What to do with those keepsakes?

...like your parents' wedding telegrams?

You decoupage the inside of an old trousseau kist with it, of course. 

I am sentimental, and a hoarder, the combination of which makes for horrific storage challenges.

I keep things.  I still have my nursery school blankie, a little test book from Sub A, my Baby Love doll, books since forever.  Heirlooms like my dad's 2.4 m tall grandfather clock, his desk chair, my gran's dinner bell, my other gran's ring from an Italian POW.  I keep not-so-logical things, like my dad's uniform cap with his rank insignia on, the old tea tins my mom used for her curtain hooks (as I do), my mom's beautiful Bally shoes (not my size), an old anvil that was among the last things on my dad's mind as he lay dying - I still don't know where it comes from or the reason for his obsession with it. So I keep it.

And then I had the box with cards and telegrams of congratulations hat my mom saved after their wedding in October 1969.  It travelled with me from Polokwane to Pretoria to Brisbane to Pretoria and as I prepared now to move again, something had to come of it.   

Luckily I remember a pic of a decoupaged something, so the plan was made:

1. Take mom's old trousseau kist, one of those sturdy-but-not-so-pretty ones with the lacquered surface, that you store the linen in.

2. Lightly sand it down and paint with a non-drip satin enamel in a much better looking bone white...

3...While also cleaning the clasps

4. Modge-podge for the first time in your life and almost make a big bugger-up (luckily modge-podge is very forgiving. And luckily the wrinkles do disappear. Laaaaater).

4.   Lightly sand it down again et voilà, one better looking kist.

I used the telegrams on the inside of the lid, and more-or-less matching gift wrap for the trunk.  By then I also discovered adhesive spray, to make things a bit easier.

The rotary cutter...I was contemplating those edges, wondering how in hell I was going to cut it straight, when luckily (again) a Pin came past, advising me to fold the paper flat over the edge, and literally sand it off.  Beautiful finish, straight as a ruler, and just modge over it again. 

Done, I'm happy, can almost re-pack it!

Now to the list of twenty other things to do before we pack
(I also procrastinate...)

Next up: one retro wire garden set to de-rust and repaint.

Blog-hopping in Mzansi

The International Blog Hop has reached the capitol of the southern tip of Africa - thanks to Dorien of Just Do  and local girl Anneke of Crochet in Paternoster (yes...we have a beautiful little town in South Africa with a name out of a prayer).

It is such a treat to learn of many new blogs this way!

Photos of me can be scarce, but here's a nice one Cornel took last week when she did a Craft Share with me.  I love her new blog with fellow creatives Elsbeth & Anisa.

This is me :-)

Cornel cleverly took a picture of an empty, grey frame I hooked on a lone nail just to get it out of the way, just changed the colour a bit, and voilà, a pretty portrait :-)

(Cornel's Craft Shares are legendary - a random group of super-creative women met at her house to share and work together, accompanied by anything from yarn temptations, scrummy snacks to bubbly. She has now changed to concept to individual Craft Shares, of which mine was the first, and I really look forward to see who (and how!) she meets up with next.

What am I working on?

I just finished a CAL with my sis that I will blog about later, and declared the past weekend A Creative Weekend For Myself, during which I started a few things (I am a great starter...)

This beautiful square, designed by Cornel for the Sorbet & Lace blanket  in the Ideas Crochet magazine.  I'll use the blanket's edging to join as I go. It will be a slow project, 2 squares per weekend, maybe.

Square 1 of my Project Bohemia!
Ideas Crochet Magazine
(Video tutorial here - but in Afrikaans)
Find Ideas Magazine on Facebook

I've also started a blanket for my husband:

Defaulted into this pattern after
a) Elle Marco (top right) was discontinued, and therefor,
b) I couldn't do the single-coloured blanket I was after and,
c) I want to use wide stripes for another blanket later...

I rescued a baby blanket, my first attempt ever, and I don't think I'll ever have the nerve to do it again!
(Teacher Shan at the preschool asked me a week or two ago...could I? Would I?  This was her son's, and he used it almost to pieces...and he is now about to become a dad...
Awwww.)

See how I did it here

I started a collar for a t shirt:

Found in a men's shop and it looks near enough to doilies.

And I cheated a Summer Throw!

From discarded table cloth to my new summer throw in 1 trip to the Hospice Shop and 2 boxes of  dye!

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

I don't think it differs much from any other crocheter who wants to make pretty things.  

I dislike "old" crochet - toilet sets, frilly doll's clothes, antimacassars - I'll try to get new uses for vintage items.  

My colours are also muted/deep, never too bright  (primary) or sugary.  I don't think I've ever used pure white!
Although I haven't yet made anything to wear (something that I really, easily, intensely dislike), I've come upon a beautiful pattern by a friend and this will be attempted soon. 

Why do I create what I do?

I like the craft of crochet.  It's quick, it gives me something to do while waiting in the car at school, at swimming, at Kumon...I can do it while chatting with friends over a coffee. When done right, it produces beautiful work, and I hope to get there! Meanwhile, I get pleasure out of making my own scarves, cowls, blankets, trying out new things growing in the craft and helping to preserve it by developing it in a whole new way with all the great new yarns we have available.

How does my creative process work?

Oh, jeepers. Let's not pretend :-)

Does this sound familiar...
"Oh, what beautiful yarn!  I need it, to make...something!"
(and then thinking up something)

Or..
"Oh, look at this beautiful pattern! I want to make X, Y, Z with it!"

(and then rushing to the yarn shop to add to the stash)

And sometimes, sometimes, you'll see something in nature (a rock rose on a Free State farm stoep), a photo (a friend 's photo of mountains in Tajikistan), or have a vague plan for useful item - and let that simmer away in your brain while contemplating another visit to the yarn shop...

This is my story!

Anisa also did a profile on me at Hello Hart

I want to pass the baton the friend and fellow crochet, and yarn shop owner (stocking NO squeek) and bistro owner Hilda of Yarn in a Barn.  She is busy with the most exquisite heritage blanket that I can't wait to see finished. 

(I'm coming for breakfast  this weekend, Hilda!)

Living history

I don't have a very 'glamorous' family history in terms of buccaneering, rebelling, inventing, Great Trekkers and the like, just a couple of mainly Dutchmen  who got on the ship to Kaap de Goede Hoop, and French Hugenot, with sprinkles of German, Scotch, Malay and who knows what else thrown in.

But sometimes, out of the blue, you learn of an interesting thing that happened years and years ago...like my grandfather's brother who one day, left the house, never to return.  

They never heard of him again.  

I found that set of great-grandparents in a national family register, with one named son (not the walker), and "other children", but not those we know.

What happened there?

Ek het nie 'n vreeslik glorieryke familiegeskiedenis nie; nie seerowers, rebelle, uitvinders, Groot trekkers en so aan nie, meestal 'n paar Nederlanders wat per skip aan die Kaap de Goede Hoop geland het, 'n Hugenoot, spatsels Duits, Skots en Maleis, en wie weet wat nog. 

Maar soms, soms, hoor jy van iets interessants uit die verlede...soos my oupa se broer want net eendag weggeloop het, wég, en hul het nooit weer van hom gehoor nie.  

Wat het van hom geword?  Waarom het hy weggeloop?  

Ek het daardie grootjies wel in die nasionale familieregister gevind, met een genoemde seun (wat nie die wegloper was nie), en "kinders", maar nie dié wie se name ons ken nie.

Wat het daar gebeur?

----

Then there was my other great grandfather who was a prisoner of war on the island of St Helena. 

He was 17 years old when he was captured near Ladybrand during the Anglo Boer War.  Luckily he survived and fathered my paternal grandmother.

Dan was daar my ander oupagrootjie wat krygsgevangene was op St Helena-eiland.  

Hy was maar 17 toe hy gevange geneem is naby Ladybrand tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog.  Gelukkig het hy oorleef, my pa se oupa. 

Spot the French descendant

----

My grandmother recently told me about the three Italian prisoners of war that stayed on their farm during WW2.

Whaaaat?

I knew there were lots of Italian prisoners in South Africa, but associated them with areas in what is now Gauteng, Limpopo, the Boland; not Laingsburg in the Great Karoo.

Typically these prisoners were placed at farms where they would work as general labourers or builders, and assisted in bridge and road building.  

My ouma vertel my onlangs van die drie Italiaanse krygsgevangenes wat tydens die tweede Wêreldoorlog na hul plaas uitgeplaas is.
Waaaat?

Ek het geweet van die Italiaanse gevangenes in Suid-Afrika, maar het hul meer assosieer met areas in (tans) Gauteng, Limpopo, die Boland; nie Laingsburg in die Groot Karoo nie.
Hierdie gevangenes is tipies na plase gestuur waar hul as arbeiders/bouers moes werk, of het meegewerk as brug/padbouers.

And then she showed me this ring.  

En toe wys sy my hierdie ring.

There were two; one each with her and my grandfather's initials, made of an aluminium pipe.  Inside it is engraved with date and initials of one Fernandro, who formed a close bond with them.  My grandfather's ring was lost through the years, my grandmother gave this one to me.

Daar was twee; een elk met haar en my oupa se voorletters gegraveer, gemaak van 'n aluminiumpyp.  Aan die binnekant is die datum en voorletters van ene Fernandro gegraveer, met wie hul bevriend geraak het.  My oupa se ring is verlore, hierdie een het my ouma nou aan my gegee.  

Amazing.

I would love to try and track Fernandro's history through the Prisoner of War Museum.  

Project for next year.

Ongelooflik.  

Ek sal graag Fernandro se geskiedenis probeer naspoor deur die Krygsgevangenemuseum.  

Projek vir volgende jaar.  

Today, seventy years ago, she received this.
Vandag, 70 jaar gelede, het sy hierdie ring ontvang.

----

I still wanted to write a post about the yoga bag that was eventually finished (oh yeay!), the basket that I lined - a looong time ago, crochet @ my favourite Pure Café...but then I thought, nah.  It's holiday.

Last year we were so lucky to be off to snow in Tirol, this year it's back to beach on the Garden Route, equally great.

Have a happy, blessed Christmas! 

Until 2014 :-)

Ek wou nog 'n post skryf oor die joga-sak wat uitéindelik klaar is, die mandjie wat ek gevoer het - laaaank terug al, hekel by my gunsteling Pure Café...maar toe dag ek , nee.  Dis vakansie.

Verlede jaar was ons so gelukkig om in die sneeu te gaan speel in Tirol, hierdie jaar is dit terug na die strand aan die Tuinroete, beide ewe lekker.

Dus: lekker vakansie, geseënde Kersfees!

Tot 2014 :-)

Bellbottoms

And meanwhile, while I'm contemplating which WIP to pick up (almost done with an unplanned washcloth series) - a look at one of my absolute most favourite shops in the whole whole whole world ever.

My house looks like a Bellbottoms showroom.

It helps that their prices are fantastic.
It helps that the owner lives just a block away and happily delivers that which doesn't fit into my car.
It helps that they allow me to spot something, grab it, and make an EFT payment from home!

Actually, all of the above don't help.  it just feeds the addiction.

Bellbottoms - a landmark in the Valley

What's on the sidewalk just immediately tempts me.

A juke box, bunny ears, accordion or toilet for you?

Bohemian Rhapsody is not for sale, sadly :-(
I tried.

I have bought tables, cupboards,  chairs and benches - and a red Brylcream bathroom cabinet similar to the orange and green ones.

Shoes, handbags,, hats, roses etc upstairs.  Upstairs I once found a 100% wool jacket for the princely sum of R80.
Make that  €6.  Or  £5.  Or $8.  Bargain anywhere.

Collectors LP's, vintage postcards; remember the old shop tills?

All the tea pots and jugs you can think of.  And my boys usually end up at the sweets counter.

And I've even found some crochet doilies and table cloths here :-)

My Granny's hooks

My granny turned 89 yesterday.  89!

Until very recently , she was still fitter and stronger than many women 20 years younger. She's survived 11 of her siblings, her husband, a daughter, a grandson.  Life is getting a bit difficult now with a very sore back, hips, neck, but on a good day, her wit is as sharp as ever.  Every  time we go down south (which is almost every holiday), I make the drive over the Robinson Pass for a visit and hopefully some mutton curry or souskluitjies.  

When my sis came to visit now from Ireland , we visited again.

Ouma Nettie with three of her (16?) great-grandchildren and my sisi.

We always have tea on the stoep or in her sitting room, and she always take a second cup.  

She produced this, with the instruction that my sis and I should divide it between the two of us:

A wooden container, looking like a tiny pencil box

...and inside we found the minutest of small crochet hooks!

Old-time crochet hooks, made in England

It doesn't look that small, until you compare it to my standard nr 4 hook:

How did they work with it??

Isn't it the most beautiful hook?

I'm wondering what to do with my half, since I'll never work with it (too small!)  I'm thinking of a nice box frame, together with a delicate old handkerchief I also got from her.  Or with a small tray cloth she embroidered as a young woman.

Any ideas?

A wedding quilt for my sisi

Yesterday was my sister's 5th wedding anniversary. 

They live in Ireland, but got married here in South Africa, and is currently on holiday here again, with us in Pretoria, but mostly in Hartenbos, where we spent a lovely 10 days by the sea. 

On April 9, 2007, I had the bittersweet privilege to give her away:

I wanted to make them a nice cross-stitched quilt as a wedding gift, but as usual, time was against me and I ended up combining cross-stitch, some photos of them, and remnant fabric that would have some link to her:

Some lines from her favourite songs/poems.

Reddish fabric from an old table cloth of my mom.

Blue check fabric from curtains when she lived with us for a while.

Photo of them, me and our gran on their wedding day.

Photo of the two of them on Table Mountain.

Embroidered their initials, first names, something symbolising their names, and birth dates.

Can see a bit of the church they were married (NG Groot Brak) and their rings.

A photo of her husband's first visit to Africa, when my husband took him all the way up to Beit Bridge and the Limpopo River.  They stopped by a nice baobab on the N1 route.

Port Natal is our little beach house in Hartenbos.

A photo of my boy (now almost  8!) sitting next to her in the car on a road trip in Aus, when we lived there for a while.

Floral fabric of a new table cloth for my kitchen when we returned to RSA.

Excerpt from the "I am an African"-speech by Thabo Mbeki, then president of South Africa:

 

"Southern Cross" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Also visible here - I embroidered their house in Cork (blue).

Photo of my boy's hand on her arm, same road trip as above.

Small white and blue check - cut-off from the table cloth at our little beach house.

Blue chambric - cut-offs from my boy's bed linen when he was a baby.

 

I loved making this. It is now a wall hanging in their house.  

Happy 5th, Gerlene and Ken :-)

Skoonma-se-lap

Wat is hierdie?

What is this?

(Ja, dis 'n klein tafeldoekie, maar wat noem jy dit?).

Skoonma bring dit hier aan met 'n onlangse kuier.  Ons wil weet hoe dit gemaak word.

(Yes, it's a small table cloth, but what do you call it?).

MIL brought it along during a recent visit. We want to know how it's made.

Kyk, dit lyk op die oog af baie eenvoudig, amper soos kruisiesteek op gingham.

It looks deceptively easy, like a simple cross-stitch on gingham.

Maar die draadjies volg 'n baie spesifieke patroon. Skoonma het dit al probeer na-doen, maar kry dit nie reg. Dis gemaak deur haar ma, ouma Alkie, baie baie jare gelede, en ouma Alkie is nie meer hier om ons te leer nie.  

But no.  It follows a very specific pattern. MIL has tried to figure it out, but cannot replicate it.  It was made by her late mother, grandma Alkie, many many years ago.

Weet iemand?

Does anyone know?

Ed.
Ek het na 'n klompie voorbeel van smokwerk gekyk - maar hierdie is plat, nie ingetrek nie.
I looked at examples of (point) smocking, but this is completely flat, not gathered.

My ouma se knoop

75 jaar gelede was my ouma 'n 12 jarige dogtertjie in Laingsburg, wat haar eerste trui gebrei het.

Van daardie trui het sy nog 'n knoop oorgehad, wat aan haar sitkamertjie se deurknop hang.

En nou is die knopie by my, aan 'n hekelblom vasgewerk (Lucy se patroon), en dit gaan 'n borsspeld of 'n Kersversiering word.

75 years ago, my grandmother was 'n 12 year old girl in Laingsburg, South Africa, knitting her first jersey.  Of this jersey, she still had one button, hanging off the doorknob of her sitting room.

And now, the button lives in a crocheted flower (Lucy's pattern), to become either a brooch or a Christmas decoration.

Vintage

My sus het nou die dag op Ons Hekel vertel van 'n ou gehekelde tafeldoek van my ma, fyn-fyn gehekel met bruinerige garing, gedoen deur gevangenes van die Kroonstad Vrouegevangenis, doer seker in die sewentigerjare (ons ouers was albei in die destydse Gevangenisdiens).

Ek het 'n soortgelyke tafeldoek, seker dieselfde patroon, maar in wit garing:

My sis posted the other day on Ons Hekel about a crocheted tablecloth that belonged to our mom, finely crocheted with a natural-brownish colour thread. It was done by inmates of the Kroonstad Womens Prison, sometime in the early 70's,I think (our parents were both officers at the then Dept. of Prison Services).

I have a similar tablecloth, with the same pattern, I think, but in this white thread:

Julle!  Kyk hoe fyn. 

Die motief is 6 cm.

Daar is 19 x 19 motiewe...=361. 

Die eerste rondte lyk soos 20 (twintig!) langbene (ek probeer dit tel met 'n naald se punt!). 

Hoe groot is die hekelpen waarmee hierdie gedoen is?  En hoe lank het dit geneem?

See the fine detail??

The motif is 6 cm.

There are 19 x 19 motives...=361. 

The first round looks like 20 (twenty!!) (UK) trebles (I tried to count with the point of a needle!). 

Imagine the size crochet hook needed to do this.  And how long it took?

As kind was ek nie erg oor die tafeldoeke nie, maar nou dat ek leer hekel, kan ek waardeer hoeveel ongelooflike moeite daar ingegegaan het. Vakmanskap.

As a child I didn't really like it, but now that I'm learning to crochet, I can appreciate the beauty and absolute workmanship that went into it.