Busy busy

We were in Helsinki last week on a "look-see find ourselves a house" type trip. This was my first visit to Helsinki and I was quite impressed, quite a majestic city in parts, with some interesting 1920's and 1930s architecture and lots of design type things going on. There were parts that looked a bit "eastern block" - I kind of expected to see a queue for bread in places, but they were the minority. The majority seemed to be bustling and cosmopolitain - I think we'll be fine living there. We mostly wandered around different parts of the city and didn't really do that much tourist-type stuff, except for a boat ride.

We found some interesting shops and markets: an open market from where the boat left, with fruit, veg, mushrooms, fish and tourist tatt; a couple of covered markets; loads of interesting looking and well stocked ethnic shops.

There were also loads of pubs selling a pretty wide variety of, mostly European, beers (Finnish, Belgium, Real Ale [Hoorah!] etc). I found one wool shop, which looked pretty good, and there were lots of fabric shops - so I think I'll be able to get my crafting fix and keep my ikke ferdig list well stocked!

We also found a house - it's about half way between the centre and David's work. Three bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen, small garden and (of course, being Finland) a sauna.

We're jamming, jamming

And I hope you like jamming too .... ahh, a bit of Bob on a wet and blustery Saturday morning.

Ta da - bilberries......

See - it is me that makes the jam....

Jamie helps by making sure I follow the recipe (and don't add rum)....

Nearly done.....

Jarred...... (we only make small batches)

And to prove it's not just jam Jamie and I make.....

Edinburgh

We were away again last weekend - this time to a wedding in Edinburgh - David's cousin. I meant to take a photo of them both standing next to each other, as they definitely have a resemblence to each other - but didn't manage. Maybe there'll be one of the official photos with them both on. The wedding was good - quite traditional, the bride looked beautiful, of course; and there were quite a few kilts. It gave us some ideas about what we do and don't want at our wedding next year.

We stayed with a friend of mine that I was at university with - we did use her place as a bit of a hotel as we were coming and going to the wedding etc while she was at work, but managed to hang out on Saturday night and have some dinner with her, her boyfriend and another couple of friends that were visiting Edinburgh that weekend, and catch some of the Edinburgh fringe. We saw some late night comedy (Maxwells fullmooners), which was very funny - and very late (especially for David and I who are usually tucked up in bed pretty early).

This weekend we're not going anywhere - hoorah - but on Monday we're going to Helsinki for the week - yes, Jamie and Dylan have been evesdropping correctly - it looks like we're going to be shifting again (at this rate we'll get our professional nomad certificates in no time). So, we need to learn all about saunas, wife throwing and nokia. And figure out if we're even going to attempt to learn the language.

And now for some knitting progress:

The konfekt 18703 top is still making progress - I misread the pattern the last time I blogged about it, so 18cm (rather than 9cm) on from my last blog entry about it, I am now ready to get the dictionary out and figure out what to do next - I think I basically put the front part aside and continue on the back and shape the armholes, and do something similar with the front and then join them back up again.

I've also started some socks for my Mum - they're more purple than they appear in the photo - I'm using the beaded rib pattern from Sensational Knitted socks, and am using some Sadnesgarn Sisu - I didn't mean to use magic loop again, but after I knitted a swatch or two, these needles were the best size. I'll take these to Helsinki with me and hopefully make some progress while we figure out where we want to live.

Jams

What do you mean you started this blog primarily to keep track of your projects..... no, WE started this blog to talk about jam and rum and pilchards.

So, recent jams: Dylan's red conserve and Dylan's secret jam.

The first one we made from wild strawberries and raspberries Deborah and David collected on Sunday, and also some strawberries we found in the freezer.

The second one we made from some secret berries Deborah, David and her parents collected during their visit - they won't tell us what they were, which is why they're secret, although they did tell us they were very Scandinavian and we can confirm that they're very yummy warm with waffles (og rømme, selvførgelig!).

So, what's next in the world of jam making? - well the last jam we made - Dylan lets rip(s) with rhubarb jam did set too hard to be of any use apart from to stick your teeth together, so we've done lots of research on if there's anything we can do to salvage it, but haven't found anything - the only problem people seem to have in the world of jam making, is jams not setting enough, which is pretty easy to solve - but nobody seems to make jam while drinking rum and lose track of the time and boil the jam too much. So, I guess we're going to forge ahead on our own and try a few things.

We've also found a recipe for carrot and almond conserve, which sounds interesting.

We're also doing research into what fruits grow in the woods and forests of Finland. Jamie thinks we're going to be moving to Helsinki in November (he's such an evesdropper), I'm still sure we'll go to Madagascar.

Projects coming out of my ears

Seeing as I primarily started this blog to try to keep track of my projects I thought I should give an update on how I'm getting on...

I've had a couple of slow computer afternoons this week, so have managed to finish David's not grey socks..... he seems pleased with them, and they just about match. Here he is reading Steve Waugh's autobiography and enjoying his new socks. He's usually pretty good at getting holes in his socks so I guess I'm going to have to become proficient at darning.....
My Konfekt jumper is also making progress... it still feels pretty slow, but then I guess I'm knitting it in the round so am knitting the front and back at the same time. Another 9cm and then I'm up to the armholes.(Not that I've done any more on it for a couple of months, but) I joined a flickr group called "kaffe fassett inspired creations" and put a picture of my quilt on it - I've had a few nice comments about it which is very satisfying. Hopefully I'll have some time soon to do a few more squares.

And of course I'm having thoughts about the next projects (am I getting ahead of myself?).

My Mum and Dad brought this wool with them when they came to visit a couple of weeks ago - it's Jacob Wool produced quite locally to them at High Head Castle, Ivegill. The picture has washed the colour out quite a bit, but it's thick looking (it says on the label that it should be knit as a light Aran), soft and squishy feeling, and a nice natural looking (because it is) brown colour - definitely without the greyness of the photo. The plan is to make this cardigan... I haven't swatched or anything for it yet - but that's the plan at the moment.

I've also come across a pattern on the MagKnits website that I think I might think about knitting with the red Rowan Cotton Glace that I've had kicking around for a bit without a purpose. Again no swatching has taken place yet - but that's the plan.

I'm also hatching a plan for a pair of socks for my Mum, and also for doing some more sewing. I'm exhausted just thinking about all the things I want to do.

Oslo visit

Another weekend away.....

This time we went to Oslo to visit a friend of mine that I was at OSU with - I haven't seen her for 5 years or so, so it was really great to see her and to catch up - and to finally meet her two sons who are now 3 1/2.

It was a relaxing weekend - we went to the Vigeland sculpture park on Friday - what a fantastic place. It was built in the 30's and 40's and has lots of Gustav Vigeland's granite and bronze sculptures - of people at different times of their lives - very interesting and definitely worth a visit if you're in Oslo. I took a few pictures which you can see here.

On the Saturday we went to Drøbak, which is a really pretty town south of Oslo - we wandered around and looked at the bric-a-brac market that was there, and also took the tourist train around, which the boys loved.

On the Sunday we took a couple of short walks - one to a lake, where there was a bit of splashing around and swimming by those braver than me, and another to collect mushrooms - we found mostly chanterelle and hedgehog fungus (piggsopp), which we ate later before we had to go and get the plane back to Trondheim.

There was also quite a lot of this going on:

From left to right, Dan, Sindre, Bruce, Lenerd and David.

Selbu strikker

Another trip we did when my parents were visiting was to Selbu - it's an interesting place with a village museum and a church, and is of course the home place of selbu knitting - the two stranded, eight point rose pattern. There was a museum about it at Selbu too.... I took some photos:

We especially like the man to the far right in the wedding photo - very snazzy matching socks and jumper - David, what do you think?

A bit of outdoor wear - I think my parents may want his and hers matching knitted jumpers and socks! (probably not)

The museum was interesting - finding out about the knitting industry around there, and the patterns, although what was in the museum had a bit of a dated feel about it - which in itself was quite fascinating.

I did get this:

The selbustrikk book by Rauma, it has lots of patterns for mittens, gloves and socks - so I'll probably give it a go at some point.