Ravenhill

Funky retro crochet

A couple of months ago I told you I was going to do some crochet.

Since promising to show you what I have completed, it is about time I show these to you.

I used baby yarn of several different types, mostly leftovers from previous projects.

I would love to have a stash of yarn in every color possible...

One of the little crochet flowers ended up on this mushroom. I like the retro funky look it has. I just listed a few mushrooms in my shop today.

Before I dash off to get ready for the day I wanted to share a nice feature with you. Rasa let me know that she had included my bird bag in her blog post. It is rather dreary here today with rain and clouds. The last week of summer vacation is proving disappointing weather-wise. I am cutting out new dolls and that will keep me busy and happy.

An Outing! Sunday Markets in Oslo

 

Today I was at the uber hip Blå in Oslo. The cafe by Akerselva was a nice spot to sip a cold drink and have a bite to eat on this gorgeous summery day. The cafe wasn't the reason why I came though...

On Sundays Blå, which is normally a nightclub, opens its doors to crafters and vintage peddlers to sell their goods, both indoors and out. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet 3 incredibly talented fellow-sewers and bloggers from the area. The first one I happened upon was Kathrin and we had such a great chat. I really love the colors she uses, especially the heart above.

Not only are the colors she uses deligthful, but her attention to the fine details make her work so special.

Even in the beginning of summer, we are always thinking about the approach of winter here in these northern parts. These hats would really be pretty and cozy come winter. If you want to see more of her wares you might like to have a look at her Epla shop.

The next wonderful stand was retro heaven. Gunn (I just recently discovered her blog and she was what inspired my outing to Blå) has the most fabulous retro fabric stash and she comes up with incredible things with them. I am kicking myself for spending all my time chatting and no time taking photos of her stand. When I finally got around to taking a shot, the table was completely surrounded and it was impossible to take a decent photo. You will just have to drop by her blog and shop to see what she makes.

She didn't have a stand at Blå, but I also met Ida Victoria who also has an enviable supply of vintage retro fabrics. She keeps very busy keeping her Epla shop stocked as things seem to fly off the shelves!

I also took a little trip to Birkelund Sunday market.

Isn't this a beauty? I don't fancy cranking though.

I saw a lot of junk, but this sofa was my cup of tea.

Speaking of tea...

As far as textiles went this used market was a bitter disappointment. My shelves are groaning under the weight of all my current fabrics though so maybe it was best I just browsed?

Hopefully there will be other thrifty or inspiring outings again soon. Thank you so much for coming along!
  

A new technique to learn...

I had never heard of shepards knitting before I came across it at the Norsk Folkemuseum.

In Norwegian it is called pjoning and the I picked up this little instruction pamphlet at the museum as well as the hook in brass. Here's a better look at the hook:

 

I like how shiny and pretty it looks. Shepherd's knitting is also known as panting, gobelinstitch, or Bosnian crochet. I sure want to make these mittens. They look so unusal and very warm with the rather thick stitches that the hook makes. 

These mittens are super cool looking.

Drops has a free mitten pattern in Norwegian here, but if English would be better here it is for you! Drops is a paradise of free patterns for knitters and crocheters alike. Here are all the free patterns for the fall and winter season 2009/2010.

If you are interested in reading more about pjoning, this is a wonderful resource!

I hope you have a great weekend! After writing this post I am going to sit down with a cup of tea and my pjoning hook.

 

Lacy garland

I have realized that you can't have too many doilies stockpiled in your stash. I can't get enough of the pureness and simplicity of it coupled with the beige linen.

This garland is among the many new items I have stocked my shop with today. Lucky for me flea market season is right around the corner so that I can hopefully replenish my dwindling stash of doilies. I took upteen photos of this bunting with my new camera and there weren't many good photos in the bunch. Although it can be frustrating, learning something new is so much fun!

Now that I have a new camera both children have cameras to use. This is my old one which I loved but that stopped focusing properly about half the time I tried to take a macro. My little one is loving being able to use it. The third camera we have is one that is really drop-proof and water-proof. You can clearly see how my little one takes after me in liking to be behind the lense.

Knitted, crocheted, read and sewn

I made a really cute hat (pattern by Knitwhits) for Lilly a few years ago and she wore it for two winters. It was her favorite and she actually didn't really want to wear anything but that one hat. So when it became too small at the end of last winter I knew what I had to do.

 

This new version I made from leftover alpaca yarn. Funny how it was nearly the exact same colors as the original hat. I also crocheted the flowered scarf for her. You know another funny thing? Her smile here reminds me so incredibly much of my close friend from college, Brita.

Look what came in the mail yesterday!

The very first issue of the new UK sewing magazine Sew Hip. You can order a subscription on line like I did too.

I have followed the editor, Manda's wonderfully personal and inspiring blog through her last pregnancy and it is cool to see her take her talents to new heights as editor of this delightful sewing magazine. With interviews of crafty blogger Alicia Paulson and designer Amy Butler it made for interesting reading.

Aren't these wonderful patterns from Alicia Paulson?

 

I think I will make a pair of these for Lilly next summer in some pretty and airy fabric.

 

This is one cute little kitty pattern from Lucky Kate Crafts! I would really like to make a few of these for stocking stuffers.

I have been keeping busy though lately trying to stock up enough dolls for the holiday shoppers! Mor (sorry, just sold), Lillemor  and Emma (sorry,  she is sold) are waiting in the shop for someone to play with.

 

Stine is also made with Japanese fabrics, but this time one of my favorite Quilt Gate prints.

Anna has started a new blog and I am among the first featured there if you would like to take a look. I would also love for you to see the treasury I made. Mainly it is full of items from Etsy shops from Europe.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend! We are enjoying beautiful fall days and went to a flea market this morning. I will show you some of my finds soon!

 

More Japanese crafting madness!

Before I treat you to a peek of my favorite pages from another Japanese crafting magazine here are a few summer photos of my children for my Mom who is getting ready for her trip to visit us, for my dear brother who never fails to make me laugh at his sharp wit and who has a birthday today, and for my dad whom I know wishes to see his grandchildren more often if only they weren't so far away!

Isn't she is bright eyed and bushy tailed? She loves trying out new funny faces.

Blueberry picking is high up on the kid's lists of fun summertime activities. Big brother really loves it.

Discoveries abound this time of year. He would really love a pet but due to allergies most things are out. Maybe a moth?

I don't need a pet but I can't get enough Japanese craft books. This Cotton Time No. 76 is the first of two I will show you from my swap from Jan (Thank you again!).

The simple, country feel appeals to me. The little bunny is so dear.

Always fun to see a fresh version of a bag or pincushion.

Love the idea of the patchwork floor mat.

I want to make a needle case like the one in the right hand corner with a place for my scissors.

I adore everything on this page! I have more photos from this magazine on Flickr.

I wanted to thank Jo, Kay, and Nathalie for being so kind as to let me know that my mama and baby were featured on Etsy's Front Page today!

Haldis, on the right, is my newest addition to my shop. Some of these Amy Butler Midwest Modern fabrics were a kind gift from my good friend Anne Katrine. We are always sharing fabrics with eachother!

May Take it Further embroidery

Here is my contribution to the May Take it Further Challenge. I opted for the color scheme as usual.



I guess the blue isn't an exact match, but that is the closest I had in my floss stash.


I used cotton mouliné embroidery floss on linen fabric.
I rather like how the tan linen muted the effects of the colors. They would have really popped out on the white which I was considering using.


I went to one of the final flea markets of the spring season yesterday. The haul: this lovely stack of doilies.


I also got this fun children's fabric with all sorts of whimsical creatures.


I just this cute animal fabric. I would love to make a book bag with it.


My dear friend Anne Katrine gave me this wonderful vintage apron! Her mother had used it when Anne was a girl. The fabric is so well preserved - just as bright and pretty as can be!

I hope that it has been a nice weekend for you. Norway is HOT!

A sweater for Mommy

My husband helped me put the Etsy link on the side bar. It even took HIM awhile to figure it out. I shudder to think how long it would have taken me had I not had his loving assistance! He is also assisting me today by taking the kids to the pool so I can do some work here at home.

I am weeks behind in all my correspondance. I am so sorry to be so slow to answer your questions and thank you for all the wonderful words of encouragement you have given me. You can see by my shop that your continually support is really a help!

Today the shop is full of babushkas On Monday I sold out the remaining babushkas in the shop: Ingrid, Iselin, Anniken, Liselotta and Torill! Right now you have a chance to get two or three dolls together in the same series. I have to say I really love how they look grouped together.

I have been dying to show you the sweater I am working on! Here is a bit of the second sleeve - yes - the first one is done already.

I bought the book, Maskeball by Tine Solheim, with my birthday money (Thank you to my in-laws!) I never would have bought the book with my own money because it was pricey, but I found it absolutely gorgeous and saw many things I wanted to make. Here you can buy knitwear designed by Trine and it is in English!

Here is the one I am working on, for myself! I haven't made myself a sweater since before I had kids.

I would love to make this one too.

Aren't the crochet edges on this pink number lovely?

It would be a fantastic challenge to try to crochet a sweater like this, especially because I only know a couple of stitches and I don't really know how to read crochet patterns.

Swap with Mai in Finland

When I saw her adorable Russian doll softies, I asked Mai if she wanted to do a swap with me. She said yes and last week I received not one but three beautifully handmade dolls. Thank you dear Mai for such kindness. Lilly has been lining them up with the ones I have made and with the wooden nesting dolls.

I adore all the little details. Mai has taken such care and time in making these for me (and Lilly).

All the hand stiching and embroidery really makes her dolls so special. Another detail that makes these dolls so nice is that they can stand on their own. The bottom of the dolls are made so that stand up without any support.

I assure you Mai that the dolls are blissfully happy here in Lilly's little brood. I get so happy every time I see one on tucked into bed with Lilly or in her stroller being pushed around. Then I think of my blog friend and how sweet she was to send those to us. I hope that she will be patient as a package will be coming her way soon.

I won!

I love to enter contests and give aways and do so freqently but seldom win. This time I really got lucky! Look what I won from Fio d'art in Portugal!

They were in a handmade package with cute red and white polkadotted fabric. She sent a cute card with a sweet little note. It was so fun to recieve and such a surprise to get so many nice treats along with the prize! 

I have been busy getting a couple of packages ready to send and they are in the mail! The first is a local swap in Norway with Merete, a Norwegian blogger who inspires me with her use of color and pattern in her beautiful quilts. She is getting some kimono silk and I look forward to seeing what she will surprise me with in return!

The other package is going all the way to Japan! I thought I would give a sneak peek at what I am sending to Jan. Do check out all of the cute fabric fish she has made! What fun to get to know Jan who is of Norwegian ancestry but has never been to Norway! I am sending her some crafting treasures and surprises from Norway! Here are a few of them.

Jan and I both love embroidery. So she is going to get some vintage embroidery pieces from me; a handkercheif, a couple of small table centerpieces, a small tablecloth, and a wall hanging. A few of them were very hard to part with...

This is kind of a surprise. I hope she likes it!

Jan loves pewter/silver buttons so she'll be getting these.

Then there is the fabric! Cottons galore. Every one of them vintage or newer Norwegian cotton!

What will Jan make? I love seeing her quilts done with the beautiful Japanese cottons.

I wonder what she will think of the Scandinavian designs?

Blogging is so much fun! I had no idea I would meet so many wonderful people.

Company

Lilly's friend Josefine came over to play! My wonderful friend Anne Katrine, whom I have mentioned before as an expert quilter, adopted her this summer. She was just adorable in the hat that I had made for her as a present.

She seems to thrive in Norway with her new family. Hasn't been sick a single day so far and learned to walk and talk at record speed. Lilly adores visits with her. Sebastian plays with Josefine's big brother, Jakob. They move too fast to get photographed!

Scarf for my husbands's Grandmother

I asked my Grandmother-in-law if she would like something handmade for Christmas. She requested a red scarf to go with her white coat. At 84 she is still a vamp and I hope she will like this scarf I have crocheted for her. Most of the scarf is crochet in pure wool but for the ruffly edges I have used alpaca for some extra softness.

The flowers are simply a long chain and then double crocheted two times into the same stitch on the way back. When you have doble crocheted twice in each of the chain stitches then break off a fairly long end and sew into a flower. I used an invisible thread to sew them onto the scarf.

I am not the only industrious little elf in our house. My little ones can either be found outdoors sledding on the 1/2 inch of snow we have on the ground (Yippee for snow!!! A half inch is about all you need when you are determined to sled! It also makes these shortest days of winter seem ever so much brighter!) or inside doing some project or another. One favorite seasonal game is pretenting to be santa and giving out presents or stockings. I think I got 3 stockings and 3 gifts today!

Another fun activity (mind you also a bit dangerous - my mom really hates this one) is dripping candles. Sebastian and Lilly can sit in deep concentration for ages making countless wax ornaments.

All you need are long candles of various colors, a glass of water, a lighter or matches. Please keep a bucket of water, a blanket, and an adult handy just in case something should light on fire. (Seriously, an adult needs to be right there at all times - just like when the kids go swimming.) Light a candle and drip it onto the water. A fine layer of wax will quickly form. You can use different colors to make unique designs. When the wax is the desired thickness allow it to cool slightly and then remove. Poke a hole in the wax with a needle twisting carefully. String up the ornament and hang in a sunny window!

I HEART Christmas decorations Turorial

You have already seen that I dare to cut things up; be it a vintage kimono, tablecloth or here a Norwegian sweater. This sweater is one of the most traditional Norwegian patterns.

What I did: tossed one of my thrifted sweaters (needless to say, it was in poor shape!) into the washing machine on 40C with some gentle detergent in a zippered pillowcase (to prevent the lint from the sweater from getting into and clogging my machine.) When it came out it seemed suitably felted. I knew it was felted enough as the fibers had matted together and the sweater had shrunk considerably. I let it dry flat.

I made a heart pattern by folding a sheet of paper in half and drawing a half heart on the fold, making it a bit bigger than I wanted the finished heart to be (seam allowance). I cut around it. I held the pattern in place over the felted wool (right side up) getting the heart lined up nicely with the sweater design. Then I cut around the paper using my rotary cutter. Watch those fingers! As you can see, after cutting out a few my rotary cutting mat looks like it has grown fur!

When I had a front and back cut out I pinned them together with right sides facing. I sewed the hearts together using a matching colored thread and leaving an opening on the straight edge near the tip for turning and stuffing the heart. Note that some felted sweaters might be too thick to sew together on the machine. I tried one that wouldn't fit under the presser foot, despite me adjusting the machine to free hand sewing. These sweater hearts are so nice though becuase they have some real stretch to them. The hearts turn out looking much more perfect than when you use fabric.

Next I turned the heart right side out and stuffed it pretty full. I sewed up the opening by hand using matching thread.

Now is the fun part! You get to decide what trim and decorations you will use! I used a loop of ribbon which I sewed on and then hid my stitches with the other trim: flowers or bows.  On these I used red satin ribbon and crochet alpaca flowers.  These are fantasy flowers, intentionally asymetrical and with  raggedy edges the way I like them.
Someone more clever than me would likely sew the loop on when sewing up the heart. I figured that out afterwards...

An idea is to make a larger heart with the felted sweater, omit the loop, and make it a sweater pillow! It is a great way to get more use out of a sweater that has shrunk or become outgrwown.

Here are some I made more Christmas decorations with bells and green ribbons.

If you would like to see another cut-up felted sweater turned into something new and useful, click here.

More gifts received!

I am afraid I have been very slow to show you the other gifts I mailed off! Kristin La Flamme received hers: I actually sent her three small gifts, to thank her for the beautiful fabric post card which she sent me. Two gifts were for Kristin and and one for her daughter! The twirly scarf and kimono scraps I sent with Kristin in mind and the gloves for her little one.

You can read Kristin's lovely thank you post here.

I mailed off the other gift package with hopes that it would delight! Sheree was aslo happy to get her gifts which again she and her daughter were the recipients of. Since Sheree has an affinity for vintage notions I sent her some vintage lace and buttons. Her young girl I had noticed while doing some detective work on Sheree's blog likes fluffy accessories. I had just the thing for her! (Sheree took the photo.)

Sheree had many to thank in her post as she was literally showered with gifts, not just from me but from 3 others as well!

I went through a real stage of making felted bags. It was so satisfying as you never knew exactly how it would turn out after a round in the washing macine! This pink one was really sturdy! It was quite think and would definitely keep its shape. The flower is a broche so completly removable and useful for other purposes. Here are more felted purses I made for a Christmas Market a few years ago.

Rainy day and Christmas magazine marathon

Today is one of those dark rainy winter days when you just want to cuddle up on the sofa with something good to read. First though we had to go grocery shopping...

When we got home we found Sebastian busy on the vintage sewing machine I bought a couple of weeks ago at the last flea market of the season. He has been doing threadless stitching on paper.

Then it was time to cozy up to some magazines. Norwegian crafting update! On the top of the stack was Juleideer Familiens idébøker 2007.

   

Inside it:

 

  Next up: Bolig Pluss December issue 2007:

Aren't the ornaments pretty?

Finally, Kvinner og Klær has a special Christmas edition: Julen 2007

The biggest spread is about Tilda, created by Tone Finnanger. She is one of the recent crafty successes in Norway. This Norwegian designer has just published her 7th book and they have been translated to other languages.

 

(You still have time to post a comment on the Kimono craze and give away if you want to be in the drawing!)

First Pay it Forward gift received!

Debbie from the creative and lovely blog Homespun Living sent me such a nice thank you letter yesterday! She wanted to let me know that she had received her small Pay it Forward gift from me (and that she loved it!) I was so pleased!

This is what I sent her (plus a couple of chocolate covered caramels). Debbie is going to be announcing her Pay it forward any day now, so go on over there if you would like something from her! Her Firefly Farm Shop is stocked with handmade goodness: pretty purses and handbags, vintage goodies, knitted dishcloths, and tea cosies with handmade vintage embroidery embellishments.

(Don't forget to leave a comment on the Kimono craze and give away post if you want to enter!) Lurking is nice, but I love to hear from people stopping by!

Thanksgiving goodness

Thanksgiving makes me think of getting together with family and friends for a turkey dinner. The big bird is always accompanied by an overabundance of side dishes, sauces, pickles, jellies, etc. The pile of dishes at the end of the meal is inevitable. Which reminds me to show the small pile of cheery dish cloths I have crocheted.

We're not celebrating today, as it is a regular work day in Norway. We'll be having our turkey dinner on Saturday with some of our American friends.

Today we are making a very untradional sourkraut. It is a long story... The short version is that we are on a very limited diet due to some tummy troubles. We should be getting medicine for it any day and maybe will be able to eat more variety! We are super excited about it as we have been subsisting on veggies, meat and fish for too long to think about. So please don't expect me to show you some fancy or delicious food. We don't make it and we don't eat it. It is highly unlikely that you would want me to post any recipes either. Ok, I will stick to crafting posts.

Here she is, the tabletop chef making our sourkraut with Daddy. Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving!

Love a deadline

Sometimes you need a good challenge to get started crafting. Whip up has provided me with that! I am in. Here is my entry. The shot ended up being a bit corny but without the roses it just didn't work. My entry is a really long necklace that you can wear in a number of ways. Here I show it as a choker.

Theme: fibre & mixed media inspired jewellery

Due date: TODAY!

Materials: beads, alpaca yarn, mohair yarn, invisible thread, scissors, knitting needle, and sewing needle.

How to: Make a rope out of equal lengths of 2 strands of alpaca, 2 strands of mohiar. Attach beads, make simple crochet flower, attach to rope and bead it.

I am going to do a tutorial on the rope eventually. Because the rope is so cool! You can use it instead of I-cord to make incredibly fast felted purse handles. So, as I said, more on that later.

This project was really fun. The best part is the countless ideas the competition generates... Like I couldn't stop at one thing. I also made a small heart broche. I have been known to place more than one entry into competitions before. I have a history of entering and winning t-shirt designing competitions. First in junior high. Designed a t-shirt for the school drama troup. Then in college, designed the springfest t-shirt.

History lesson aside, I am entering whiplash for the fun of it. I need assignments sometimes to get crafting.

Anyway, this broche is mainly of vintage materials. I cut out two hearts from silk kimono lining, stuffed it and sewed it together. The peices of lace and button are recent flea market purchases . To the reverse side I sewed on a broche back.

Here is the competition info and whiplash badge. I sure wish I knew how to put it on my sidebar. Whiplash Oct/Nov thread

Happy Birthday and joyful crafting to us!

My first born celebrated his 7th birthday today! Last night though was a reminder of his younger years as he woke us up 4 times in the middle of the night: "What time is it?", "Can we get up now and open the presents?" You get the idea. Here he is opening his presents early this morning.

Sebastian is doing finger crochet. He loves orange or any wild color combos.I rejoice in his eagerness and concentration. I learned today that it wasn't his second grade teacher who taught him but one of the boys in his class!

In the photo you can also see one of my mending jobs on his pants. Sebastian loved the applique I put on Lilly's pants and brought me a couple of pairs of his hole ridden pants (holes seem to come easily to his garments). I have now added patches here and there where needed. He is a trend-setter: not every kid has tan fleece pants with a small blue velvet patch machine sewn with white zig-zag. The nifty thing about it though is the permanent impression the iron made on the fleece while I warmed up the fusible web. I love to sew for little guy because he just thought that was a great added dimension to the patch!

You have to start somewhere, right? Here is the appliqué which sparked Sebastian's interest. I put it on a pair of hand-me-down pants from my first born to youngest. I wanted to make the jeans a bit more girlish. I hated to wear jeans when I was little. Just wanted to wear dresses. Poor mom had a terrible time trying to get me into a pair of jeans. I think it wasn't until she put 5 flower iron-on patches on a pair that I finally was persuaded.

 

Happy Halloween and de-stashing!

Happy Halloween! Sebastian has learned a new skill which is proving to be ever so helpful in de-stashing my yarn supplies! I am so happy that his second grade teacher has taught them how to finger crochet! He was thrilled to show me and apparently has a competition with a buddy who can make the most chains!

 

So I have gathered up a basket of yarn together for him to use. He likes to make them really thick with 2 or more strands of thick yarn. Speed is of the essence you see! That will also use up my stash lickity split! Mainly I am happy about that as I have too many cupboards stuffed with yarn I don't know what to do with.

"New" basket for knitting/crochet/sewing projects!

My goal is to have a knitting project ready and waiting for me at all times. You never know when you will get a spare minute or two and then you will want it handy and ready to knit/crochet. I recently began buying good sized baskets at the flea markets so that I could have a pretty and handy way of storing these projects. Can you see the yarn patiently waiting?

Ok, here is what I am working on! You can just catch a peek at the one finished pair for my little one  and I am making a second pair - identical. Sounds boring maybe, repeating the same thing over again.

I also don't always have the brain capacity for figuring out a next project so doing the same thing again can be a the best thing. It also goes faster then because I have practice on that pattern.

Little flower scarf

Sometimes you want something that is more decorative than warm around your neck. It IS warm too and fuzzy (mohair). But this scarlett's claim to fame is not functionality but frivolity. Yes, a take me out sort of scarf.

This is my own design. I like it because the flower is actually a broche which pins onto the scarf. So I can detach it and pin it on my hair or a coat.

Crochet too!

For years I stumbled through crocheted edgings every time a sweater called for it. Now I certainly wouldn’t say that I have mastered crocheting, but I would say I learned to crochet a few years ago. It came in really handy when I wanted to have a project to work on while nursing my little one. I couldn’t very well knit with potentially dangerous, 2mm double-pointed needles for fear of poking the baby!

With the exhaustion and fogged up brain while nursing I took to making countless corkscrew scarves. Simple. No fear of losing my stitches. No fear of stabbing my baby. I was pleased to find something to do while lying in bed nuring. I did miss knitting though!

This Christmasy red photo shows one I gave a away for Christmas last year, made from a really fuzzy mohair.

Another twist on this scarf is made from baby alpaca and silk yarn: