with my hands – Dream

sewing, knitting, creating… always learning, always dreaming

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  • Home
  • Shop
  • My projects
  • Sewing
    • The pleated skirt calculator
    • The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
    • Ompelun suomi-englanti sanakirja
  • Tutorials
  • Reviews
    • Sewing patterns
    • Sewing books
  • Other crafts
    • Pirtanauha-generaattori
    • Crochet
    • Knitting
    • Paper crafts
    • Food
  • Events
  • About me
  • Resources
    • Suomalaisia käsityökirjoja – Finnish sewing books (for free)
    • Käsitöitä 1894-1915
  • Home
  • Shop
  • My projects
  • Sewing
    • The pleated skirt calculator
    • The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
    • Ompelun suomi-englanti sanakirja
  • Tutorials
  • Reviews
    • Sewing patterns
    • Sewing books
  • Other crafts
    • Pirtanauha-generaattori
    • Crochet
    • Knitting
    • Paper crafts
    • Food
  • Events
  • About me
  • Resources
    • Suomalaisia käsityökirjoja – Finnish sewing books (for free)
    • Käsitöitä 1894-1915

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Free old Finnish sewing books and magazines
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The BIG list of sewing pattern companies
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Tutorials
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Shop
  • Drawn thread work.
    Embroidery,  My projects,  Sewing

    Kokkola costume, part 2: An apron with drawn thread embroidery

    kk / December 10, 2020 / 2 Comments

    My national costume from Kokkola needed a new apron. This gave me a good chance to learn how to make drawn thread embroidery!

    Read More
  • Kokkola skirt fabric
    My projects

    Restoring an old Finnish national costume from Kokkola, part 1

    kk / November 26, 2020 / 2 Comments

    I restored an old Finnish national costume of Kokkola. In this first part I concentrate on the red wool pinafore dress.

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  • Feresi or a straight sarafan dress.
    My projects,  Sewing

    Making an early 19th-century Karelian dress: The Sarafan

    kk / October 31, 2020 / 1 Comment

    The last part of my Karelian dress project is the heavily pleated sarafan dress made out of red printed cotton. Now the costume is finished!

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  • My projects,  Sewing

    Making an early 19th-century Karelian dress, part 3: Accessories

    kk / October 24, 2020 / 3 Comments

    My Karelian costume needed some period accessories, so I made a pocket, an apron and a linen cap. I also got some silk scarves.

    Read More
  • Pirtanauhat
    My projects,  Other crafts,  Weaving

    Making an early 19th-century Karelian dress, part 2: Weaving the belt

    kk / October 16, 2020 / 1 Comment

    I learned how to weave with a backstrap rigid heddle to make traditional belts for my Karelian folk costume.

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  • Karelian rätsinä shirt.
    Affiliates,  Embroidery,  My projects,  Sewing

    Making an early 19th-century Karelian dress, part 1: Shirt “rätsinä”

    kk / October 9, 2020 / 3 Comments

    I am learning about the dress of my ancestors and making a traditional Karelian outfit. The first layer is called a "rätsinä" shirt.

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  • Petticoat
    My projects,  Sewing

    Finnish underwear at the turn of the 20th century – part 4: Petticoat and a bustle

    kk / September 24, 2020 / 2 Comments

    I continue making turn-of-the-century underwear using period patterns published in Finland. Now it's a time for a petticoat and a bustle.

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  • Singer 12
    My projects

    Restoring an antique Singer 12 from 1888

    kk / September 16, 2020 / 2 Comments

    I finally finished restoring my antique Singer 12 (or 12K) sewing machine. Reed about the history of this machine and the restorating work.

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  • 1915 skirt.
    My projects,  Sewing

    1915 skirt out of black wool

    kk / September 11, 2020 / 4 Comments

    I made a practical 1915 skirt out of black wool. The pattern was an authentic historical pattern from the book "Kukin oma ompelijansa".

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  • Victoria blouse
    My projects,  Patternreview,  Sewing

    Victoria blouse by Fibre Mood

    kk / August 28, 2020 / 2 Comments

    I made the Victoria blouse by Fibre Mood for myself for the winter. Here is my review of the pattern. Spoilers: I like it!

    Read More
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Foundations Revealed - Your wardrobe unlock'd. The costume makers companion.

From my YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsUWz_jCoP4

Top Posts & Pages

  • 10 different types of fabric that you should recognize with your fingertips!
    10 different types of fabric that you should recognize with your fingertips!
  • The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
    The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
  • The quest for the well-fitting trousers - what I have learned
    The quest for the well-fitting trousers - what I have learned
  • What a sewist should know about interfacing?
    What a sewist should know about interfacing?
  • Ironing board cart for your sewing room
    Ironing board cart for your sewing room
  • How I made a Victorian Symington corset and greetings from Turku castle
    How I made a Victorian Symington corset and greetings from Turku castle
  • A wool walking skirt
    A wool walking skirt
  • A grey teeshirt bra and panties
    A grey teeshirt bra and panties
  • Restoring an antique Singer 12 from 1888
    Restoring an antique Singer 12 from 1888
  • A fan skirt by Black Snail Patterns
    A fan skirt by Black Snail Patterns
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withmyhandsdream

Katja Kuitunen
I was invited to see and study the genuine Victori I was invited to see and study the genuine Victorian Bashlik at Espoo City Museum. Check out my YouTube video to see it! My warm thanks to the intendent Suvi Kettula ja Espoo City Museum! #bashlik #espoocitymuseum #kamuespoonkaupunginmuseo #Victorianfashion #hood #historicalfashion #Espoo #antiquegarments #history
I made a hair stick out of a chop stick. I never t I made a hair stick out of a chop stick. I never thought I could keep my slippery hair in control with a simple stick but I tried with a chop stick and it worked. Only the chop stick was wat too big. I shortened the stick and made a decorative spiral end. To be honest, that was an accident! I didn’t cut the wood straight with my Dremel and I saw the spiral forming. I then just continued cutting in an angle. #hairstick #woodcarving #diy #hairideas #dremelproject
It's been exactly 15 years since I married my husb It's been exactly 15 years since I married my husband but the time has gone so fast. And yes, we married on April Fool's day! Made it much easier to find the venue! However, we look so young in the picture! Five years ago we took a trip to Edinburgh together, just the two of us. We might have done something special this year, too, if not for covid, but now it's just a regular evening at home. #anniversary #15yearstogether
I managed to find real silk ribbon in my hometown! I managed to find real silk ribbon in my hometown! My Edwardian silk underwear deserves real silk and not polyester. However, this quick lets-just-use-the-silk-scraps-for-a-quick-corset-cover project has turned in a long one with days spend carefully hemming ruffles by hand and sewing lace on with silk thread. #Edwardianunderwear #trulyvictorianpatterns #sewing #costuming #historicalcostuming #corsetcover #silk #lace #ribbons #ruffles #sewfun #sew #ompelu #ompeluelämää #historiallinenompelu
My newest blog post and the YouTube video are now My newest blog post and the YouTube video are now live! I can finally show how I made this Victorian-inspired tailored jacket. The pattern was (a bit modified) Marfy #1989 and the gorgeous wool tweed was from @materialshelsinki. I finished the jacket already in December but it took me a while to edit all the footage I recorded during the process. In the meantime I have been wearing this jacket a lot. It is very warm and comfortable and a perfect jacket for #historybounding  shenanigans. #sewing #sewingblog #tailoring #jacket #tweed #tailoredjacket #räätälinhommia #ompelu #ompeluelämää #sewcialist #sewistsofinstagram #victorianinspired #sewfun #sew #sy #nähen #marfypatterns #marfy1989
Just uploaded three old Finnish sewing and pattern Just uploaded three old Finnish sewing and patternmaking books from the years 1892, 1902 and 1915 to my blog. After all these years they are in public domain but as far as I know they haven't been available digitally. Go and have a look! Link in bio! #sewingbooks #historicalsewing #oldbooks #digitizedbooks #sewingpatterns #sewing #patternmaking #historybounding #ompelu #ompeluelämää #ompelukaavoja #historiallinenompelu
Onion peels and tea for the dye and potato starch Onion peels and tea for the dye and potato starch to stiffen! Today, I started the work for my petticoat project in the kitchen! Now I must get silk ribbon to match - or then more onions! #sewing #historybounding #naturaldyeing #dyeingwithfood #lace #cottonlace #historicalsewing #petticoat #laceinsertion #sewcialist #sewistsofinstagram #ompelu #luonnonvärit #ompeluelämää #historiallinenompelu #pitsi
This wide lace was bright white similar to the nar This wide lace was bright white similar to the narrow lace in the picture. However, my silk fabric was cream-coloured. I first dipped my lace in hot tea (a good use for those bags in a selection that no one wants to drink) and it turned into light reddish beige. The colour was much better but I would have wished a colour closer to yellow. So, I took some leftover onion peels and dyed over. Now the colour matches exactly! Note that to do this your lace has to be made out of natural materials. I also put some salt in and removed the onion peels before adding the lace. I then used vinegar to set the dye. #fabricdyeing #lace #historybounding #dyeing #matchymatchy #sewing #sewcialist #historicalsewing #ompelu #värjäys #luonnonvärit #ompeluelämää #pitsi #puuvillapitsi #cottonlace #onionpeels #sipulinkuorivärjäys
I made an 18th-century style Finnish shirt for my I made an 18th-century style Finnish shirt for my Kokkola national costume. In a true 18th century fashion, the shirt is long but the lower part of the shirt is made out of cheaper fabric, I used an old tablecloth from the Recycling centre. Check out my YouTube video on sewing it! #sewing #sewcialist #sewistsofinstagram #ompelu #ompeluelämää #kansallispuku #kansallispuvunkorjausprojekti #sewfun #paita #aliset #historicalsewing #folkcostume
Should I line the hem ruffle? How much pf the cott Should I line the hem ruffle? How much pf the cotton netting should go beyond the lining? What lace trim to use? Can I match the colour of the silk if I dip my lace into some tea? Decisions, decisions? Opinions, please! #sewing #silk #victorianpetticoat #blacksnailpatterns #historybounding #lace #ruffle #historicalsewing #victorianfashion #labelleepoque #sew #sewfun #sewcialist #sewistsofinstagram #ompelu #pitsi #alushame #ompeluelämää
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