When we crocheted in Morocco

No.  

We couldn't look on while they prepared for their Cool Crochet workshop in Marrakech.  We wanted go come along!

It's just a bit...far.  And at least one long haul and another connecting flight away. 

No, we had to make a plan and join in.

So we went to Morocco!  In Pretoria :-)

Thanks to Moroccan House, we could.   

A group of hooking friends crossed out last Friday in our diaries, and escaped to a place of colour and texture, aromas and tastes, and will definitely go back for more of the same.  

We enjoyed:

We walked through the showroom and wondered what we could get for the house...

We hooked and chatted and met new friends from Holland and Mauritius and locally and caught up with each other's work:

We're already planning a next visit.

But first...we're going to Holland!

(And maybe to the real Marrakech one day)

Read the beautiful post Hilda wrote after this morning

My Mzansi 14/5 - Bush camp

at the farm with the tall trees

a little boy's playground is open and wide

there's a tame buffalo calf who comes when you call

- she's a royal little thing -

golden wildebeest

a sable antelope with perfect half-moon horns

and a phantom white kudu roams the dam wall

African Buffalo - they're cute when they're small

A bunting for St Patrick's

It WAS St Patrick's Day.

Our Mondays and Tuesdays fly by in a flash, leaving me on a Wednesday, wondering how I got here.  Still sore from Monday's training, bracing myself for tonight's, and trying not to think of Friday's looming grading.  This is our February and March, on a run with school and everything else, hurtling towards Ironman (husband) in April, after which we can fall into a collective pile.

 So.  What I planned to post over the weekend:

Due to my sis being married to a Cork-man, her residing in Ireland for near 11years now, and me having visited around six times, I'm considered the local Irish representative at my youngest's preschool and as such help out with St Patrick's week each year.

Picture and book display at the circle (Montessori school)

We'll wear something green, hang the Irish flag, have Enya, U2, Van Morrison. The Cranberries and..... How about some Gary Moore? Sinéad O'Connor!  And start off with me re-telling the legend of St Patrick. I might also read about about Cú Chulainn later, and maybe Molly Malone, or The Salmon of Knowledge. And the kids usually love the story of how The Giant's Causeway came to be!

Teachers Shan & Miriam hoisting the flag

Found some clover in my garden!

As for activities, we've previously made shamrocks of playdough, baked soda bread, took a photo of us all as a giant shamrock and sent messages to the cousin's preschool on Cork. This year I have shamrock seeds to sow, we might either make Irish flags or bake shamrock cookies. Mmm...how about potato prints...

Little hands making playdough cookies

In the end I found a box with bright green dot-stickers that they used to make clovers, drew in stems, a rainbow and a pot of gold.  We also searched for a four-leaved clover from the tiny harvest of my garden - no joy there. And I taught them why the botanical name of clover would be Trifolium - knew the years of studying agriculture would come in handy one day ;-)

There were three cakes of Bambi to make a bigger clover with

...even Nessa (ever-patient school dog) played along!

I also hooked up a quick bunting to string at the front door -and didn't take a photo of it in situ :-(

I used double strands of Vinnis Bambi, a cotton-bamboo blend with lovely texture, in a brilliant green. The result is a bit...rustic, but hey, I've ten balls to finish off.  Impulse buy gone wrong :-0

The pattern I printed out, and it has since disappeared in the abyss of my week, but it might have been this one.  Here's another lovely version to try.

With my Africa, Ireland also has a special corner of my heart. 

I had the lazies.

I had the lazies...the laziest couldn't-lift-a-finger-to-write-even-one-blogpost lazies. 

Lethargic might begin to describe it.

Was it the long, long summer holiday?

We had a looong 6 weeks, of which 4 were spent by the sea, of which 3 were splashed in blasting hot sunshine and blue skies - not quite the usual during December on the Garden Route where you'll often have windy days.

Hartenbos has the finest, softest beach

Was it the excitement of planning a new house?

Fourteen years ago we had the opportunity to build a new house, and now we have another take. Lucky to have found an architect who 'got' us, and could produce a concept within a week.

Was it the worry over my youngest's little friend who was diagnosed with kidney cancer the week after schools closed?

He's had chemo, and a tumour and kidney was removed, and is bravely facing another 27 sessions of chemo, but he's doing well, and his parents are absolute beacons of hope and faith.

Was it the overwhelmedness (that might be my own new word) at the outpouring of love and caring from Ons Hekel-members for a fellow member whose daughter had to undergo open heart surgery?

It went well, she was discharged, sent us a message...and then suddenly died :-( 

Members spontaneously arranged for a blanket to be hooked for her mother in memory of the daughter. We're hooking 20 cm squares with some purple in it (her favourite colour).

Was it the thought of the 45 text books I had to cover for school, and then start gr 4 again, 32 years after passing it the first time?
Gr 4 changed quite a bit :-)

Or what is I Just Plain Lazy?
That might be it...

Joining ancient rectangular doilies to use as bunting during a quick overnight break to Rietfontein Ostrich Palace

The tan is still there (plus the extra kg or two...), the plans for submission are being finalised, we came through a week of two anniversary dates and three birthday parties in two days, I enrolled for a year of Bible School, my youngest have lost his two front teeth, my eldest decided he is going to love Natural Science in Gr 4 (good boy!), my husband is furiously training for Ironman, my ferritin stores are back to normal, my domestic worker has gone on pension and ... The Boss will be in town this week! And I'm going to try and stay awake for the whole thing. No choice there, seeing as it's standing tickets :-D

I did manage to complete a tiny very few little things, mostly crocheting while we were driving across the country and back.

Southbound through the Karoo

This flag bunting was designed by my friend Cornel and featured in the Idees magazine a year or so ago.  The idea was to use it as tree decorations (the young karee outside our little beach house), but it also ended up as being used for little yarn bombs. I used Raeesah cotton,  a DK yarn with the most beautiful, solid, clear colours, but spliiiiity, splitty, splitty.  Very much the same as Drops Cotton Light that some UK/European bloggers complained about.  My sis even abandoned her plans of joining and edging a baby blanket with it, and sent me the whole batch to try out/re-distribute.  I kept one. 

However, it worked out fine, and I left my tiny bunting at a favourite farm stall (Camdeboo Farm Stall in Aberdeen), at a get-together with fellow hookers in Klein Brakrivier, another old favourite roadstop - Smitswinkel Farm stall,  a new favourite LYS-when-on-holiday (Needle Nook in George), De Vette Mossel beach restaurant in Tergniet, and Bizarre Bazaar, a great new second hand shop in Mossel Bay.

Hooking my way through  the holiday

There was some left for my tree, with a few stars.

I yarn-bombed the nearby stop sign, as nobody stops there...

STOP now!

And I completed exactly a measly five squares of The Summer Throw that was going be finished...and then back  home I realised I used a different hook size to the first four...

I probably wasn't concentrating too hard...

Oh jeepers tog.

So I frogged four, re-hooked the lot, and completed my purple Anja-square today.

Also the Mt Vernon square, with a few rows added, unblocked here

The anniversary.  We've been married 18 years :-0 Where did the time go?

As we're not the traditional anniversary-gift-type, we settled into the happy arrangement of me going to the Le Creuset shop to get something  "for us".  This year, however, I was ambushed by this chair en route to Le C...and after some sweet talk it now resides in the home office!  So I declare the appropriate 18th year anniversary as "leather swivel chair".

Feels like you're sitting in a hug.

Right.

Back now to the Summer Throw...with autumn just around the corner :-P

It's giving me a slight headache.

Happy new year :-) 

My Mzansi 14/1

Before taking on the long, hot road north

we stopped for the annual cool-down 

in a mountain pool

below a waterfall

where a mermaid is said to be found

at the edge between the Little Karoo and Great Karoo

where it's dry and hot

where millions of years ago

the ocean ebbed

Meiringspoort waterfall

A local family joined in the fun.

Roadtrippin' (2) - Of some crochet, a wedding and two sides of a battlefield

My sis's friend was getting married and in a flash we decided: why not come down for the weekend?

That is now - from Ireland to South Africa.

She did it to a day exactly 10 years ago as well, when our cousin got married.  Within 48 hours we flew down to Cape Town, drove up the West Coast, dipped our toes in the icy, icy waters of Strandfontein, joined a family wedding in Lutzville, drove back south and stopped every now and then: for a seaside lunch at Muisbosskerm, beach runs at Elandsbaai and Lambertsbaai, and ran into Cape Town airport with sea sand clinging to our legs :-)

So we did it again.

She arrived Friday morning, and after meeting a friend, we did a quick shopping pit stop, picked up the boys and started packing. 

Saturday morning we hit the N3.

Crossing the Drakensberg we saw clouds and fog gathering near Montrose.

Legend has it that a boy fell into a rock crevice hereabouts, could not be rescued and in the end was shot by his father.  There's even an old Afrikaans poem telling this tale.

Some crochet came along!  My sis sat in the back and did a few squares for Yarn Indaba 2014, I re-started (for the last time!) my Summer Throw. Still using the Mount Vernon pattern, but switched to Vinnis Nikkim instead of the Bambi, and using the simulated braided join now.


As we descended into KwaZulu-Natal, the  clouds got darker.

Don't let the names fool you -  we're not in the Highlands

But much like the Highland cattle, Zululand cows also stray into the road:

Careful now...

Funerals are big business, and this is a common sight in rural areas on a Saturday. It has, unfortunately also turned into a "be seen" occasion, with fashion, girls and cars being flaunted.

And then we arrived in Dundee, among billowing clouds and rumbling thunder, and the church ceremony ended with a ferocious thunder storm.  Off to the reception and what's more fun than a farm wedding in a shed?  This one had beautiful old hard-wood chairs, raw brick and white and green flowers.  A hoard of children were occupied in another beautifully renovated shed by a handful of nannies.

Turns out that the farm's previous owner was my MIL's uncle!

Luckily there were lot of candles - another mother of all thunderstorms broke loose and the electricity went out at least three times.

Loose bunches of green and white flowers and foliage in glass jars decorated the tables.

Happiness - three university friends reunited!  My sis is on the right - I loved her tea frock.

Even though we only ate at 20h30, it was such a happy occasion, dripping with rain everywhere, kids asleep all over and just general joy.

The next day, as we were so near, and it presented an "educational opportunity", I convinced the dear, suffering husband to make the 80 km detour roundtrip to the Blood River/Ncome museum complex.

At Blood River, a definitive battle in Voortrekker-Afrikaner history took place, during which a relatively small group of Voortrekkers defeated the huge Zulu army.  They made a vow to God to build a church should they be spared, which they did in Pietermaritzburg.

The reason for the battle?

The Voortrekkers launched a revenge commando after two previous attacks by the Zulu.
The Zulu defended their land against an invasion of foreigners.

It ended in blood.

A life-sized replica of the ox-wagon lager marks the spot where the Voortrekkers took position. 

Across the river, a brand-new complex commemorating the Zulu side has been completed.  It was built in the shape of the "buffalo horn" attack formation ; this exhibit displaying the shields of the different regiments.

Bloedrivier to the left, Ncome to the right, and the river still divides them.  A reconciliation bridge  between the two sites is under construction

Driving in Zululand, you have to be careful.  But our goats are clever - they listen to and react to the sound of a hooter.
(Cattle don't, they'll jump around any which way.  Donkeys just ignore you and will stand where they are. Chicken will just blindly run).

And then we headed back for the long drive home past the plains of the Free State and Gauteng. 

And then it was Monday and time for her to go home to Ireland :-(
But not before we fitted in a crochet-with-coffee get-together with friends!  We hooked quite a few squares, and received a huge number more to deliver to deliver to the organisers.
More about that...later.

Road Trippin'

What arrived in South Africa today, courtesy of my sis on a blitz-visit from Ireland!

Lets go camping!

My sis tipped me off  to Kate's blog and I started following their family's road trip around half of Australia about halfway through.  While I loved the travelling tales, I also liked her crochet work, their way of thinking and outlook on life, and continued to follow her and farmer Bren's adventures at home, about life on an organic farm, crafting, hooking and the like.

It remains one of my favourite blogs; have a look at www.foxslane.blogspot.com

Now I just want to hook a caravan to my Xtrail and take off.  But a ±1500 km road trip southwards in three week's time will have to do! At the other end, there's a little beach house where my Rainbow Ripple actually lives, I can put up some bunting, two couches are waiting for new slipcovers...I can pretend it's my stationary caravan.  

Hooking and holidaying

At last, it was the winter holiday, but alas, no winter!

I love the winter holidays.  Three weeks of lying* in, or early-morning walks in crisp-cold air, hearty soup, my gran's souskluitjies, big, roaring bonfires in the evening, a hunting weekend-or two.   

A quick drive to do some bass-fishing and have a quick braai, just 25 min from home. 

I just made the fire and hooked a beanie:

We're experiencing a very warm winter.  Every morning I hopefully dress up with something warm and a scarf, only to discard most layers by lunchtime.  So it was with high hopes that I packed for the usual visit to the grandparents and, hopefully, winter rain.

But no, we hit the southern Cape in the midst of bergwind conditions, making the days ideal to spend on the beach, but no snuggling! But I did get to catch up on the smaller hooking projects:

At 1o'clock - Attemp numero 5 of the mezzaluna shawl.  Note: sit down in quiet with an hour or more at a time to work o this one.  Count.  Mark with highlighter. 

Half past four - working with Karoo Moon handspun merino on the beach.  It became a lacy cowl for MIL.

Six: Graceful Shells poncho for me, also with Karoo Moon handspun merino...and then I didn't have enough!!I'll need at least two more balls.

Half past seven: The beginning of a flowery scarf at a local road stall.  The breakfast was great.  The flowery scarf became a baby beanie later.

Eleven o'clock - The Great Romany Blanket came out of hibernation!  It grew with 10 rows.  I must sit down more with this one.

There was time for a little driving around and looking at the latest  at some of my favourite stops - Smitswinkel Farmstall, offering colourful granny blankets for the first time!

And De Dekke Antiques had this purple throw among piles of white tablecloths, a steal @ R390.  Depending on the day anything between 35-40 euro.

I took the boys to a small history museum in Hartenbos, and while they were fascinated by the Great Trek exhibits and the gun room, I marvelled at some very old examples of lovely hooking - a nighty and a beautiful table cloth (compare with Haafner's latest! Similar solid square with bobbles, the other way round.)

Also had a second look at the linen in Hartenbos Huisie...my sis and I will both hook a blanket for this room, and chose Elle Pure Gold colours based on these pillow covers and the stripey mat.  It is a secret CAL between us, she's already started but I've just decided what pattern to use...

And then rained, on the day we went home :-(

But all hope was not lost, as we were on route for a weekend in the highlands.
(South Africa's mos a world in one country; we do fly fishing in our own Highlands while staying in a mini-Grand Canyon)

www.komatigorge.co.za

During the day it was warm enough to fish, play in the river, paddle-boat and canoe, and by late afternoon it cooled down enough for a little port with my hooking.  By evening I stoked the fire to read read and read while The Dad did the braai.

All in all, a great rest, with good enough progress on various WIP's and plans.  

Still waiting for a good cold front, though.

* Show me the second language English speaker that doesn't at some stage confuse the lays/lies!  Again I had to make sure.  You'd think by age 42 I would remember. 

So here's a neat link:

http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/03/lie-or-lay/

Klaar! 'n Strepesak

Klaar! Strepesak vir daardie mobiele projekte:

Done! 'n Stripey bag for those mobile projects:

A stripey bag for stash and projects

My een wolwinkel hou sakke uitskotwol aan, growwe, harde  100%wol (moontlik tapytwol?), maar in mooie kleure.  Ek was gelukkig om 'n sakkie met verskillende kleure te kry, vir die lawwe prys van iets soos R25 vir 500g. (Ja! Kan jy glo???)

My one LYS keeps bags of loose ends, coarse 100% wool (possibly carpet), in nice muted colours. I was lucky to get a mixed bag for the silly price of about ...R25 for 500g.
(Yes! Would you believe it??) 

Dit het saamgegaan op die Desembervakansie, vir al daai ure in die lug en op treine.

It went along on the December holiday, for all those hours in the air and on trains.

Hooking away on the DB Munich - Seefeld

Ek het nie 'n spesifieke patroon gebruik nie - net begin met 'n basiese reghoek, vermeerder tot dit groot genoeg gelyk het, toe nog steeds bietjie vermeerder in die hoeke (dit was 'n fout, maar ek was nie lus vir 'n uittrek en oorbegin), en daarna reguit rye tot dit min of meer diep genoeg was.

I didn't use a specific pattern - just started with a basic rectangle, increased until looked about right, increased a bit more in the corners as I went along (that was a mistake, but I wasn't going to froggg and start again), and then just straight rows until it was more or less deep enough.

Hooking in the snow -  a new experience!

The wool was really coarse, hard on the wrists.

The more turbulence, the faster I hooked...

Die handvatsels wou ek nie hekel nie en ek het my OP gesoek na iets wat sou werk.  Dis nou weer 'n idee wat jy in die kop het, maar eers sal herken as jy dit voor jou sien.
Plan A was plastiekpypies oorgetrek met kunsleer.  As dit sou werk sou Plan A.1 regte leer wees.
Nie gewerk nie, pypies was te dik, en toe is ek te lui om dunneres te soek...

Crocheted handles wasn't going to work for me. I searched and searched for that idea in my head that I would only recognise when coming face to face with it...

Plan A was plastic pipe covered with fake leather and if that worked, Plan A.1 would be real leather.

It didn't, and I was in no mood to go back for thinner pipes..

Plan B was houtkrale by die mark, as 'n tydelike opsie.

Plan B was wooden beads from the market, as a temporary option.

Plan B lasted for a day.  Plan B.1 involved new beads strung on twine, not thread.

Intussen het ek die turkoois lussies breër gemaak en ook bietjie wyer uitmekaar.

I have since also widened the turquoise loop and placed it further apart.

Die voering kom 'n uitverkoping verlede jaar en pas toevallig toe by hierdie wol.

The lining came on sale last year and matched the wool perfectly.

I wanted red stitching, but just could'nt be happy with the way the blanket stitch turned out,
so kept it simple then 

Yeay! Nog 'n houer vir 'n mobiele projek -- kar toe, swem toe, kung fu toe, kuier toe :-)

Yeay! Another container for a mobile project - car, school, kung fu, out and abouts :-)

 Dit sal my altyd herinner aan 'n uitverkopingkoop met 'n goeie vriendin, kuier by die wolwinkel met 'n liewe tante, die vakansie van 'n leeftyd in die sneeu, glühwein by die aandmark, Seefeld-in-Tirol se bergspitse.

It will always remind me of a trip toe the sales with a dear friend, a visit to my LYS with my beloved aunt, a holiday of a lifetime in the snow, glühwein at the evening market, the the incredible mountains at Seefeld-in-Tirol.