Friday, January 05, 2018

Happy New Year!


... and thank you for the past year! Thank you for reading and commenting, I love to share my crafts with you.

Yesterday, while cleaning away some of the Christmas stuff, I could not help myself but already skipped ahead in my mind towards the spring. Then I counted all the weeks until spring and realized how long the wait would be if I started thinking of the spring already – the snow won’t be gone before April if we are lucky, not before May if not so lucky. I would then miss these beautiful, deep winter months, that are the best months for all wool related crafts and the best months for reading. It is dark and cold outside for most of the time, everything is covered with deep piles of snow, what could be better than just savor the best this season has to offer; taking it slowly and quietly, like people naturally tend to do when it is dark. Making noise in darkness seams such a disturbance and while moving in dim places, it is good advice to watch your step and stop hurrying. January is a long month with all its 31 days; many books can be read, and a few wool skeins turned into usable things.
My knitting transition to the new year was smooth, as there were/are socks on the needles, the one for the left foot was knitted last year and the one for the right foot was cast on on New Year’s Day and is getting done soon. But then... Little Ruusu has health issues (her eyes) and needs special attention and lots of love and care. This, of course, affects me a lot and makes it difficult to concentrate on anything (it is as if I need to channel all my strength into her well-being and making her feel better, there remaining no room for anything else). This is also the reason why I have not been here before. It is so worrying to look at the furry face and see that the usually twinkling eyes are not bright and playful. Poor little girl.
Yarn: Luonnotar by Louhittaren Luola
100 % Merino wool, 400m/100g - I am not sure of the color, maybe Rakkaus or Unikko
The beige yarn is old sock yarn from the stash
Hook 2,5mm

I was thinking about my crafting life during the last days of 2017. Not too serious, not to make resolutions, more in a manner of what I would love to do this year.

I ordered two books few days ago, both by Marie Wallin, books about her crochet designs. The first one was Winter Crochet and the second one Filigree Crochet. Both books have interesting and lovely designs and the ones that motivate me are done using both knitting and crochet. I am not sure which design I am going to do first and if I am going to do one.

I trust I can find the urge to redo something old into new wearable garment. The mending movement is most exciting, and I have few jeans that I could try to add patches to. Hopefully there are some woolly creatures too in 2018. I will need to arrange, organize, all my stash of books, fabrics, threads, yarns and get rid of the things I don’t care for. For this last one I hope I can give lots of time, as my stash is very good and inspiring, has been gathered in moments of deep vision, determination. I hope I can remember while I sort, what it was that made me to buy some things in the first place and maybe rekindle the enthusiasm.

I was looking for buttons for my daughter’s coat, while she was here for the holidays. She had lost one and we had to figure out how to rearrange the buttons, because they were lovely, and we did not want to change all of them. We came into a good conclusion but while at it, I dived deep into my button collection, which is quite moderate (shallow) compared to the other stuff that I have, and found these buttons by Prym.
I wanted to make something then and there with the buttons, and I ended up making these fingerless mittens (my pattern, well… there is no pattern). The beautiful, saturated red yarn had been calling me on my desk for some time and what better time than Christmas to cast on with it. Of course, one pair was not enough, I had to make another and correct few mistakes for the second pair. These browns I absolutely love because of the button fabric. Both done by crochet, which does not stop to delight me.
Crochet has many different stitch patterns and it can be made into so many different things. These mitts are done by making double crochet stitches (Am.) alternating into the front and back posts. This produces a squishy and stretchy fabric. I must get back into making swatches with crochet, as there is no other way to know, how the fabric feels, no other way to learn which of the stitches work best for various tasks.
Yarn: Highland Wool by Hjertegarn
100% wool 180m/100g color 294
Spinni by Isager color 46S
100%wool 600m/100g held double
Hook 2mm

Brand new year ahead, a year full of possibilities. I wish if only I could take it one day at a time, savoring all the hours, let the hours stretch into days, weeks and months, realizing all the opportunities this new year brings along. I will go and add few pieces of wood into the fire, quietly not to disturb Ruusu, who seems to be calm and sound asleep.

Wool with You in 2018,
Lene

12 comments:

  1. Happy New Year! enjoy these winter months of hibernation - so perfect (as you say) for knitting/crocheting, reading, etc. Sending healing wishes to Ruusu. We are in the midst of a deep freeze in eastern PA.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nancy01:49

    I love your posts, Lene. They feed my creative soul! Thank you for sharing with all of us. Wishing you and your family health and blessings in the new year.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely mitts! I hope Ruusu is feeling better soon.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Lene from Manhattan NYC - Your kittens and dollhouse are fabulous! I love reading your blog and really liked the December daily post! The dollhouse is just wonderful! As are all the things you make. it is an inspiration, not "showing off!" so lovely! Wishing you and your entire family a wonderful year!
    Marni from Manhattan

    ReplyDelete
  5. A very happy New Year to you and yours, LeneI I hope Ruusu is soon feeling better.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy New Year, Lene! Your mitts are lovely, especially the red one.
    Miss seeing your daily posts. They were my Advent calendar!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous17:54

    Ah, here you are again. Lovely, lovely posts. It is such a gift to come here and find your writings and your photos. Much joy to you this new year. May your little animal's eyes come back to sparkling.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy New Year, Lene! Coming here and seeing your gorgeous work is such bliss - thank you for all the inspiration! I hope little Ruusu will be well again soon.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous16:31

    Happy New Year from Michigan! Sending warm get well wishes to Ruusu.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful mitts. I love the detail and the contrast.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for your thoughts. I want you to know that I (and many others) read and don’t comment. We enjoy our glimpse into deep winter.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lene,

    tulin piipahtamaan 'ruokatauolla' pitkästä aikaa. Olisinpa tiennyt, että sulla oli joulukalenteri täällä, olisin voinut ilahduttaa itseäni joka päivä ennen joulua. Voi kuinka iloinen, veikeä ja taitavasti tehty on tuo jouluinen nukkekoti. Ihana, että saitte kaikki tytötkin kotiin.
    Ajatuksissani olen kirjoittanut sinulle ainakin kortteja. Hyvää vuoden jatkoa teille kaikille!

    ReplyDelete