Third Advent in Christmas & Crafting (Part 3)

15th December

Norwegians have always been a crafty lot?!?! And have always knitted and crocheted.  Although not a dying trend, its hay day has been and gone, but a slow burn second revolution of the next generation are beginning  to pick up their needles and hooks.  Most little girls in Norway will have homemade clothes for their dolls and blankets for their teddies, lovingly knitted or crotcheted by their Besetmors and I was no exception.  I was dressed in jumpers you would die for now and even had a few hand knitted dresses right up to the age of about 8. I can particularly remember one that used to swish around my knees and another beautiful pastel one.  How I wish I could knit as well and undertake such  large projects.  My two children were also dressed in traditional jumpers and cardis with the typical Scandinavian pattern.  I have lovingly kept them and hope that maybe in the future they may be brought out again.  Coffee mornings are the norm in Norway and most ladies of a certain age will always come along with their handicraft project and work away whilst chatting.  Here in the UK, apart for a select group of women, that would not occur.  This is perhaps why there are so many Norwegian Christmas decorations, the Norwegians are crafty!



Stockings over the fire place.  Bunting line is
crocheted, quick and easy.



As I mentioned earlier, my knitting skills leave much to be desired and so I did not dare to attempt these beautiful mini stockings in typical Scandi red and white, until mamma was in residence, just in case I needed help and advice.  I did!  Lucky I waited.   I would suggest these are not a good idea for a beginner, they are fiddly and you need to concentrate on the pattern, so wait till you are more confident. Old hands at knitting will find these very quick and easy and VERY ADDICTIVE.

The beautiful mini stocking pattern can be found at Little Cotton Rabbits made by the talented Julie Williams, her blog is well worth a visit for those of you who have not come across her.  

http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/free_knitting_patterns/mini_knitted_christmas_stockings/









Close up of some of the different patterns





For me crocheting is fast and fun and suits my style of life.  This heart garland came about after I made a 5 m long big heart bunting in the summer of bright bold colours.  I loved it and wanted to make something like it for Christmas.  I scoured the 'net' and found a glorious  and unusual heart pattern that was crocheted and decided all the hearts would be red and the bunting line green.  All set and ready to go and BANG!  I managed the first heart and then after that blank, could not get the pattern to work anymore.  Something just stuck with me, and so in a huff I abandoned it.  But that niggling feeling of wanting a heart garland for Christmas would not go away and so I decided with the time I had left there was only one solution:  go mini and here it is, think it worked out rather sweet and is a fitting size for the small fire place, it was obviously meant to be.

For a similar heart pattern you could use this one:

http://www.crochettoday.com/files/patterns-pdf/CrochetValentine_0.pdf


Crocheted mini heart garland



A splash of Christmas red, cheers a room up



In Norway as I mentioned in my very first posting the kitchen plays a central role and is decorated from December 1st.  A quick and easy way to decorate without taking over is to edge any shelves that you have with ribbon.  In Norway, you can buy such ribbon just for this purpose, but anything would do.  The photograph on the right shows how it should look with matching ribbon and the photograph on the left shows a selection of different ribbons that could be used.  Note I have added a black pom pom ribbon on one of the shelves, Christmas does not have to be red, but I think it is best! 

Have a go and Scandi bling your kitchen shelves!



Tonight we light the third candle and know that Christmas really is just a few days away, I am sooo excited ♥