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100 years of Independence

~ Milla Kuuskoski ~ Leave a comment

Next year, 2017, we will celebrate the 100th year of independency in Finland.

To celebrate our beautiful country, in my region, they are giving a knit sweater for each of the babies born in the regional hospital. I’m taking my part in this process and I’m knitting one sweater to donate to the hospital.

I love the idea, that all the babies have something to remember when they are adults, something from the year when they were born, which is in the same time really remarkable year for all of us Finnish people.

Sweater is really simple to make, so pretty much anyone can do it. Everyone who’s ever held a knitting needles, is able to do this one, at least with bit of guidance from someone more advanced knitter.

I will add photo of my version when I’m finished, I’m already done over 50% of it so it will be ready soon! I’m knitting it from Drops Baby Merino, which is so soft and cuddly yarn!

This sweater will be nice addition to the hats and gloves they are already giving, in the Satakunta regional hospital,to newborns to take home with, all made by enthusiastic knitters and crocheters in Satakunta region, who donate their makings to the hospital!

Earlier this year, they had a campaign in whole Finland, when there was numerous of “safety octopus” donated to the hospitals to give to the premies to “play” with, to avoid them pulling the cords and hoses they are attached to.

So small, simple things we crafters can do with our hands, can help and make people happy easily.

Yarn spinning

~ Milla Kuuskoski ~ 2 Comments

I’ve wanted to learn how to spin my own yarn as long as I can remember. I remember myself spinning my grandmoms spinning wheel, which was used only as decoration, and I loved seeing the wheel spin fast and the feel of the pedal under my foot. Nobody in my family knows how to spin, so there was nobody to teach, so it took years before I got the spark and started to learn the art of spinning. Thanks to modern technology and YouTube!

Kiikkalainen
I bought my first wheel a year ago. Over 100 year old fella, Finnish “Kiikkalainen”. He is really charming but has his own squeaks and tricks… He was in fine condition when I got him, you could see that he’s been kept in warm and neat place, only a bit dust on but otherwise nothing wrong.

So, with much determination, I started to learn how to use the spinning wheel. Well… the start wasn’t easy. You couldn’t even pedal this spinning wheel slow enough to be able to feed the wool fast enough. Tried to spin every now and then, and then again longer pause after getting really frustrated…

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But since I was really determined, I was following a Finnish spinning group in Ravelry and decided to order a spindle so I could learn with slower pace how to feed the wool. Found pretty looking top weighed spindle from Etsy. And day after that, I found a modern spinning wheel cheaply from the spinning group group, just when I had given up the idea, that I will learn spinning with spinning wheel.

So last Tuesday, I came home with Ashford Joy 2 spinning wheel. Oh boy, how easy the spinning felt! So effortless and easy… It’s great that it fits to small space, since there’s not that much extra room in our apartment and it is really silent and looks nice to me.
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So, now I’ve got 2 spinning wheels and one spindle to use. And wool. I’ve got many kilos of Finn lamb wool! Raw wool, straight from the sheep owners! In many colors too, and since I wanted to learn the whole process of making the yarn from the wool, I bought new hand carders too.

Villaa

All this wool processing is so relaxing and fun! Love the feel of the wool in my hands and love to see how it transforms from a “lump” of wool first to fluffy batch to be spun and then to yarn!

Hopefully soon I can show you something I’ve made using the yarn I’ve spun!

New craft hobby – weaving

~ Milla Kuuskoski ~ Leave a comment

So I started in the local education centers weaving group couple of weeks ago. I’ve been wanting to learn how to use the loom and weave rugs and other stuff. Didn’t actually even think how wide are the possibilities, until I started searching through stuff around internet.

But, I will start from the basics: how to make a warp in to looms (and please, correct me if the vocabulary I use is wrong) and how to weave a rug. Last week helped couple of ladies to make a warp in their rugs, and this week is turn to make a warp for my rug!

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Already bought the weft for the rug, orange and brown tricot weft and from the weaving room, since they have loads of leftover fabric wefts there. So gonna be orange, brown white rug! Can’t wait until wednesday, so I can make the warp and next week finally start weaving!

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Crochet light ball

~ Milla Kuuskoski ~ 29 Comments

This time, going to write in English.

Saw a photo of the light ball in one of the Finnish crochet groups a while ago, and I really wanted to make one for myself for Christmas.

crochet-light-ball

It is really easy to do, simple crocheted doilys connected together and then dipped in to the glue, and blow the balloon inside, let it dry!

I found the pattern from one of the Finnish blogs, Nean omat, where the written pattern in Finnish can be found. I’m gonna translate it here in english, but you can find the graphical instructions also from here!

What you need:

-Cotton yarn, thicker the yarn, bigger the ball
-1 regular size balloon
-Woodglue, or any other glue that uses water as thinner
-A bowl where to make the mixture of the glue and water

The crochet light ball

(US crochet terms)

  1. Chain 8 and connect to a loop with one slip stitch
  2. *2 double crochets in the same stitch, chain 5*, repeat until you have 8 double crochet groups
  3. Move to the middle of the chain with slip stitches, * Chain 7, connect with single crochet to the middle of the arch of the chain stitches*, repeat around
  4. In the arch do * 1 single crochet, 2 half double crochets, 3 double crochets, chain 3, 3 double crochets, 2 half double crochets, 1 single crochet* and repeat around, in each of the chain stitch arches
  5. Move to the middle of chain stitch arch with slip stitches, *Chain 11, join to the peak of the arch with single crochet* repeat around
  6. Chain 3 ( = 1 double crochet), make 14 double crochets in to the first arch, then make 15 double crochets in to each of following arches.
  7. *Chain 3, make 11 double crochets starting from the 3rd stitch, chain 3, join with single crochet between of the two double crochets (first and last of the groups) on the round 6* repeat around
  8. Slip stitch to the arch of chain stitches, *chain 3, 7 double crochets starting from the 3rd stitch, chain 3, join with single crochet in the arch of chains on the round 7, chain 3, single crochet to the arch* repeat around
  9. Slip stich to the arch of chains *chain 3, 3 double crochets starting from the 3rd stitch, chain 3, single crochet to the arch, chain 3, single crochet to the arch, chain 3, single stitch to the arch* repeat around
  10. Slip stitch to the arch of chains, *chain 3, single crochet* to the each of the arches and in the middle stich of the double crochet group on the round 9

Make two of these doilys. Then connect those two together.

Valopallo, osat yhdistetty
Doilys joined together

Mix 50% of glue and 50% of water on a bowl and dip the joined doilys in the mixture. Squeeze it in there, so the glue gets absorbed in to the yarn well. Then squeeze off the excess water-glue mixture.

Slip the balloon between the doilys from one of the biggest holes. Blow the balloon until the doilys are tightly around it and it’s shaped perfectly round. You can also adjust the shape a bit by pressing the ball with hands.

Valopallo, kuivumassa
The light ball drying

Let it dry at least a day, or until it feels completely dry. Then pop the balloon, and take it out. And tadaa, your beautiful ball is ready!

Remember to use non-heating lamps (I prefer led’s) inside to avoid the ball catching the fire!

Edit 21.12 2017: Wanna crochet different kind of light ball? See my new pattern Tapio light ball!

Welcome!

~ Milla Kuuskoski ~ Leave a comment

Decided to start the blog of my own, after reading many of other blogs about crafts.

I spun the first yarnlike thing with my old finnish spinning wheel

I crochet and knit mostly, but also started to learn how to spin yarn with old Finnish spinning wheel. I’d like to learn more woodcrafts too, and I’ve already made living room table for myself. Lot to learn, and so little free time to do so.

Fingerless gloves

I’m also going to write here in Finnish too, since my plan is to translate some patterns to finnish users, and I’m already under my way on publishing the first one.

Hopefully you enjoy your trip in my craft world!