Today you should pay attention and be extra careful: it is Friday the 13! If you are going fishing, take care not to slip to the stream...
"I will only give my daughter, Give to thee my fairest virgin, Bride of thine to be forever, When for me the swan thou killest In the river of Tuoni, Swimming in the black death-river, In the sacred stream and whirlpool; Thou canst try one cross-bow only, But one arrow from thy quiver."
Then the reckless Lemminkainen, Handsome hero, Kaukomieli, Braved the third test of the hero, Started out to hunt the wild-swan, Hunt the long-necked, graceful swimmer, In Tuoni's coal-black river, In Manala's lower regions.
(Kalevala, Poem 14)
You can share pictures of Swan of Tuonela square on social media with #kalevalacal_tuonelanjoutsen. Hashtag for Kalevala CAL is #kalevalacal.
General Kalevala CAL info and all the links to other parts of the blanket project will be found on the Kalevala CAL page on the blog of Arteeni.
DESIGNER PORTRAIT: Arni Oksanen
My name is Arni Oksanen. I am 42 years old, and I am en entrepreneur and a mother of a lovely son. Four years ago our family moved to the countryside to live in an old village shop. The house is also a working place for me and my husband, as we do furniture conservation for living. There are also two little crochet helpers in our family, the chihuahuas Ebony and Bean. I learned the fine art of crochet as a school girl, and I also got influence from my mother and grandmother who both were craft persons. My father is very skilled, too, and he isn't even shy of the sewing machine. To crochet is a very important part of my life. It brings calm and works as a way of self expression for me. I have made wonderful new friends with whom I have experienced things together! The Kalevala CAL square is my very first published crochet pattern.
I designed the Swan of Tuonela square to the Kalevala CAL project. The contrast between a gloomy and gulping river of Tuonela and a beautiful and delicate swan was my inspiration, along with the tragic destiny of Lemminkäinen. I like to combine explicit and graphic forms to something more softer factor. I was intrigued to design something delicate but powerful. I was totally surprised by myself! I also made one of the sample blankets of the CAL; the colour pack is called "Tunturi / Fell" and I have composed the colour scheme for it.
Hint to the crocheters of Swan of Tuonela: Read the pattern through patiently, concentrate and you will hit the goal!
Favourites of the designer:
Yarn: Natural fibres
Colour: I love colours; strong, intense and pure colours. Orange has been my favourite colour since childhood.
Favourite stitch: I like all stitches, especially the ones that I can't know yet! Gotta have challenge!
Place to crochet: My own armchair
Swan of Tuonela
Hints from test crocheters
* Beginner ** Easy *** Average **** DEMANDING
Rather small RIGHT SIZE Rather big
Colours
Here you can find all the colours needed in every row for different colour packs (Click to see the lists bigger). The colours for the Metsä / Forest -colour pack can be found also on the pattern itself.
Unfortunately the Rock color scheme sample photo is not available. Edit. Lake colors are updated on 14th of October, 2017
Swan of Tuonela Pattern
A link to Swan of Tuonela video, which works as a support for the written pattern. Videos are done by Iris van Meer.
Other info
You can find pictures of the squares made by other Kalevala CAL participants on Instagram: #kalevalacal #kalevalacal_tuonelanjoutsen
General Kalevala CAL info and all the links to other parts of the blanket project will be found on the Kalevala CAL –page on the blog of Arteeni.
