Living the slow life

Hello!  I have been enjoying living The Slow Movement so much over the past few months that one could almost say that with regard to blogging it temporarily became The Stopped Movement! But fear not, I am baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!  I have been around all the time actually, creating new projects and making draft postings, but never took that final step to add text, to publish; and in academia we all know the phrase "Publish or Perish"!

I already shared the final result of this gorgeous The Garden afghan on my @rawrustic Instagram account, but here are a few more photos that did not make it onto IG. A great number of IG Hookers, were indeed inspired by this vintage looking (and it might very well be an original vintage design) lacy square and you can trace all the beautiful projects under the #rusticlacesquare hashtag.

You might also want to head over to Marianne Dekker's awesome blog maRRose to read more about how this pattern took the IG community by storm. Marianne's version is to die for, her joining simply superb and I want to dig my head in the sand when I compare the clever, neat way she joined her squares with my wonky result.  Mind you, the slip stitches on the back of my afghan looks neat, it just does not translate to the front! The very first #rusticlacesquare project can be traced back to the wonderfully talented Cornel Strydom, one of a trio creative souls who are behind Hello Hart, the best crochet blog in the Southern Hemisphere and perhaps the Northern one too!

I blogged about this project on two separate occasions for those interested in yarn, hook size and pattern details - Flower Power and The Garden

Back to the topic of The Slow Movement in case you are wondering what this is all about! Slow is the opposite of “fast” - fast food, fast money, fast living - and all of the negative consequences “fast” has had for the environment and for the health of people and societies. “Slow” embodies cooperation, respect, sustainability, gratitude, grit and resilience. It is about leaning to savor and fully engage with life.

In another week we are departing for a month of Slow Travelling - destination Croatia. One of the defining elements of Slow Travel is the opportunity to become part of local life and to connect to a place and people. Slow travel is also about connection to culture. We will be connecting with local artists (in Dubrovnik we will spend a week living in a converted art studio) and will indulge with people belonging to slow food movements.  Ah bliss, from Zagreb to Istria to Dalmatia, we are looking forward to an incredible time in what looks like one of the most beautiful countries in the world!

Enjoy your weekend! 

Dainty Delicious Darling Scarf Pattern

Hello!  This is the pattern I used to create the Dainty Darling Scarf, but please note that this is to be used as a guide only. Be sure to adapt the number of chains in each round according to the weight and thickness of your chosen yarn. I used two strands of yarn to make the colourful flowers, and only one strand to create and join the squares. I furthermore joined each square to the next in 5 different places from corner to corner. This is a far cry from a professional chart and set of instructions, please give me a shout if you need any more help and I will do a photo tutorial too!

Round 1: Ch 6 and close to form ring

Round 2: 12 2Treble clusters with 5Ch between each

Round 3: Ch10 joined with sc into each Ch5 space of the previous round

Round 4: Ch8 joined with sc into each Ch10 space of the previous round

Round 5: Ch8 joined with sc into each Ch8 space of the previous round

Round 6: Create Square shape by crocheting 4 treble cluster, Ch10,  4 treble cluster into a Ch8 space (not clear from drawing) and Ch8 joined with sc into each Ch8 space of the previous round in the relevant spaces

  

I have seen many similar looking patterns captured in Japanese crochet books over the years and simply grabbed a hook and worked from mood and memory, creating my own, but certainly not unique version.

Heeeeeeelp?! 

For an informative Crochet Symbols and Directions Chart with UK and US terminology, 

head over to Dabbles and Babbles

Craftsy published a tutorial titled "Understanding Crochet Diagrams, the Key to breaking the Code"

Slugs on the Refrigerator published and in depth article about "Reading Crochet Charts"

This is the same pattern in DK bamboo and a 4mm hook.
Here in rounds 4, 5 and 6, I hooked 5ch, 6ch and 8ch in stead of 8ch, 8ch, 8ch as in the square made out of lacy merino (scarf). Hope this makes sense!

Have a great week!

Dainty Delicious Darling Scarf

Hello!

One could easily fantasise about being a dainty lady, wearing this delicious darling scarf. I on the other hand, prefer to team something as delicate as this with raw grey linens and natural stone. The look is as strong as it is fragile and the result mesmerising.

However, neither of my two dresses in silvery grey (this one shows my knees - against the dress code in Qatar!) and charcoal linens, inspired me this morning and I promptly decided to hunt down tunic style dresses in faded Japanese linens in order to showcase my beautiful scarf. Wish me luck!

I have been shopping all my life and I have nothing to wear!!

Yarn:
Madeline Tosh Prairie in Calligraphy, a one ply, 100% superwash hand-dyed merino wool
Eden Cottage Theseus Lace, a merino and silk 2 ply lace weight yarn soft, somewhat shimmery and luxurious
Hook Size: 3mm

 

Photos of flowers, top and jewelry linked in Pinterest

Winding yarn is a wonky affair!

Hello! This is the start of a dainty scarf in lacy Merino yarns from Madeline Tosh and Eden Cottage. After many evenings of winding yarn before I could put hook to project, I have to admit that it is a dreadful task for impatient peoples like me. I still have so many skeins to wind from hank to cake and even though the Girl Teen is assisting, it remains a huge task when the yarn is slighter thicker than cotton thread and over 600 meters long! 

I am using two strands together to create the colourful flowers and one strand in neutral to join it all together. After many trials and errors with regard to the pattern, I have come to realise that frogging and these delicate yarns are clearly also not the best of friends. That said, now that I have settled on a pattern and understand where to join the squares together, it is an enjoyable, beautiful project.

Don't you just love Instagram?  I really enjoy sitting back from time to time to take a look at all the photos I have liked.  That in itself is a great indication of what one likes with regard to photography, styling, craft, mood, travelling, food and many more. These are some of the beautiful images I have liked over the past month.

Have a great weekend, I will spent mine with the family at a beach club here in Doha and also finalise itineraries for our summer holiday to be spent travelling Croatia extensively. At first we were going to travel Sweden and the Netherlands, but when the Teens mentioned the beach word, I told them to identify a must visit place with the help of Google Earth. The result was Croatia after they saw the islands, the beaches, the national parks and the beautiful towns and cities. The country has been on my bucket list too, so all in all we will have a whale of a time! Have you been to Croatia?

Loop London!

Hello!  The Afrikaans word for walk is "loop". I literally did a Loop London two weeks ago when I not only walked and walked, exploring the city on foot, but I also shopped and shopped - at Loop yarn store! I arrived back home with no less than 23 hanks of yarn in Lace (Merino, Silk and Linen) and Worsted Merino by Madeline Tosh, Artisan Yarns, Eden Cottage and The Uncommon Thread.  

I visited the shop twice, the first time to buy the Worsted Merino (6 hanks in purple and green) and linen (oops also 6 hanks in purple and green). What was that all about? Oh wait, I also got married in lilac and mint, those colours must have stuck with me after all these years! At the same time I picked up a few hooks, a pin for a shawl and the glorious Sophie Digard scarf in the above photo.

Once a back at the swanky hotel in Knightsbridge next to Harrods I called home for a few nights, I realised that I shunned the opportunity to buy the most amazing lace-weight yarns.  I have long since admired the work of Alice on Instagram & on her blog.  Right there and then I decided to return to Loop for more shopping as I would like to try my hand at something more delicate in the spirit of Alice's work and needed those lace yarns.  

I then invested in the most beautiful mushroom, stone and greige colours, a yellow, pink and charcoal too and am plotting and planning the next project for these yarns and am already whipping up sample squares to see where it will take me. Of course as I was about to exit the door, I spotted the Sophie Digard necklaces and promptly bought two of those too, one for myself and one for Anisa from Hellohart who introduced me to Editor Dala Watts, leading to an article of my work in the South African Ideas magazine!  I wanted to say thank you in a special way and have been keeping my eyes peeled for that special item that turned out to be the Sophie necklace!

The great thing about the Loop yarn store is also the location (not reflected in the above photo!) They are located in Camden Passage Islington. Camden Passage is world famous for its vintage and contemporary shops, markets and arcades. Be sure to pop into the leather handbag shops near Loop. I dislike the majority of women's bags on sale and much rather buy from markets or independent shops where simplistic styles are crafted by hand. This shop delivered a glorious green leather bag with a huge flap that disguises Ipad and wallet alike.

Just pho you! Finally, just before you hit the Underground, walk across the road where you will find a delectable bowl of Pho in a cafe serving Vietnamese street food. I have had a need for hot, brothy, salty, soothing beef noodle soup ever since we left South East Asia! There are few things better than a tangle of slick rice noodles in a rich, crystal clear, intensely beefy broth; the warm aroma of cinnamon, cloves and star anise rising up in a cloud of steam, balanced by a squeeze of lime and a handful of fresh herbs and chilies. Ah hell, I entered heaven!

Have a great week!

Shawl Love

Hello!  I hooked this beautiful lacy shawl for The Teen over the past week using a yarn that I have been eager to try out for months since I bought a few balls prior to leaving South Africa earlier this year. African Expressions Soul is a 4 ply/sock weight yarn in merino wool, mulberry silk and kid mohair. According to their website - 

"African Expressions was born from the desire for Africa to share her natural beauty with the rest of the world. Through our unique range of yarns we express the essence of that which makes Africa magical. Our range of select colours is inspired by the landscapes of South Africa - from sunrise to sunset. Each colour represents one small element that makes Africa, Africa. Our heart and soul is knitted firmly into Africa and would like to invite you to join us in this “African Expressions” Experience."

Brenda Grobler designed the most beautiful pull over for African Expressions. It is a great pity that I only brought 6 balls along, but i have bookmarked her pattern and really want to try it out!

The Teen is in seven heavens and has already worn her shawl with an off-the shoulder velvet top and a maxi skirt in a sheer fabric with the "above the knee" part lined but the rest of the skirt left flowy and see through. The complete look is utterly stunning and I am so sorry for not posting a picture, but I you can help me catch a Teen for a photo op . . . . 

Images :RawRustic and Own

Pattern: Eva's Shawl by Milobo available for free from Ravelry

Hook Size: 5mm in  order to achieve this lacy effect with a sock weight yarn

Yarn: Soul from African Expressions in two colourways. Body is worked in a solid army green/grey colour code 7289 and I then edged in a stripey version where this army green/grey is combined with blue code 7042M  The effect of this yarn is quite mesmerizing! 

Hook Size: 5mm in  order to achieve this lacy effect with a sock weight yarn

Images: RawRustic and Own

Ideas for assembling hexagon throw

  

Hello!  This is just a quick posting to show you what I have been playing with today. I used about 130 hexagons to put these ideas together and I still don't know exactly which one I am most enchanted with. Whilst I really, really like the clean lines of the above photo, I am not in love with the flowers. The Husband also ruled this one out. This is visually the most striking of the three ideas though and not easily discarded!

What about the ombre effect above?  Here you will see more of the lighter colours (please ignore the shadows on the photos, these are quick working snapshots), but the final 500+ hexagon throw will contain equal parts light to gray to coal to black.  

This last idea is simply a mix of all the hexagons, meaning I can put all the hexagons in a big box, toss it and then assemble by simply picking up from the box and work with whatever I picked up. The ease of this idea appeals, but I also prefer more structured approaches as it gives me greater control over the process.

 Meanwhile, when I am not hooking up a storm, I am having a great time meeting up with people and enjoying all the fabulous food the city has to offer. I love visiting Australian Gourmet cafe Jones the Grocer located in the nearby The Gate Mall and this is what the mall public powder rooms look like.  Everything is round or ball shaped, even the mosaic tiles are not flat, but bauble shaped! 

The Teens sends her greetings too. She is hooking a slouchy in cotton and if we are lucky, she will let me take a photo and show you soon! 

Have a nice week!  

Holiday Bliss

Vintage Fan Ripple

Vinnis Nikkim Cotton Yarn hand dyed in Peach

Two more Christmas tree decorations in 

Strawberries and Cream, Kismet Yarns colours 08 and 0050

I am crawling back into my corner now to enjoy the Bill Bryson book A Short History of Nearly Everything as well as Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan.

Cheers!

xxxxx

Something a little different!

Hello! I won a few skeins of this soft, misty, almost magical brushed mohair in the October Monthly Challenge hosted by the gregarious Maryanne from Woolhogs fame and WOW! At first I was speechless - what is a cotton lover to do with mohair yarns?!  It is so delicate and raw simultaneously that I was completely in awe. 

Inspiration struck after I touched the strands, played with the yarn between my fingers and put mood boards together. I started dreaming up endless ideas, possibilities and patterns so utterly suitable to the raw look of the yarn, but finally settled on a mesh pattern.   

Mood-boards put together from my Raw Rustic Pinterest

 

Yarn: African Expressions Love Brushed Mohair

Hook Size: 7mm

Pattern: liveinternet.ru nr 10 as found on Pinterest

Hint:

In order to prevent total chaos, I imported the pattern into the Doceri app on the Ipad and colour coded the rows as seen in the below image.