Skip to main content

Christmas Countdown #25envelopes/14 : Tonttu


 14 December Christmas Countdown #25envelopes - tonttu

Of all the places where I’ve lived , no other country does Christmas better than Finland ... today’s envelope features tonttu which is a mythological creature from Nordic folklore associated now with the winter solstice and the Christmas season. They are generally described as being short, having a long white beard, and wearing a conical or knit cap in red or some other bright colour. My tonttu is free motion stitched with coloured pencil and collaged with other fabric .

Best wishes to all my Finnish friends and host families - hyvää joulua

PS. Some readers  may know of these little folk as tomte ( Swedish) or nisse (Danish) 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

#SeptTextileLove26 … Introduction.

  A last minute decision to join #septtextilelove26 … so here I am #stl26day1 … Wilma from Newcastle, NSW , Australia , stitching in my garden - my favourite way to spend the day.  I love working with textiles and found objects and as I get older, I enjoy and appreciate the gentle calm of stitching even more . #septtextilelove #empresswu seam collective #SeptTextileLove — 2026 edition! What began back in September 2017 has grown into something truly special — a welcoming textile community that comes together every single year! What makes #SeptTextileLove truly stand out? It’s the connection! Every day, we at seam go through all your wonderful posts and choose three to highlight and celebrate. It’s the conversation between participants, t— and it all comes together in our final prompt on Day 30: “Your favourite post from another participant” — a beautiful way to lift each other up and wrap up the month together. All of September: one textile prompt a day. Respond to as many o...

Stitching Stories of Strength

  Last month, I was interviewed by Sian Goff , textileartist.org and here is the resulting article  Member Spotlight: Wilma Simmons  Stitching stories of strength When Wilma Simmons retired at 55 after a career as a high school principal, she made herself a promise: whatever came next would be creative. Two decades later, that promise has grown into a practice rooted in storytelling, sustainability, and a deep respect for the women who came before her. Based in Newcastle, Australia, Wilma has become a fixture of the textile art world, a longtime volunteer at the Timeless Textiles Gallery, a two-time solo exhibitor, and a member of Stitch Club almost since its very first year. Talking with her, it's easy to see why her work resonates: every piece carries a narrative, and every material has been chosen because it means something. Wilma Simmons , Thorax with Eucalyptus. Wilma Simmons , Wall, inspired by Ana Buzzalino. From clay and jewellery to cloth Wilma's crea...

"Temari Or Not Temari?" Tutorial

 Background Information:  Temari (literally translated “hand ball”) is a Japanese folk craft that is alleged to have originated in China and was introduced to Japan five or six hundred years ago. Traditionally, the balls were constructed from wrapped kimono fabric remnants and silk threads. They were made by mothers and grandmothers for children to play with. Nowadays, decorative embroidered temari represent a highly valued and cherished gift symbolizing friendship and loyalty. Recently I've wondered if your don't use traditional techniques whether you should call what you create "temari". That is an ongoing debate but today I share what I do to make a "non-traditional temari".... 1.I start  with a polystrene ball ( traditionally the balls were wound  silk scraps or other organic materials) and begin to wrap with approx 4 ply wool, turning the ball as I wrap.  2. I then wrap another layer of wool in a similar fashion , this time a 3 or 2 ...