Family photo

Here we are, finally!

From the left: John, Susan, Titty and Roger. The Walker kids, also known as the Swallows from Swallows and Amazons. Clearly you can see a family resemblance.

We have come to stay with Auntie Ulla so she can make more clothes for us and play with us. She has sent 74 dolls out to to world to be adopted before us, so it is high time she gets some dolls too to play with.

We too will be registered with identity cards from Unicef, and four more real kids out there somewhere will get their vital vaccinations against out fees.

We have not yet had time for new adventures, but Susan's cardigan is finally finished (Auntie is one of those knitters who make their yarn last longer by unraveling  the knitting from time to time and starting again) with a smaller decorative stitch. For me she knitted this scarf last night, to match my pullover, socks and beanie.

I think we are going to have some tea with biscuits soon. I'm planning something nice with Auntie, I hope we can show that to you next time.

Keep warm, the wind is still cold!

Yours,
Titty

Dolls playing in the snow

Hi readers,

it is Titty here again. The other day we had sunny weather and just a little minus degrees so we sneaked out without jackets (because Auntie Ulla has not sewn us any yet). You know, frozen snow is dry so we didn't get wet socks or anything.

Oh yes, this is our little brother Roger. He is only seven, but clearly bigger than baby Bridget, so he can join us on our adventures.

Of course he can make his own adventures as well. When I was not looking, he climbed a tree to see far beyond the garden.

This Winter there has been lots of snow. Uncle K. said it was twice as high as what is left now. Auntie Ulla said it was as deep as her quilting ruler could measure, and then some. Some snow has now melted, and the rain has packed the layers tighter too.

My new trousers and hat with the pompom are really nice and comfortable. Can you imagine, Roger has managed to get tiny holes in the backside of his dungarees! That comes from climbing trees and sliding down slopes of snow.

We spotted a redpoll feeding on the sunflower seeds on the ground, and a bank vole is hiding under the little twig in the upper left corner. He too likes the seeds. Then we had to hurry inside, because it was getting cold for us. We had some hot chocolate with biscuits, and there was a nice fire in the fireplace when we came in.

Have a nice weekend! See you next time!

Production line

 This week I have been working on a production line. I found an abandoned jacket Mr K. has used for dusty work on his bamboo rods. It had holes, stains and missing buttons and it was doomed to the textile recycling bag, but I saw that the back part and the top of both sleeves was clean and in good condition, so I took my simple pattern for trousers and cut four pairs of shorts and one pair of long trousers, and then binned the rest what was left. I also found two pairs of kind of khaki shorts I had made some years ago for "my one day box" waiting for these dolls. Summer pants situation good, Winter ones still to do!

Then I went "shopping" in my wool fabric box and some other boxes, and found a pair of orphan sleeves in red and white. They will make some lovely garments for my girl dolls.

The green blouse fabric rests from my mother's sewing room will make a beautiful lining for a coat.

The youngest boy's dungarees need the shoulder straps fastened, button holes and buttons, and the final inseam sewn. I chose the worn part at the elbow from the jacket for the backside of these, because I remember from the books that Roger's bottom needed patching. Boys around age 7 tend to wear out their clothes even faster than they can outgrow them! He has now hair and a wool jumper and socks already, so it will not take too long before you can meet him.

The first of the Swallows

Hello, my name is Titty Walker and I came to tell you about me and my sister and brothers and what we do. I will be the first one of us you can meet, because Auntie Ulla has finished my jumper already. 

My brothers John and Roger don't even have hair yet, just socks on their feet, so you must understand they can't let anyone take a photo! Susan is wrapped in a blanket too, but at least she has hair.

You may have already put two and two together and noticed that we are the Swallows from Swallows and Amazons. Our friends Nancy and Peggy here are the Amazons,

and they live in England with Auntie Melanie together with the D's, our friends Dorothea 

and Dick Callum, here making coffee in Eastern Finland on an adventure with Auntie Ulla before leaving for England.

Auntie Melanie has taken them all to a picnic on the Lake Coniston, where we have had some wonderful adventures together.

So if you wait patiently, you will meet us all here once we are fully equipped for the Winter weather. I try to make Auntie hurry!

Yours,

Titty

Black and white

Lately, I have been knitting with black yarn. Like this:

Eventually it became this:

It may look like a big dishcloth, and would work well as one, because it is bamboo yarn, but it is my first attempt for a "knitted bandana" for my daughter. Garter stitch from corner to corner, very stretchy. She may use it later in the Spring, but now she will need wool. Like this, on the snow:

I found some lovely Merino wool, very fine, and knitted this reversible thing:

Yesterday was the coldest day of this Winter so far, -27C. The world is white!

We have more snow than in a couple of years.

The rhododendrons look like they would prefer warmer weather!

It was the morning of the beautiful big red moon eclipse, but I could only take a photo of the sunrise at 9. The sun rises before 9 and sets after 4 in the afternoon, and it feels like a big step towards the Spring!

New year, old memories

Hi again! A new year has begun but I'm showing you some pictures of my Christmas doings. This ice skating outfit was a gift for my sister's Unicef doll in Germany. One of my newest dolls is just acting as a model.

When I was just learning to stay upright on my hockey (!) skates, my big sister's skills were on a totally different level. She had figure skating style skates, and our mother made her a grey felt skirt with white pompom trimming and knitted her a red jumper and a matching beanie with an opening for her ponytail at the top. She (and her doll) has dark hair which looks so much better with red than this amateur model's red and orange.

I can't remember what my sister was wearing under the skirt but could imagine red damasks as they were called back then when leggings or even pantyhoses were not yet invented. I never could skate properly and never got to wear this loveliness even after she had grown out of it. I liked skiing better, and I had a beautiful yellow and white jumper.

A year ago a new crafting fashion swept over Finland, and this year I could not resist the idea of making a little door for Santa's little tonttu elf.

I thought the children would laugh at my idea, but to my big surprise our daughter was excited to see it and took a photo to show her friends that the doors and the tontut do exist. This was a kit from a hobby shop, I just painted it with my half dried out crafting paints. The wreath is crocheted on a seal ring from a juice jar.

December was a busy knitting month. Bright red stripes to cheer up basic men's socks.

I hardly ever knit patterns with one yarn going behind the stitches, but in this one the loops are only one stitch long. This lot has been knitted after Christmas, when so many films were on TV.

One of my favorite combinations, pale pink with grey.

The remaining grey was enough to make basic stripes for this pair.

I'm not one of those people who make new year's resolutions and keep them or not, but I have started a project in my so called sewing room. I'm trying to make it more organized and while doing so, trying to let go of many of the things I really don't need/like/use any more. Nothing drastic, just something I could have done years ago. Today I tried to get something organized again, and after a while I found myself at the sewing machine busily working on a project I had intended to finish for Christmas. Maybe I ought to go back and take the next step in that project. It will also help to get some order there!

Merry Christmas

Today is a December day at its best: snow on the ground, no wind, minus 10 degrees and the sun is shining for a little while. No more waiting, it is Christmas Eve, and we get to open the gifts tonight already!

Happy Holidays for all my readers!