Ravenhill

Eye candy only

These are the socks I am working on now, this time for me. Mom gave me the pretty yarn.

I don't have a lot to say today. I am speechless after getting the test results back from our dr. We all still have major intestinal problems despite taking strong meds to remedy it. I won't get into the details beyond that it means we are stuck on a very strict diet of incredibly dull food for who knows how long. I can't eat sweets or treats of any kind and neither can my children. So I will continue with my textile and fiber treats - ok and the occasional pretty button or two...

These came in the mail the other day from Stockintrade.

If you want some more eye-candy, visit these new blogs that I have added to my blogroll and am rather crazy about: Quilt Otaku , Oiyi's Crafts, and Mairuru. Maybe it is looking forward to my long anticipated swap package arrival from Japan that is fueling this Japanese influence?

There's some knitting going on and my first interview!

My little one is going to have warm and cozy feet in her winter boots next year! My mother, my great Aunt and I spent a few hours browsing the yarn store. I bought beautiful sock yarn in the US to make soft and non-scratchy socks to keep my little children's tootsies warm come next winter.

This first pair of silk and alpaca socks are completely finished. Lilly loves to try them on! There will be no problem getting them to wear warm footgear next winter! I had given up making them socks as they hated wool due to the itchiness. Mom took me to a wonderful yarn store in Belfast, ME which I am afraid I don't recall the name of. They had a delightful sale on sock yarn and I decided then and there to make socks my kids would want to wear!

This second pair is a Lorna's Laces yarn. It has my favorite colors when I was a little girl: pink and orange and reminds me of my favorite flavors of ice cream when I was little too: sherbet! I borrowed my mom's pretty and colorful metal needles to make these. She had extra and I was so grateful to be able to have a project to do on the plane ride home. I am getting rather addicted to making socks - they are so quick and fun to make in such luscious colors.

I was interveiwed by Kat!

Knitting WIP in the home stretch!

I am really making progress on this alpaca sweater. I am definitely going to have it ready by next fall, no problem. I had a few breaks in knitting as I was uncertain of the colors. I think I am happy with using the ones the pattern recommends after trying a few other color options.

You see 3 of the five colors in this shot. There is also a light yellow and a light purple. Now I have my eyes out for a new project. Maybe a hat for Lilly as the one she has worn the past two winters no longer covers her ears... (what a lousy mother!) She actually has a number of hats made my me that fit her to a T, but being Lilly she just wants the really PRETTY one. I can't blame her.

I have to tell you what a lovely week I am having now that everyone is absolutely healthy! Today I even had a babysitter in the afternoon so I could do a bit of sewing. She brought the kids to the farm in the rain. The kids came home wet and a bit chilly on their hands but they said they had a great time.

I am doing a shop update today! I am trying to make them in new colors. Which is your favorite color? If anyone has any color or fabric suggestions I am all ears.

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.

Saturday nite fever

It is Saturday night in Norway and I am having a rocking time: sewing and feverishly trying to make what I have planned for my shop! What better way to spend the evening? Ok, I am not feverish, but just pleasantly warm from my joy and eagerness at what I am making!
If I don't count the kids upstairs asleep I have the house all to myself, as Per Øystein (don't even try to pronounce it if you aren't Scandinavian) is at a friend's house for "game night" with the guys. I think they are going to play trivial persuit or something like that.

I wish to show you a new knitting book and many other things but the camera seems to be missing at the moment. Instead, here is a photo from last spring of Lilly's sweater hand-knit by me from a Debbie Bliss pattern.

I loved the sweater before I even had Lilly and when she was born I knew I had to make it for her. It sure was a pain of a project! There were so many places to carry the yarn, but I am so pleased with how it turned out.

Just one day left to join in on my Give Away!

Me and my boy, downtown today

Sebastian and I took the train downtown for an outing just the two of us today.

The big ferry to Denmark has long been a popular site from our train window.

I just had to go back to Purpur, my favorite flower shop in Oslo.

Going inside and seeing the pussy willows sure made it feel like springtime!

Purpur also has the lovliest gifts. These dresses are by Volt and are remade from old sweaters.

I was disappointed that Guanako wasn't open today. The yarn store being closed didn't seem to fase Sebastian in the least however. Gazing at this lovely baby sweater in the window was a delight, but the extent of my yarn shopping today.

The next shop: Skaperverket was a big hit for both of us. Sebastian had toys to look at and play with.

I had art to look at.

I looked at unusual and beautiful ceramic.

I spoke with the woman working in the shop who designed and made this Boman skirt. I was quite impressed by her work and love the leaf pattern on the skirt.

After several hours of walking and enjoying the sites downtown we returned home and relaxed all together in the hammock. Sebastian took this great picture of Lilly giggling. You can just catch a glimpse of my feet.

Now everyone is asleep and I should have gone to bed awhile ago.With my husband's promise to let me sleep in tomorrow I am staying up late working on my babushkas.

She just needs a bit of blush and she will be done.

I am trying various things, some faces are embroidered and others are painted. Some faces are cloth and others are made of felt. I am having fun with the design. These flowers appliques I have handstitched this time instead of using the machine.

Now I really do have to go to sleep.

Knitting lesson 101

I get great satisfaction in teaching any handcraft. I actually come from a line of teachers; my maternal grandmother and two of her sisters were teachers and my mother teaches basketry making, knitting and works at a Rudolf Steiner Waldorf nursery school. I just teach the neighbor children which is gratifying enough. It is wonderful watching them go from fumbling to mastery.

So I am teaching some of my favorite neighbors how to knit. Taznin and Abby (shown here) immigrated from Bangladesh to Norway with their family about a year ago. I taught Taznin to cast on and then she taught Abby. I love that  it is so easy for one person to pass the skills on to another.

Now I want to show you what I have been working on this week. I am having a ball making babushka softies!

This small project is perfect for playing with fabric colors and patterns. I have made various shapes and sizes to find one I am happy with. 

I am still working on it. It gives me the opportunity to use my Heather Bailey fabric. Want to play dolls anyone? (My husband is flying his helicopter tonight so it is only fitting that I play dolls, right?)
 

Wishing you a new year of fun and creativity!

My two little clowns found the face paints one night and had a little fun painting each other.

You can see who had the paintbrush most of the time.

I have gotten to know so many wonderful people through blogging. I want to thank all of you who have given me so much inspiration and smiles from reading your lovely comments. I really appreaciate it and I want to wish you all a marveous and fun new year!

Wishing you all a highly creative new year as well!

I made up the scarf as I went along. I used 2 strands: one of green wool and the other a colorful  yarn, Salsa, 50% cotton, 40% tactel polyamid, 10% polyamid, from Drops. If you like to knit and haven't ever seen the Drops website you should! They have oodles of knitting and crochet patterns for FREE! Even the latest ones and they are translated into many languages.

I hope that we can encourage and inspire each other in 2008!

A Scenic Christmas in Norway

Would you like to see some views from our Christmas visit to Sandefjord where we visited my parents-in-laws? My husband's parents live right by the sea. These are all views from their house. Whenever I am visiting there I find my eyes drawn to the water and the spectacular scenery.

It was crisp and wintery white for several days. Everything had the lightest covering of snow making it so very pretty.

Believe it or not, this is the position of the sun on the horizon at about midday!

Would you care for a dip? My mother-in-law takes daily swims right here nearly all year long!

The children and I spent a good deal of time with our noses to the window in delight watching the birds enjoy their Christmas feast.

We took a walk after breakfast on Christmas eve and were treated to a glorious sunrise. The weather had warmed considerably and the snow cover had turned into ice making our walk hilariously slippery!

Here you can see Sebastian exploring for rocks on the beach keeping snug all the while in the hat and mittens I made him. These are so quick and fun to make with super big needles and soft, thick wool yarn. I just made up the pattern as I went along. Amazingly enough they fit quite well!

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!

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.

Markets of Christmas past

Would you like to see some flashes from the past? I can take you on a walk down memory lane to show you the markets I have done in years past! This was my very first Christmas market which I did with good friends: Susanne (pictured here on the left) and Beate (right). Susanne and I had a few hobby evenings in which we made cards to sell. I also concocted a hot chocolate mix which turned out to be a huge seller. Homemade fudge sold well too but was so labor-intensive as to make it more trouble than it was worth. My real artistic endeavor at this point was hand-knit and felted bags.

My first bag sale!

Look at the great books and cards my artistic friend Beate made! The faces are hand painted and the hair and decorations are stitched on.

The following year I was pregnant and even busier as we had decided to do the Christmas market at the Norsk Folkemuseum.

There we are. Irmelin sold her lovely hand-crocheted jewelry and is on the left. I am on the right. Please excuse our snowsuits - we couldn't have been out in the cold for all 6 hours without being dressed for the weather. My Sebastian is the little elf in the foreground. We sold 4 types of hot chocolate, some turtle type of cookies, and several varieties of spicy or sweet almonds. The taste tests really helped to draw in the crowds and then they also took the time to see the jewelry we made and the scarves, bags and shawls that I made. It was heaps of fun and I made money too!

Want to see behind the scenes?

We didn't have a stand at any Christmas markets this year. I did get to go to the designer's Christmas market (held annually by DogA) over the weekend and I will show you you the highlights soon!

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!)

Felted mittens before and after

I adore this pattern for knitted felted mittens. You just knit them up and throw them in the washing machine with some gentle soap. They start out (before)   looking very rough and not so pretty. The after is always fluffy, slightly smaller and oh-so-soft. On this pair I tried something new: emboroidery. The blue flower is to match the hand-me-down blue snow suit Lilly has inherited from big brother! The pink is to help her fit into our society's female gender roll.

Pay it forward

I am so lucky- Jude from Spirit Cloth and what if?, a couple of my favorite blogs, is going to send me something she has made! I love her choice of color and design, not to mention pure inspiration on every visit to her site. If you haven't yet seen it you are missing out, so take a look at her amazing stitchery. Here is my first attempt at applique - greatly influenced by Jude.

Lilly loves the rough edges!

In return for the gift from Jude, I promised to pay my good fortune forward to three others. So here it is: "I will send a handmade gift to the first 3  people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise!The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog."

These three little somebunnies represent the 3 gifts but aren't the actual gifts. I sure do love this Debbie Bliss rabbit pattern, in this book, Toy Knits: More Thann 30 Irresistable and Easy-to-Knit Patterns. The simple sweater patterns are completly my own though.

I invite you to comment and the first three to comment (and promise to PIF) will each receive a mystery handmade gift from me! Aren't surprises great?!

Miss chubby cheeks

I just have to share this. This is my little one when she was just a few months old. She was snuggled up so cozily on my lap one sunny summer day when she was so new and sleepy. The blanket she has her fingers so sweetly entwined in was a gift from my dear Aunt Karen. She used to knit up the nicest gifts for everyone! Now tendonitis has ended her knitting carreer. What a shame. So be careful and give your wrists a break if they need it! By the way, Lilly got to be so chubby purely from nursing!

And check out this adorable bunny Aunt Karen made for my first born to go with the blanket! Ms. bunny has gotten a lot of use and more all the time as Lilly is even more interested in stuffed creatures than her big brother was.

   

5+++++++ hour baby sweater

Just finished! Whew! What a laugh. Why do they call it the 5 hour baby sweater when it took me about 20 and I am making it for the third time?

I made it for my little one who is 2 and a half but is size-wise about 1 and a half so used thicker yarn and needles than the pattern called for. I think this pattern is great despite my gripes about the time it took to knit it up. Another minor change I made in the pattern was to decrease slighlty on the sleeves near the cuffs. I used Debbie Bliss cashmerino superchunky yarn for this that I got at a flea market. The buttons are also thrifted so this is a sweater made with a clean conscience!

Click here for the link to the "Quick Baby Sweater" by Lorraine Major.

To Market, to market!

Today I am TREATING!

Do you love to go to Christmas craft fairs? I sure do!

(Warning: MANY PICTURES!)

Christmas is fast approaching. I need to get stared on making gifts! To help get into the spirit of things I'd like to take you along on the Folkemuseet's Christmas market!

As you enter the open air market on a dusky November afternoon the chill bites at your nose and your feet snug in your boots clip merrily on the cobblestones underfoot. You gaze up and around at the various old-fashoned houses and small buildings. You might have to push through the crouds to get a glimpse of the wares being sold at some of the stalls.

 

Many seem to do a great deal of their Christmas shopping at this market. It is a joy to be able to see so many types of lovingly hand made crafts. The artisans and/or their family typically work at the stands so you can always have a chat.

Here I am eyeing the lovely handwoven towels.

   

Many of the vendors return year after year. Like this one whom I always buy Rowan berry jelly. I find it quite distasteful but Mom considers it a Norwegian delicacy it so it's one of my traditional gifts for her.

 

Happy boy - Sebastian finding an entire stand with jams and jellies to sample! Yes, there are many things to taste! Usually sweeet goat cheeses, smoked salmon, organic apple juice, syrups, jelly, jam, cookies, and honey.

This man is offering beautiful wooden cups, bowls, plates and utensils. It is a cold job manning a stand in late November in Norway!

See the pretty dried grasses tied with a red ribbon? Norwegians buy these to decorate their gardens and feed the birds! I think this is such a nice tradition and am sure that the birds do too.

All of these shots are from a few years ago (2003) when my husband, Sebastian, and I went to the Christmas market to learn about how to set up a pretty stand of our own.  I aimed at having my own stall in 2004 (I sure did and it was  a big success - more on that in a future post).

Norwegians really know how to make beautiful handknits! It is a crime how little people make on them though considering all the hours and hours of work!

Here you see some handmade Norwegian santas.

I end this virtual tour with one last virtual treat. In some of the bags are the very traditional Norwegian "brente mandler" - the literal meaning - burned almonds. They are actually far tastier than their name implies. The almonds are roasted in sugar giving them a crunchy, caramel coating.

Not just warm and fuzzy

So much of what I do is to keep us warm: mittens, hats, scarves, etc. Practical and useful. The kids need a fresh pile of them annually, plus a new item here and there for me and my husband and then there are always gifts for family and friends.

Sometimes it is nice to make something with a little sparkle and glitter. Bracelets knit up just for fun. Something frivilous and outragous. 

 

Not that I would necessarily have anyplace or occasion to wear it to... But making it satisfies my urge for glamour! A few years ago I sold a good number of them at the Norsk Folkemuseum's annual Christmas market. More to come about that soon!

 

"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.

Thanks Mom!

Mom taught me to knit the first time when I was about 5 or 6. Being the soul of patience she lovingly taught me again a few years later and then it stuck pretty well. I made my first sweater in high school and was hooked.

The gorgeous hand knit sweaters “everyone” wore in Norway was part of what made me fall for the country I now call home. That was in 1989. I loved seeing women knitting (usually at lightening speed!) on the train or subway. Apparently they used to be allowed to knit during classes in school. However, these days even Norwegian children have taken to wearing polar fleece rather than hand-knit.

In any case here is a pair of mittens I just finished for my little one (2 years old).