Adventures In Keeping House

 Project finished. It took me a couple of years to knit this cardi, by some reason, but I'm quite content with the results, besides the fact that the sleeves could be a bit shorter. It's warm, too, which is a plus point since today we had like +15*C and rain, nearly the whole day. I tell you, it's a bad summer in these parts for global warming prophets:)

 To Korean homemaking videos, like this one:

There are lots more on YouTube, with children and without, and one with 7 cats:)

Really cute!

Just to cheer you all up in these difficult times:) I finally completed my last year Christmas project:

I was planning to finish this would-be pillow cover based on a cross-stitching pattern (something I'll never try again, as it's too much hassle) somewhere in November but then the kittens started demanding too much attention and then it was always something else interfering, but finally it's so far!

I can officially leave Christmas 2019 behind and start something new instead:)

I'm quite proud of myself on the account of the two new aprons I made last Friday, using the idea and instructions from this book:




which I had featured in one of my previous posts. I simplified her original design a bit and my ties are shorter than hers

partly by necessity as I didn't have enough fabric (and had to use two pieces sewn together for the band) and also because I don't really care for such long ties anyway. The fabric actually comes from Aldi and was prepackaged. 2 meters was enough for 2 aprons which are slightly different, as you can see:






I used the original sizes, but you easily could make it longer if you wished to.

Here is a picture of the 2nd one:

Inspired by my success, I'm now planning another project!


Also: it's Epiphany today.

Can you believe that it was supposed to be called "November books" but so many things happened right after I took these photos...I still would like to share them with you.

So the first book I bought at the market in Rotterdam, for 1 (!) euro. The salesman told me I was like 500th person who took interest but apparently they were all too cheap to spend 1 euro for this wonderful children's book

with really great illustrations






It was written by Tor Age Bringsvaerd who is, I think, a Swede, or in any case, a Scandinavian. Your children would love it!

Next I bought myself some Tilda

to continue with the Scandinavian theme:)



I could recommend Tone Finnanger's books to any lady who is craft-minded. I already made two gift bags and my next project is supposed to be an apron since I desperately need a couple of new ones. But even if you don't sew, it's just a very nice book with great decoration ideas!

My last one for today is this German book:

I really should have written about it before Christmas, since the whole book is about various Christmas projects, with some cross-stitching patterns, like this one:




I actually don't cross-stitch, not because I can't but because it's bad for my eyes, so I had a brilliant idea to convert it into a knitting pattern, and here is the result:

I promptly started working at another project but then the kittens grew older and I was forced to put it aside for a while. I just picked it up again this morning, comforting myself by the thought that there is nothing especially Christmas-y about it, it's just another generic Scandinavian red and white pattern (shown on the cover), even though it has moose in it:)

I'll share the end result with you when it's finished.

Hope you are all enjoying your Christmas holidays with your loved ones, and while you are at it, please spare a thought and a prayer for those who are by some reason forced to spend these days alone, single and lonely people need our love, too!

Most of my readers have probably watched the video by Lydia Sherman called Homemaker Encouragement where among other things, she's talking about women engaging in creative hobbies like needlework or painting. She mentions that their works will live on after they are gone and even sometimes could end up in a museum.

Which reminded me of a true story I heard several years ago, about a lady in my country who was a childless homemaker and her hobby was quilting. Through the years, she made so many quilts that her husband had to hire a a storage place for them and she came on the news because of it. So when they asked her why she was doing it all, she said that since her husband and herself weren't able to have any children, she wanted something to leave behind, something which would survive them and quilting was the one thing she was really good in.

Lydia further mentions writing letters and poetry which was quite popular in the 1950s. When you think of it, there are books which consist of letters and diaries of famous people like politicians, for instance. Yet, like someone pointed out, when the current generation of celebrities dies, there will probably be nothing left behind. May be, they'll start publishing someone's tweets in a book form???

Another problem of modernity, I guess:)

With Martha Stewart. I know I should have probably written something, and in fact, I had some posts planned but being still in a rather festive mood I don't care for discussing any serious subjects. So, instead, you all can just watch this video and enjoy - remember, that there are twelve days of Christmas, or Yuletide, if you like.

An embroidery set I bought in Germany.

Women nowadays are often taught that crafting is basically a waste of time (as opposed to the fine arts of facebooking, twittering, and other forms of attention-wh*ring online) and something for old women. A friend was ashamed once that a repairman came and saw her through the window engaged in (gasp) crocheting. Yet, doing things with your hands, like knitting or cross-stitching (or drawing or playing a musical instrument) is good for your nerves. It makes you more relaxed and helps you fight depression and even dementia.

Don't believe me? Here is what science says:
Crafting: A Cure For Depression

I can testify to the fact that I recently cured a splitting headache by just engaging in cross-stitching:)

Here is a British lady who gives you 9 reasons to start crafting:
9 reasons crafting is good for you

As for me, I'm off to tend to my guests, so see you later!

I just couldn't help buying this book:



Chiefly because of the pictures and not because I've been doing much crafting lately:



Some of these models don't actually look too dated, do they?

 Or maybe, I'm just nostalgic about my childhood...Oh the time when life was more relaxed and women spent their free time doing needlework instead of facebooking:)

Sorry for the quality of the selfie, but it was the best I could manage:) This skirt took me something like 4 months and I had to start all over again 3 times, because I had to adjust the pattern to a much smaller size. it's still rather baggy by the hem but I decided that it gives me the necessary freedom of movement and and is of the fashionable "ballon" style. It's quite warm but the temperatures are still lower than double digits so I can wear it for some time.

Mias Landliv is no more, so I had to become my own source of inspiration, and that's what I made out of an old pair of jeans, two tea towels and an apron I didn't care for:





The cat loves this chair so I thought a sturdy cover was a good idea:





And this one:



For the other chair:





My next project will be placemats. I had some fabric over which I had used for the backing (featured above) , the rest of the apron, and two shirts:

                     






It'll probably take me a longer time to finish this one as there are more pieces to put together, but we'll see!

Just some nice pictures.

My husband has been busy with a recycling project, he is going to make a door out of an old window:






I have finally finished knitting this skirt:





It's woolen, but then we've had spell of cold weather which just allows me to wear it a couple more times.

And I bought this cute new magazine:




It has sewing projects for in the home, including a children's birthday party, some Tilda stuff on the back cover:




And, among other things, ideas for in the kitchen:





I'm not sure whether I try my hand at any of these projects or not, but it's nice to read something so cheerful when the weather is more like November than April!

I made this tote bag a couple of days ago:

Now I can do my grocery shopping in style!

There will actually be more show than tell:) My new couch spread plus cushions:



My new centerpiece:



My new cat:



And the new Verena:



I actually bought it because of this twin set:

Isn't it cute?
Ladies and gentlemen, this was all for today!:)

As with all my craft projects, it took me several months but finally I finished it:

I changed the pattern slightly as I was supposed to knit a separate band, to twist it in a particular manner and to sew it to the lower part of the vest. It was a lot of headache so I gave up and added the finishing touch with the help of a crochet hook.

Here is how it was supposed to look:

Not exactly the same thing, but in general, I'm content!

I'd like to draw your attention to the two new links I have added this week. One is to the blog called Mias Landliv which I mentioned several times. Mia is a talented craftster who lives in Norway. She blogs about her life in the country and all the beautiful things she creates.

Another link is actually not a blog, but a site called Knitting Pattern Central which has a collection of free knitting patterns and is regularly updated. When you click on the link, you can go to Free Pattern Directory and browse by category. It features baby and children's clothing as well as vintage patterns. You can also submit a pattern of your own. If knitting is your hobby, that's the site for you!:)

Last year I took a solemn decision never to start sewing again, only to break it when I saw this magazine with latest spring fashions on sale:

I had problems with it in the past, but decided to give it another try, as I really liked some of their designs. Not trusting my own skill, I decided to begin with something very easy, like this skirt:

I thought it too long though and made the pattern shorter. I was planning to sew a summer skirt from light fabric, but got this one instead:



Luddite that I am, I did it all by hand and it turned out quite nice, imo. Next time I'll try something more complicated.

That's how they were supposed to look:







That's how they turned out:






Close-ups:




Aren't they cute???
All in all, I'm quite content!