Squares for Mother of the Year blanket 2015. Tekiruudud.

It is the time of year again to knit some squares to support the annual tradition of the Estonian handicraft forum Isetegija, to knit a throw made up of these squares. This throw is for Mother of the Year and everyone can contribute two squares for the throw, however not many knitters have taken part this year so I have knitted six squares instead. The throw will be awarded on Mother’s day which in Estonia is in May.

It is fun and quite fast knitting squares for this project and every year I try some new patterns otherwise I wouldn’t knit ever. The square is the right size for a swatch. I have to admit that this year I struggled a bit to get right measurements, had to unravel two squares and knit up again. So I ended up knitting eight squares!

I used patterns from The Treasury Set of Knitting Patterns by  Barbara G. Walker. 
Single squares from the top:

1. Butterfly from 4th treasury, page 234 + half of the eyelet and bead pattern from 3rd treasury, p. 156
2. 3rd treasury - p. 160, bottle sts. (will ravel, not in measurements, too small)
3. 3rd treasury - p. 163, wide weave lace, eyelet version
4. 3rd treasury - p. 179, the little hobbyhorse
5. 2nd treasury - p. 322, the windmill (raveled, too wide, and knit again in right size)
6. 2nd traesury - p. 321, scrolls
7. 3rd treasury - p. 177, fancy medallion

Vaatamata lapikudujate põuale on ka sel aastal lapitekk Aasta emale siiski valmimas. Kui mõned aastad tagasi oli kududa-soovijaid nii palju, et kõik ei mahtunudki nimekirja, siis nüüd on millegipärast tegemist, et üldse tekk valmiks. Kahju oleks, kui traditsioon hääbuks. Sel moel aga kaua see enam ei kesta kahjuks.

Varasema kahe ja seejärel nelja lapi asemel kudusin sel korral kuus. Tegelikult isegi kaheksa, sest üks sai liiga väike (veerus teine, bottle sts) ja üks sai liiga suur (tuulik, kudusin uuesti mustrit pisut vähendades). Kui ma kunagi veel otsustan kududa, siis kuut lappi ma enam ei teeks. 

Seekordsed mustrid on kõik pärit Barbara Walker'i mustrivaramutest.  Olen juba aastaid himustanud neid mustrikogusid omada, nüüd lõpuks soetasin nad endale kaugelt Ameerikamaalt. Vähemalt jõulutoetus läks asja ette :)

Sellele ma muidugi ei mõelnud, et ameeriklased koovad "regivärssi". Andis ikka järge ajada! See tähtede-numbrite rodu ei anna ju mingit ettekujutust mustrist, mida skeemilt oleks näha. Fotode järgi üritasin aru saada, kas olen ikka õigel teel oma kudumisega. Neljast mustrikogust üks sisaldab skeeme, mis tuli kasuks.

Mustrite hulgas leidus toredaid motiive, mida oma ruutudesse kudusin. Ühel emal on ju kindlasti lapsed, võibolla isegi lapselapsed. Neil teeks rõõmu leida tekist liblikas, hobuke või tuulik. Vahvaid motiive oli veelgi, kuid liiga suured meie tekilappide jaoks.

Üheks mu lemmikuks saigi hobuke, just tehnilisest küljest. Väga huvitav oli jälgida, kuidas erinevatest silmuste kokkuvõtmise viisidest moodustusid jooned, mis kujundavad mustri.

Tuulikut kudusin kaks korda. Esimene lapp tuli liiga suur. Kaalusin juba mõne muu mustri valimist, kuid lõpuks otsustasin tuulikut natuke vähendada. Äkki juhtub, et aasta emaks saab saarlane ;)

 

Huvitavaid võtteid oli veelgi. Näiteks kõrvalolevas motiivis on kõik õhksilmused läbi kootud keerdsilmustena, kuid mitte üheski teises kootud mustris. 





Mustrikogud on kordustrükid 1960/70-tel ilmunutest ja seetõttu on ka fotode kvaliteet vastav, õnneks küll märksa parem, kui meie Pitsilistes koekirjades (mis tõesti vajaks ning vääriks uuesti läbikudumist ja uut trükki).

Ravelry's.

Thank You, dear Martaberta! Suur tänu, kallis Martaberta!

I was quite amazed when I first moved to the UK how people I didn't know at all were talking to me. I went to a bank to open a bank account and a form was handed to me - 'sign this please, darling.' I handed it back - 'Thank you, that is lovely!' I can hear 'dear', 'darling' and 'sweetheart' at work, supermarkets, everywhere! Being an Estonian I was used to more formal language. 

But now I've got used to it. Some days ago I got a lovely gift from my virtual friend  Martaberta who was celebrating her blog anniversary and I want to say: Dear Martaberta!  It is really a lovely gift and I very much appreciate it. Thank you so much!

Üks asi, mis mind üllatas, kolides elama Ühendkuningriiki, oli viis, kuidas minu poole pöördusid võhivõõrad inimesed. Pangakontot avades ulatati dokument sõnadega: Kirjutage palun allkiri, kallis. Tagastatud paber võetakse vastu: Tänan, see on armas! Sama kordub poes, tööl, igalpool. Esialgu tundus pisut kummaline. Eestlasena olen harjunud palju ametlikuma suhtlemisega. 

Aastate jooksul on komme külge jäänud, ja nii tahangi tänada armast virtuaalset sõpra Martabertat toreda üllatuskingituse eest tema blogi aastapäeva puhul. Kallis Martaberta, suur tänu toreda kingituse eest! Lase ikka sõrmedel nobedasti joosta nii arvutiklahvidel kui ka vardaid käes hoides. Aitäh!

Estonia - My Beautiful Homeland.

I went home to Estonia for a holiday recently after a long period of time since my last visit. My emotions are still high because there are lots of beautiful happy people, it is a pleasure to drive on quiet roads, the city streets are clean, there are lots of historic sites, I could speak my own language as much as I wanted, a unique home for an old submarine and a suitable location for modern cruise liners to visit. That is why I went home for a holiday.

Käisin üle pika aja kodus. Imelik on öelda, et puhkusel. Kes siis kodus puhkusel käib?! Aga nii see praegu on. Emotsioonid on ikka veel laes. Palju ilusaid ja rõõmsaid inimesi, enamasti lahedalt tühjad maanteed, puhtad linnatänavad, eesti keel ja rahvas...

Muhu Museum / Muhu muuseum

I loved the idea of filling an otherwise blank gable end wall of the Estonian Literary Museum in Tartu with ‘window’ portraits of culturally important people from Tartu.

Võrratu idee kaunistada tühjana seisev sein Tartule tähtsate kultuuriinimestega aknail.

The Estonian Literary Museum / Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum

Seaplane Harbour / Lennusadam

The amazing Estonian Maritime Museum located at the old Seaplane Harbour in Tallinn. This is highly recommended and the highlight is that you can go inside the old Estonian submarine Lembit.

Kes pole veel käinud, minge kindlasti!

 Estonian Song and Dance Celebration / Laulu- ja Tantsupidu

The wonderful National Song and Dance Festivals are held every five years in Tallinn and because international interest in this celebration of Estonian culture is growing the crowds and the performers increase each time.

Suurepärane pidu!

Exhibition OrnaMENTAL / OrnaMENTAALNE

Ornaments are like great and small bridges linking the cultures, peoples and nationalities and transcends all generations and locations and captures the emotions of travellers, settlers, kings and jesters.

This exhibition highlights the diversity of meanings – ornamental in the art and symbolic in the handicraft, it creates intrigue and contradictions but also an opportunity for mutual understanding between the different aspects of the activity.

Õnneliku juhuse tõttu sain teada, et põnev rahvusliku käsitöö näitus on üles pandud. Näitan oma lemmikuid, unistades kunagi murdosagi neist oma kätega valmis teha. Esimese asjana püüdsid pilku rahvarõivais nukud. No nukumeistrit minust ei saa, seega ainult imetlen. 

Pitsiline kootud vaip. Te vaid vaadake, kui suur ja ilus see on! Kuidas küll sellist kootakse?!

Need jakid, need jakid, võitsid mu südame! Kootud jakid kirjude sitsist kantide ja kaunistustega, iga üks oma nägu ja tegu. 

Laste kleidid kirjatud detailidega. 

Ja muidugi sukad ja kindad! Inspiratsiooni jätkub kauemaks!

Squares for Mother of the Year blanket 2014. Tekiruudud.

It is the time of year again to knit some squares to support the annual tradition of the Estonian handicraft forum, Isetegija, to knit a throw made up of the squares. This throw is for Mother of the Year. Everyone can contribute two squares for the throw, however not many knitters have taken part this year so I have knitted four squares instead. The throw will be awarded on Mother’s day which in Estonia is in May.

It is fun and quite fast knitting squares for this project and every year I try a new pattern otherwise I wouldn’t knit. The square is the right size for a swatch and helps as I browse through my pattern books and internet sources to find something different this year.

For more information please see Ravelry.

Jälle on aeg kududa lapikesi, et valmistada lapitekk Aasta Emale kingituseks ja tänuks Isetegija  foorumi rahva poolt. Kahjuks on sel aastal kudujaid vähevõitu, seega kudusin kahe lapi asemel neli. Lappide kudumine läheb üsna kiiresti ja põnev on ka. Püüan alati leida uusi mustreid, mida kududa. Lappan oma mustriraamatuid ja otsin ideid netist. Ilma selle projektita ma ilmselt ei kooks mõnda mustrit kunagi. Tahaks ju mustriraamatutest kududa nii mõndagi ja tekilapp on just paras proovimaks :)

Lapid on kootud vardail nr 2,75 mm, silmuste arv 41-42, olenevalt mustrist. 

Ravelry's

Squares for Father of the Year blanket '13

It is tradition in Estonian handicraft forum Isetegija every year to crochet a throw in national colors for Father of the Year. The throw will be handed over on Father’s Day in November.

Patterns used by me:
 
1. & 2.   Simple 10 petal afghan square

 Jälle on Aasta isa teki tegemise aeg :)

 3.   Spring breeze afghan square

4.   Snowflake square


Heegelnõel / hook 3 mm.
Lõng / yarn           G-B Wolle Jil

Funny Estonians. Naljakad eestlased.

Mom's gloves. Ema sõrmikud.

These gloves have always existed for me in my memories. As a child I admired them in my Mom’s locker, so beautiful and finely crocheted! Somehow, when the time came for me to have them, there was only one glove. When I started an independent life, the glove traveled with me everywhere. I tried to crochet the same type of gloves for myself but I could not crochet as well as the originals had been done. Years later, when my mother passed away, the second glove materialised and I finally got a pair. I even wore them for some time, until they began to show signs of wear. I do not even know if it was my mom who crocheted them. They are probably around fifty years old by now and the material used appears to be black sewing thread.
A lovely memorial from my dearest Mom.

Need sõrmikud on minu mälestustes alati olemas olnud. Lapsena imetlesin neid ema laekas, nii kaunid ja peenelt heegeldatud! Millegipärast oli alati ainult üks kinnas sahtlis. Kui kord iseseisva elu peale sain, rändas kinnas minuga kaasa. Proovisin ise samasuguseid teha, kuid ei õnnestunud nii peenelt ja tihedalt heegeldada. Kui ema oli juba teispoolsuses, ilmus välja ka teine kinnas ja neist sai paar. Ma isegi kandsin neid mingil ajal, kuni nad hakkasid väsimuse märke välja näitama. Ma ei tea, kas need on mu ema heegeldatud. Vanust peaks neil olema viiekümne aasta ringis. Materjaliks ilmselt must õmblusniit. Arvan, et kindad on pesus kokku tõmmanud ja seetõttu on kude nii tihe.
Armas mälestus emast!

Homemade 'sõir' from South Estonia. Kodune sõir.

Sõir is an old traditional food from South Estonia, so called Setumaa. It is something between cottage cheese and cheese. Actually there have to be caraway seeds not cumin seeds! You can get inspiration from here and here.


Esimene katsetus teha sõira. Retsept pärit Nami-nami'st. Kasutasin
1 l piima
650 gr kodujuustu (küllalt koorene)
50 gr võid
2 väiksemat muna
1,5 tl meresoola
3 tl köömneid (väiksemat sorti teelusikas)
Sõir sai küllalt pehme, ilmselt koorese kodujuust tõttu. Ja egas ülejäänud vadakut saanud ju ometi minema visata! Seda võib kasutada pannkookide küpsetamiseks ja mahlaga segatult joogiks. Mina kasutasin rukkileiva taignasse. Kahjuks kogust ära ei mõõtnud, arvan et 700 ml ringis oli. Segasin kõik juuretiseks. Teinekord hoian osa hiljem lisamiseks. Leib tuli huvitav, veidi magus-hapu.

Jõulupidu!

Leidsin kuulutuse ja egas pikka mõtlemist polnud! Peole!

Londoni Eesti Seltsi jõulupidu koos eeskava ja traditsioonilise eestlaste jõululõunaga toimub pühapäeval, 5. detsembril Ukraina Majas, 154 Holland Park Avenue, Notting Hill, London.
Kavas on traditsiooniline pidusöök küünlavalgel ning jõululaual pakume kodumaiseid verivorste, hapukapsast, musta leiba ja perenaiste valmistatud kartulisalatit. Eeskavas on tervitused, koorilaul ja loterii. Üles võetakse ühislaul ja muidugi tuleb ka Jõuluvana! Tantsuks esineb Karl Madis.
Londoni Eesti Selts.

Tervitusega esines suursaadik Aino Lepik von Wirén, laulsid Londoni Eesti kooli lapsed ja Londoni Eesti Seltsi segakoor. Õhtu täht oli Karl Madis, kellega koos sai jõululaule lauldud ja tantsu löödud!
Nagu ikka Eesti pidu, algul ei saa vedama, pärast ei saa pidama!
Väga vahva pidu! Korrata-korrata-kor-ra-taaa!!!
Suur tänu korraldajatele!

You know you've been in Estonia too long when:

1. You rummage through your plastic bag collection (Prisma and Rimi mostly) to see which ones you should keep to take to the store and which can be sacrificed to garbage.

2. When a stranger on the street smiles at you:
a. you assume he's drunk
b. he is insane
c. he's an American
d. he's a British sex tourist.

3. You think pay with cash only is quite primitive; in fact your ability to calculate the change back has slowed down dramatically. Getting change in coins or 2 kroon bills is just unacceptable.

4. Your coffee consumption exceeds 6 cups a day and coffee is too weak if there is less than 5 scoops per pot. You drink less water than before.

5. You've replaced some English expressions with "ei ole", "ei taha" and "ma ei tea". The "noh" or "nii" come already spontaneously. Your native language has seriously deteriorated.

6. Around 6:30pm you check mentally which shops are close to you to buy alcohol before 8:00pm.

7. Your notion of streetlife is reduced to the few teenagers hanging out in Viru Keskus.

8. Silence… is fun.

9. Watching TV is no longer interesting. Everything can be found online.

10. When you go to a restaurant you don't expect the waitress to come with the menus and ask what you would like. Customer service is no longer linked with courtesy.

11. You don't think twice about wearing sandals indoors.

12. You know that "I got a new boyfriend." means "I got laid last night."

13. The next day when they say "We broke up." you know it means "He didn't call."

14. You agree that no WIFI at home is equivalent to no electricity or no heating.

15. You are immediately suspicious when somebody starts talking to you in the street.

16. Your bad mood becomes your good mood.

17. Things are not "great" or "amazing" anymore; they're just "normal".

18. You've come to expect Sunday morning sidewalk vomit dodging.

19. You think something's wrong if you see more children than old ladies or drunkards in a bus.

20. If the sun comes out you stare from the window for a couple of minutes.

21. Your front door step is beginning to resemble a shoe shop.

22. When you need a taxi you pick the phone and ask for one.

23. The only couple talking in a tram or a bus always seems to annoy you.

24. You seriously consider visiting the sauna at least once a week.

25. You get annoyed when the bus is two minutes late.

26. Your definition of party has reduced to a nice conversation, quiet music, some snacks and of course drinking.

27. You know how to fix potatoes in 105 different ways.

28. You eat potatoes in 105 ways.

29. You hear loud-talking passengers on the bus. You immediately assume:
a. they are drunk
b. they are Russian-speaking
c. all of the above

30. You chat with people by MSN or Skype even if they're 2 meters away from you.

31. You have undergone a transformation:
a. You accept hapukoor in any food
b. You accept chocolate as food
c. You accept

32. You understand why the Estonian language has neither future tense nor sex.

33. You know that "religious holiday" means, "let's get pissed."

34. You stop asking "how are you" when you meet people. Communicating becomes less and less important...

35. You greet people with "tere" or "hei" or "chau" and keep your distance. You lengthen the last vowels to be very effusive.

36. If someone hugs you for more than 2 seconds you already suspect he/she's hitting on you.

37. Your definition of spicy food has seriously deteriorated.

38. You accept that 80'C in a sauna is chilly, but 20'C outside is freaking hot. Also, you accept -10'C outside as a reasonable temperature, but anything under 22'C indoors is unreasonable...

39. You don't seem anymore surprised, frustrated or disappointed when a girl tells you she's with her boyfriend after dancing and rubbing herself nastily with you.

40. "No comment" becomes a conversation strategy.

41. You know that "work from home" is another phrase for "I'll sleep longer and work half day".

42. Your old habit of being "Fashionably late" is no longer acceptable. You feel ashamed if you're 5mins late.

43. You think SMS is a great way of interacting with people and even flirting.

44. The only place where you're sit without having a computer in front of you is more likely to be the bathroom.

45. You enjoy potatoes.

You know you're Estonian when...

Eks seda ole loetud siit-sealt varemgi, aga millegipärast tuli meelde :)
Just for fun!
1. You use the word "normal" if something is ok.
2. When visiting friends abroad you bring along a box of Kalev chocolate.
3. You attended a song festival at least once either as a performer or as a spectator.

4. You know that going to the sauna is 80% about networking and 20% about washing
5. You are nationalistic about Skype (it is actually an Estonian company)
6. "Kohuke" belongs to your menu
7. You declare your taxes on the internet like all modern people
8. You actually believed for a while that Latvians had 6 toes per foot when you heard that as a child
9. You are convinced that Estonia is very strategically located
10. You spent at least one midsummer in Saaremaa, Hiiumaa or one of the smaller islands
11. You can quote films like "Viimne reliikvia" and "Siin me oleme"
12. You spit three times around your left shoulder for good luck
13. Words like "veoauto", "täieõiguslik" or "jää-äär" sound perfectly pronouncable to you
14. You like bold statements, such as this one…
15. There can never be too much sarcasm
16. You can at times drink hot tea to hot food
17. You are disappointed that Jaan Kross never got the Nobel prize in literature
18. It would not be suprising for English-speakers to find your name naughty (Peep, Tiit, Andres sounds like undress) or hippy (Rein, Rain)
19. You have been to Finland
20. You say "Noh" (sounds like NO) even when you speak English, just to confuse people
21. You know the lyrics to "Mutionu" and "Rongisõit"
22. You would never mistaken Kreisiraadio for a radio station
23. You would agree that wife-carrying is a real sport (at least as long as Estonians are winning)
24. Your best friend’s girlfriend is your English teacher’s daughter and they live next door to your grandparents, who were colleagues with your advisor, who is friends with your…
25. You think that any beverage below 20% is non-alcoholic
26. You check the thermometer before going out
27. You look in both directions before crossing the road, even if it’s a one-way street
28. You grin very mysteriously when people ask about your national food
29. You teach a non-Estonian speaker the word "Tänan" before "Aitäh"
30. You put ketchup inside your pasta (french-cooked gourmet faire la fine manger pasta) in order to not to get the ketchup-bowl dirty
31. You cheated on your wife/husband at least ten times but you still think you’re in a good marriage
32. When someone asks you "where is Estonia?" you quickly reply that it’s located in Northern Europe close to Finland…
33. Your grandmother’s "purse" is an old plastic bag that has been reused several times
34. Sour cream tastes good with everything
35. A foreigner speaks to you in broken horrible Estonian and you go on and on about how wonderful their Estonian is compared to "the Russians"
36. You have ever worn or seen anyone wear "karupüksid"
37. You have heard the phrase "Estonians are slow" at least once
38. Kui sa saad aru, mis siia kirjutatud on
39. You find yourself continually ignoring the gender in other languages
40. You say "kurat" as at least every second word
41. You consider running to the shop at 19.50 on Friday evening to buy some booze, a sport
42. You are a true Estonian when you come from Tallinn, because if you are from Tallinn you think Tallinn IS Estonia and that’s true of course that Tallinn is Estonia
43. When someone says "Estonians are so beautiful" you answer almost without emotions "I know"
44. You have tried to explain people that "kauboi" is actually a word in Estonian
45. You don’t think that terviSEKS is a funny word
46. You don’t find the Estonian equivalent to the expressions "twelve months","1002" and "12 buses" remotely funny
47. Even though you never met Toots, Teele and Kiir you know exact what they are like
48. You grin when someone you know says that they bought a BMW
49. You know how to end the sentence "Kui Arno isaga koolimajja jõudis…"
to be continued...

Looduskalender.ee - Cameras of The Nature

Looduskalender.ee
Sea TV, toonekurgede rännakud jne.

Wild boar TV
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) Raivo's journeys
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) Tony's diary

Looduse Omnibuss

Looduse Omnibuss
2006/2007 talv oli rõõm sõita mööda Eesti looduskauneid paiku!

Manor - Tuhande mõisa maa

Manor - Tuhande mõisa maa