A week in the life of a global citizen

10 ply aran cotton vs no 8 embroidery thread - such entirely different tactile experiences!

Hello! We have just entered the holy month of Ramadan (fasting from dawn until sunset) here in Doha and even though I am well acquainted with customs surrounding this month, traditions differ significantly across Muslim countries and Islamic societies. In the Gulf, non-Muslim expats have to adhere to local practices even though we are not fasting per se. It is not acceptable to eat, drink, smoke or even take medicine in public during the day and therefore restaurants, fast food outlets and cafes are all closed bar one F&B outlet in each of the hotels. Live music during the day, swearing at all times and acting like a loon is off-limits during this month of piety and  peace.

The practicalities of how Doha functions to accommodate this month, is certainly new to me. Malls, shops, banks and more are now open for about 5 hours in the morning and then close between 1 in the afternoon and 8 in the evening. From 8/9pm - 1/2am, it is business as usual, meaning it is entirely plausible to visit any of the museums or government departments or malls or even banks after midnight!  I love this month as it is also a time for strengthening ties with community. We will be visiting Ramadan tents and share in Iftar feasts with locals for the next 29 days. 

Colours of Grace Aran cotton, hand dyed

Since going anywhere in the afternoon and early evening is off-limits and the children are on their summer school holiday break from next week, I have a fair amount of time on my hands in which to indulge in reading and crocheting. I am still busy with the hexagon blanket and have finished more than 200 motifs so far. I had to put the project aside for a week though (something I don't easily do since I work on one crochet project at a time) and designed a new square for a secret project, meaning I started and frogged and pondered and re-started more than 30 efforts before I was happy with a design. I can't wait to be kicking off with that project, since I will finally get the chance to use my Colours of Grace 10 ply Aran cotton! The colours are gorgeous and working with a thicker thread is most enjoyable. It will be a piece to die for, and you will have the benefit of trying out a new pattern!

I do have an obsession with army, gold, old gold and chartreuse colours at the moment! I might just order Vinnis Serina in Army for a blanket soon, it will be perfect for a lacy motif.

The French/spool knitting necklace getting longer and longer.  I cannot wait to finish this, and work on it when my hands get tired from too much crocheting.

Grrr I honestly cannot bare the feeling of acrylic yarns, but this ball of yarn came in handy for trying out different motifs - it can handle getting frogged a few times. It is fascinating though, how an ordinary motif is transformed into something really special depending on yarn and colour.  The minute I tried these motifs in hand dyed cotton, it became something else altogether!

I have long since been fascinated by a country that is so unique that it can neither be reduced to East nor West, but has indeed been shaped by both. I am hoping this read will not disappoint!  I share a special friendship with a fellow researcher who works at the Russian State University and owe it to her to learn more about a society she was critically analyzing during our post grad studies.  I hope we get the chance in future to become research partners yet again, neither one of us are afraid of exploring progressive, interdisciplinary approaches.

Once in Kuala Lumpur I sat down at a candy store and watched the artisan create these wonderful candies.  It is a beautiful, mesmerizing process and I was in 7 heavens when I stumbled across Spanish chain Papabubble here in Doha.

Last week, a group of adults involved in global change, hosted an online, real time discussion among 14-17 year old Teens representing many different societies across the globe. We connected countries, cultures and individuals through one shared goal: to create memorable global, nurturing dialogues in order to foster learning and develop intercultural understanding.  It led to interesting discourse and one we will repeat soon with a 12-14 year old group.  I am so glad to be living life as a global citizen again as it provides me with opportunities that would otherwise not have been possible. I love connecting people and making a difference on an international level. Enjoy the rest of your week, I hope it is an equally interesting one with lots of fun!

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!  

Working with embroidery thread

I recently blogged about the French knitting (also known as spool knitting) place mats my dad made as a kid some 60 years ago. I have long since harbored an idea to knit meters and meters in a fine thread in order to make an interesting neck piece to wear with anyone of my grey silk or linen dresses. After coming across his knitting, I grabbed my money and legged it to the nearest haberdashery in South Africa to buy a knitting spool and hook to slip into my luggage destined for Qatar.

I visited the Singer shop in Doha over the weekend and fell in love with Hungarian pearl cotton embroidery thread available in the most beautiful colours. I chose 6 colours and am aware that it is probably going to take me forever to knit up meters and meters as the thread is barely thicker than sewing cotton!  I specifically wanted the lacy effect to enhance both the fragility as well as the strength of the cord and am pleased with how it is turning out.

Apart from discovering all the amazing embroidery threads in Doha, I have also discovered that  sleeping in pajamas is compulsory when one lives in a glass box!  We are currently hauled up in a serviced hotel apartment in the diplomatic area of Doha and our corner apartment boasts floor to ceiling windows in the bedrooms and lounge. The working day starts early here - between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning and The Husband opens the blackout curtains before leaving for work. 

One morning I was greeted by the window washer and I still don't know whether I was more shocked by his mere presence or actually by his precarious balancing act of sitting on a swing, washing windows! I managed to sneak out of the bed for a photo as soon as he made his way down to the floor below ours.

Progress: The Mud and Dust, the Soil and Sands of Africa

I am completely mesmerised by the variations of white in the palette for the throw inspired by the Mother continent. It is gorgeous, even if I have to say so myself! The textures and changing sheens of the different yarns I am using offer such a positive tactile experience that I have struggled to put my hook down since I started working with the light neutrals.

These whites and off-whites act as a brilliant accent to the mid tone greys making up the rest of the palette. A quality of white is that it allows the mind to be open, clear and receptive. It also signifies strength. At this moment working in variations of white provides me with an escape and respite from the madness that comes along with moving between different continents. (It is the madness of being in transition, of finding myself among foreign cultures, of living in crazy urban environments that makes me tick, but one needs neutral space too!!)

I am also once again acutely aware how different environments impact on my colour preferences.  I enjoy lighter neutrals when living in desert environments, it simply suits the warmer skies and prevalence of marble and sandstone. When we lived in tropical Penang I find myself leaning towards colours that pack punch, the Tropics are all about hot colours and tall cool drinks. 

Knowing that I was saying goodbye to Africa, reminiscing over my childhood not only led me to the inspiration and colour choices behind this project, but it actually provided me with a link to my beloved Arabia.  Whilst Africa is my home on paper, I have long since adopted the Middle East as the place where I belong. I like that this throw represents Mother Africa and that it serves as a vehicle to integrate back into Gulf living. 

On that note, please feel free to also peruse my MadameX and Raw Rustic Pinterest boards in addition to the Pigtails one.  You will see my love for neutrals reflected in the first two!

Images of yarn: own; all other images: Raw Rustic Pinterest

Enjoy a lovely weekend. Friday and Saturday is weekend in the Middle East and Sunday is a normal working/school day here. 

xxxx

This Week

Hello!  This week I received a lovely surprise when the postman delivered this parcel from the Netherlands. Woo hoo thank you Jenn, the Teen and I will enjoy everything this book has to offer during the two month summer holidays!  Be sure to visit Jenn's blog Color 'n Cream to see what the work of a color wizard looks like. I love her unusual but refreshing combinations and she now sells not only completed items in her shop, but also Yarn Colour Combos. And postcards.  Jenn regularly runs competitions and Mr Funky is my scoop after winning one of her competitions!

Mochi!  The Teen is studying Japanese as her 6th (yip, that's right!) language and is totally enthralled by anything and everything Japanese.  She has been driving me nuts over the past two years in her yearning to eat Mochi and wow, how lucky can one be. There are a few Mochi shops here in Doha and even though it is not quite a cheap eat, she is having the time of her life indulging in her favourite sweet. 

This is a Mexican Coffee Bun also known as Roti Boy Buns or Buns from Papparoti.  It is lip licking good! This treat originates from Malaysia and is a light aromatic bun with a buttery center and crispy coffee outer layer. This one is topped with caramel (other toppings include chocolate, toffee, cheese etc). No doubt we are frequent visitors to one of the many Papparoti shops here in Doha - t'is the new Cinnabon in my opinion! 

Katara Pigeon Towers (it houses pigeons!) constructed in indigenous mud-brick style. 

Pigeons, camels, horses and falcons are important animals in Arabia.  Pigeons, unlike camels, horses & falcons taken along by nomadic tribes during their wanderings, are associated with settlement and domesticity and are often kept in dovecotes at family compounds.  Pigeons are also prized because their cooing is said to be similar to the phrase "udhkur Allah" which means "remember God".  The three pigeon towers by Katara Mosque are a beautiful tribute to this tradition and provides an air of tranquility and calmness to the general area.

 Katara - I have almost no words to describe this mind blowing project and space.  It is a Cultural Village, an exceptional project of hope for human interaction through art and cultural exchange. Keeping pace with the emerging global culture that emphasises the importance of diversity in human development, Katara is a place of gathering and features theaters, concert halls, exhibition galleries, museums, restaurants, a beach with water sports, art cinemas, a childhood cultural center, an amphitheater and opera house and even career advise centers and a mall for children.

According to the Katara website "the village shall be a glimpse of the future of a world where people of different cultural backgrounds overcome their national boundaries and embrace common causes to promote a united humanity.  Katara is where the grace of the past meets the splendour of the future" 

This is a space where one can either visit for specific reasons or simply wander around and soak up the atmosphere.  

 The 3275 sqm amphitheater at Katara seats 5000 people.  I completely forgot to take a photo from the top of the theater, it overlooks the ocean and the views are epic to say the least.

Fancy shopping in Italy?  You can do this right here in Doha. This mall features mostly shops from Germany, the UK, US and Italy and even boasts a 150 meter long indoor canal with gondolas. After being shopping deprived in South Africa, we are finally in heaven once again. The few international brands available in South Africa sadly sells old stock from seasons past.

We enjoy going to this mall as it features a fabulous indoor theme park, a go kart track (the husband is a fan and raced competitively in the UAE and also won against 150 racers at Kyalami in South Africa last year), an Olympic size ice rink which is home to the Qatar Ice Hockey League, ten pin bowling center and roller coaster. 

No doubt we enjoyed hanging out at the mall this past weekend since we saw outside temperatures rising to 54 degrees Celsius (that is 129,2 degrees fahrenheit!). I managed to capture the reading at 53 degrees.  It is hot, very hot. Hot. As. Hell. At 9:30 in the evening it was still 40 degrees Celsius.  We love it though, the entire family dislike winter and we hope to only ever experience winter again when we go skiing, never again as a living experience.

Have a nice week!  I am joining my first craft share soon and hope to tell you more about the one and only yarn store available to us in Qatar!

Cheers!