a piece of wire there too just to make sure my computer will function and will keep bringing the inspiration on the screen in the future as well!)

(Some of you have been wondering about the amount of light... It is a bit difficult to keep the hours straight during Midsummer with all this day light... I stay up late and then wake up at five in the morning wanting to get up, but sooner or later comes a time that you have to catch up on all that lost sleep.)

A while ago I joined this:
It is a knitalong hosted by Dave from Cabin Cove. I am looking forward for some mitten knitting.

And I have these socks for the Bennet sisters to complete. And I think there are still few other things needing few stitches...

But I'm off on Sunday. I'm going to Iceland to spend some quality time with knitters from far and not so far. It is time for the annual Nordic Knitting Symposium. It will last for one whole week... I feel already very inspired. I will be back Monday the 3rd but allow me few days for settling back home before I blog again.

I wish you all a very happy Midsummer!

PS. dianes asked me about the embroidery: "A bit off-topic, but would you describe how you do your embroidery on those socks and mittens? What kind of yarn/floss do you use? What stitches do you use? Do you follow patterns or make up as you go along? It's just so nice looking and I would like to try some."

I can use wool or silk or cotton or even linen depending on the project. Mostly wool on wool. Most of the wool for embroidery I have bought from www.naturaldyeing.co.uk. And the stitches, hmmm... that depends on the motif, sometimes chain stitches, satin stitches, blanket stitches... Most of the patterns I make up. But there is plenty of inspiration around like lots of beautiful embroidery books.

PPS. If you have missed the Finnish lessons, the little bird is nesting and so off the teaching at the moment. And the dogs and the cat are all on holidays also. But they will all be back... Like me, in two weeks.

27 comments:

  1. Anonymous20:27

    Lene,
    Thanks for telling us about Midsummer! That green is LOVELY! I hope you enjoy Iceland and the knitting.
    Margie from Maryland

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  2. Thank you for the tips and suggestions. Emobroidery was never one of my favorite needlecrafts, but it looks like that is going to change in the near future!

    The symposium in Iceland sounds wonderful. I'm looking forward to hearing about what inspired you when you get back.

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  3. I will miss your blogging. I love the green but you are right - green is a very hard color. In the bonus features for "Lord of the Rings" the costume designer told of how she had her staff do (I forget the exact number) a hundred or more swatches before she found the right one for Arwen's dress at the coronation. Enjoy Iceland!

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  4. Anonymous21:07

    Have a lovely time in Iceland! And, please, a looong report on all the lectures you attended, and lessons you took!

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  5. Have a wonderful time!
    That green is lovely, and will hopefully brighten your days when the light is not so strong. I have red hair and fair skin, so darker greens are always good on me. That fantastic spring green looks terrible on me, though, to my great sadness!

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  6. Anonymous22:40

    My grandmother taught me how to embroider. When I married last year, I wanted to give embroidered handkerchiefs to my mother and my future mother-in-law as thank you presents for all they have done, not just with the wedding, but over the years. The local smocking shop knew of a woman who could do it (I was, after all, in the throes of crazy wedding planning) but her prices were exorbitant. A good friend gave me some iron-on patterns and I finished embroidering their initials on their handkerchiefs two nights before the wedding. Although my grandmother passed many years ago, her presence was there, thanks to the skill she thoughtfully shared with me.

    Sorry this is so long! I'll miss reading your blog while you're gone. Have fun! Buy yarn!!!

    elizabeth

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  7. Anonymous22:52

    I will miss your blogging. Hope you have a wonderful time and come back refreshed and inspired.

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  8. Lene, enjoy your visit to Iceland and the symposium!
    The new green is so fresh and new, so very promising... it is one of my favourite shades of green -- although my always-favourite colour is blue, I find so much green in my closet these days that one wouldn't know it.
    - Eden from Canada

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  9. Anonymous23:40

    I'm in the north of Scotland where it hardly gets dark at this time of year... it would be lovely to visit Finland where it doesn't get dark at all for a whole 3 or 4 weeks. I can see it would play havoc with your sleep patterns... like a month of jet-lag!

    Have a great time in Iceland!

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  10. Anonymous23:49

    Hi Lene, Sorry for my ignorance but what is the nordic knitting symposium? Can anyone go or is it invite only...... Can you please provide me with a link so I can get more information. I am probably too late for this year but I would love to make plans for next year. I am a knitter from Stonehaven in Scotland and week away knitting with like minded soles would be heaven. Thanks Susan x

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  11. How wonderful going off to knit, have a great time with all those knitters.

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  12. Have a wonderful time in Iceland! I love the green cardigan and I also love the soothing sound and feel of stockinette stitch from time to time. There is a time for complicated and intriguing patterns and a time for sheer simplicity! See you when you return!

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  13. I just cast on with Froehlich in a lovely shade of green for some socks.

    Have a safe trip and enjoy the symposium. We'll look forward to hearing all about it when you return. Hope the little bird is soaking up the sun.

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  14. I love that shade of green, it's lively and yet soothing.

    Oh, how wonderful it sounds to spend a week in Iceland with knitting friends. Hope you're able to stock up on sleep these next couple of nights.

    Embroidery was the first handcraft I learned. My mom taught me to embroider pillow cases when I was six. That was the only kind of needlework she enjoyed doing. I haden't thought of embroidery for years until I started spinning very fine silk threads last fall.

    May your dreams of yarns, colors and patterns be rich and true!

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  15. Have a wonderful time at the symposium. I really enjoy reading your blog, and look forward to reading about your trip. Love the green!

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  16. I can't wait to hear about Iceland, have a wonderful time!

    And enjoy your incredible summer months!

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  17. Anonymous17:23

    that is a beautiful, fresh green, indeed! i love that particular color, though all greens are wonderful to me! have a good time (i am jealous of your trip—i wish i could go)!

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  18. Anonymous19:07

    I love the green! Green is my favorite color and blue probably my second and then purple. I have been so busy and hadn't visited your blog in awhile and was so glad to see all the wonderful things you've finished knitting!

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  19. Anonymous13:54

    Have a great time in Iceland! It's a wonderful place, you know ;-) (just came back from there and feeling it was a too short visit!)

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  20. That is truly a beautiful new-leaves-just-opening sort of green. It reminds me of the colour of new copper beech leaves, before they turn copper (!).

    Can I add my request for information on the Nordic Knitting Symposium, please?

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  21. Anonymous22:14

    Lene, I, too, love your embroidery. Can you recommend a good beginning embroidery book for a knitter who would like to use embroidery on knitted things? I never had the urge to do that until I saw your beautiful designs.

    Sheila in Boston

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  22. Anonymous05:10

    Hi Lene, I hope you have a great time at the Nordic Knitting Symposium. I hope its not too late for you to get this comment before you leave. Can't wait for your first post when you return! (after a rest, of course.)

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  23. Anonymous06:26

    lene, i keep forgetting to ask you where you found the book , three-corner and long shawls, that the hyrna is made from?
    obviously, since you read my blog, you know i cannot resist anything lacy and i have seen several shawls from that book that are enticing!

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  24. Anonymous13:07

    hi !

    I discovered you blog yesterday and nearlly turned all the pages (I must admit I especially watched the pictures !).
    I LOVE everything (shapes, colors, traditionnal designs...)...but I'm especially fond of your knitted animals and socks (I'll try to do my first ones this summer !).
    I'm really impressed and for sure, I'll come back here !
    Have a good sunday !

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  25. Iceland? How wonderful! I read this entry several days ago, when posted, but keep coming back to look at your greenery. Such beautiful work! I can't wait to see what you bring back from Iceland. :)

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  26. I sure hope you are enjoying your trip.. sounds wonderful. I just love that green. I am using a similar green to knit a sweater for fall.. need to get busy and make some progress on it!

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  27. I didn't know what my next project was going to be until I saw your beautiful shawl. Have a great time in Iceland.

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