Coming back to write my blog

 My very first blog after many years absent ....

It's been years since I last blog, I don't want to sound cliche by saying that I don't have time or don't know what to write. Because it's not true.  There are times when I felt like I want to write but just can't find the purpose of writing at the time.  

A lot has happened during all this time. From starting school in Finland, finishing it after about 2 years.  Job training, part time jobs in daycare and senior house. Signing buying our first house and then 3 days after that hm husband got brain stroke and became parallised on the right side.  Stressed because my school is still a couple of weeks to go. The good thing about school system in Finland is that with such situation, the teacher suggest to switch to online school for some courses that I still have to do.  Then the packaging of all our stuff, and getting my driver licence all at the same time.  I was overwhelmed with all that happen at the time.  

But now that all pass I can start enjoying our life again ...

Soon spring comes ..... 🌱🌱🌱, sun shines eventhough the wind still blowing it's coldness

Deer coming grassing seen from Mikael's bedroom window

Tulips from my colleague from work

The woodpecker sound can be heard pecking on the trees, the warm of the sun on my cheeks while typing this blog. Birds chirping ...

Welcoming the spring of 2025 ....

XOXO

love 💗

Triangle Chain Stitch Orange Shawl

I know that on my last post I mentioned that I will not start a new project, until I finished any of my WIP's.  But, as you all probably know I am not good at doing that, so I start on a new project.

I had been looking for a very simple chain stitch shawl, after browsing on Pinterest and then my books I found one that is so simple and thought why I have never really think of this shawl before. It’s from a ‘vintage’ Japanese crochet pattern book that is no longer being printed ( or sold maybe).  And I started right away with it with the orange wool yarn that was lying around waiting to be turned into something useful and beautiful. 

Yarn used : 7Veljestä from Novita Oy

Hook : 4mm (Clover 6/0)

Thanks and bye,

Wilma

Crochet WIPs

I have not been posting for quite a long time. I have crochet still a lot and more lately I just did not have the mood in writing. I have been looking for ideas to crochet or just make anything crafty, the ideas was there but not the mood and time.

But just this last two weeks I have come across the small booklet from Flow Magazine which I have had for some time but did not really put my mind on. It’s ‘The Joy of One Thing at a Time’ notebook.  Yes, one thing at a time.  I guess this hit me real hard as all this time I just move from one project to another without any timeframe or target of when it has to be finished.  So now, I try to apply this on my crochet projects.  I have a lot of WIPs and decided that it’s time to do something about it, having some finished and just needs to seam all the ends and an almost finish project, I made a list of which one I can finished first.  The list goes on and on … but at least I am more aware of what they are and try to do the which goes first on the to be finished list.

Yes, more list. Hopefully I can be more organized this way and will start filling my house with finish projects or putting it up for sale.

Here are my list of WIPs :                                                      

1.     Zigzag / Chevron Retro blanket

2.    Dutch 2014 blanket CAL

3.    Small granny square blanket

4.    Solid granny blanket

5.    Jan Eaton blocks blanket

6.    Gray shawl (from Japanese book)

7.    Fuchsia pineapple shawl (almost finish)

8.    Green-yellow half granny shawl (ends to be seam)

9.    Green wool shawl (own pattern)

10.  Khaki vest

11.  Pink-grey-white baby blanket

There it is, at least this is the one that I can remember and find so far.

Bye and thanks for coming by …. will be back soon, I promised this time

Wilma

Ontbitjkoek

It has been a long time since I bake anything and share it in the blog.

A few days ago I crave for something old fashioned, and remember this cake from my childhood time.  My auntie (my mom's younger sister) used to make this cake.

'Ontbijtkoek' is literally translated breakfast cake) or peperkoek (pepper cake) is a Dutch spiced cake. Rye is its most important ingredient, coloring the cake a light brown. It is often spiced with cloves, cinnamon, ginger,succade and nutmeg. Several parts of the Netherlands have their own local recipe, of which the most famous is "Oudewijvenkoek" (old wives' cake) which is mostly eaten in the northern regions, and is flavored withaniseed. Ontbijtkoek is traditionally served at breakfast with a thick layer of butter on top, as a replacement for bread. However, due to its sweet taste it is also served as a snack. (from : Wikipedia).

But the one we know in Indonesia is a light cake type.  And we used the 'Spekkoek' spices or 'Bumbu lapis legit' (known as the spiced thousand layer cake which is very heavy in butter and eggs).

The recipe I got from the book 'Kue Nostalgia Belanda' or 'Netherlands Nostalgic Cake', its very simple.

Ingredients :

5 eggs

125 grms palm sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilli powder

1 tsp. cake emulsifier

125 gram all purpose flour  ]

1 tsp. spekkoek spices        ]      sift together

almond or kenari slices

How to :

1. Using electric mixer mix eggs, palm sugar, cake emulsifier and vannili until white and fluffy.

2. Pour sifted flour and spekkoek spices, mix well with wooden spoon or spatula.

3. Pour into loaf tin which has been smeared with margarin/oil and flour.  Put almond slices/kenari if using.

4.  Bake in oven (180 - 190 degrees C) for about 30 minutes until done.  Take out of the oven, but leave it in the tin for another 10 minutes then take out of the thin.

5.  Serve .

Enjoy your 'ontbijtkoek' or breakfast cake .....

Omslaagsjaal or Wrap Finish

Finally the Saskia omslaagsjaal is finish.  I am really satisfied with the result.

It’s warm but not hot and since it is made with cotton yarn it’s keeps its shape.

Spring time has also arrived in Finland although it is cold when the wind is blowing.  So still wearing jacket when I go out, but not for my son he only have his t-shirt and College … of he goes on the scootie.

Have a nice sunny weekend everyone ...

Bye for now

Saskia’s Omslagsjaal a.k.a. wrap

Just yesterday I was browsing thru some blogs that I followed and when I saw this wrap I know that I have to make it, I looked into my yarn stash and found 5 balls that I want to use for this wrap.

This is made with Tennesse Novita yarn, which is a cotton yarn.  The first few rows I use a 3,5mm but then decided to go up to 4mm hook and happy with the result as it drapes more and feels softer.

I also got a little help from Spud of Bob the Builder when taking some pictures.

more to come next week ... so don't forget to come by ..

Denim Tranquality Shawl

Finally I have something to write this year ....

I have a couple of balls Alpaca yarn from Drops Design, I wasn't sure what I want to make with it when I bought them. And suddenly after browsing through other blogs and I saw this shawl in De Haakzolder blog I suddenly felt this is the one I want to use this yarn for.  So I went to Drops website to look for the pattern and you can find it here.

I use the blue color hues and think to add red for the lace border. I called mine Denim Tranquality because I see the colors like denim colors,

Pattern : Tranquality by Drops Design
Yarn used: Alpaca 6205 (light blue), 6309 (darker blue),
6790 (dark blue)

Thanks for coming by ..... until next blog ...