The best came last……..

On October 13, 2015 By agrarianartisan6 Comments

On the last day before we flew home, the plan was to visit a couple of museums and then do a little shopping before lunch. The museums were excellent (Museum of Asian Art, an extensive collection of Asian artefacts and a great insight into the Hellenic influence, and Casa Parlante, a living history museum). The shopping aim was to try and find some oregano in a small terracotta jar. We had bought one such jar 6 years ago but had broken it fairly recently. There were lots of herbs and spices for sale in the usual tourist shops, but no little terracotta jars. My memory told me we had bought it on a road somewhere near the old market and not a very touristy area. So we were heading up to this location and were having no joy in finding terracotta jars when I suddenly spotted this sign:

The sun was bright making the window more like a mirror than a window, so I looked very closely and was amazed to find a it was a very lovely yarn shop!

Crocheted Autumn Leaves in the window (or earrings!)

I was in there in an instant. I think my enthusiastic entry surprised the owner Elli! The shop is very new (only open about 3 months) and has little internet presence (yet). There is a facebook page which I am certain will gain more followers.

I had a long chat with Elli, a lovely lady with excellent English who has set up a perfect shop: fresh, new and very modern. She has many English friends who are interested in knitting and crochet and she told me it is also a growing trend amongst the younger generation in Greece, very much like here. I explained my search for a yarn shop and finding one in a lingerie shop which she said is the traditional way to buy yarn. She has a small library of English magazines and books, which she wants to expand so that her English customers can have a good browse, but as we know knitting and crochet is international, especially charts and symbols. And she plans to do workshops.

I promised that next time I am in Corfu I will have coffee with her for a much longer chat, in fact that’s a very good reason to book another holiday 🙂

I asked if she had any cotton yarn and she took me in the back of the shop where the cottons are (as they are out of season now) and amongst the selection I found a linen mix in a lovely pale blue:

When I purchased she handed me a perfect little crochet heart as a present:

Pompon is located at 7, Velissariou and is near M&S. With M&S on your left, head north and take the second turning to the left – that is Velissariou – Pompon is a short way up on the right. It’s a short walk from everywhere – the shopping area, the old town, the old port and the new port.

I know there are plenty of people who visit Corfu Town on cruises, every day we were on holiday we saw one or two very large cruise ships in port. I even know of some that do specific craft cruises – so if you are in Corfu Town, whether on a cruise or staying on the island, even if just for a day, pop by to see Elli at Pompon and enjoy her thoroughly modern yarn shop, a new gem to be found in Corfu!

Happy knitting and crocheting xxx

PS we never found the oregano in terracotta jar, so if you know where I can find one please let me know.

Crochet and lace

On October 12, 2015 By agrarianartisan2 Comments

Whilst there is plenty to see and do in Corfu Town, Corfu has many lovely villages to visit and so a hire car was an essential for some of the holiday. The first day we had the car we travelled up to Kassiopi, a small port on the North East coast.

It was quieter than we have ever known it, mainly because it was so late in the season but also because the economic crisis in Greece has had an impact on tourism (such a shame as the island remains largely unaffected and there is no reason not to go there on holiday to enjoy the best Greek hospitality). However, we like quiet! Plenty of space for a wander along the seafront, stopping to spot fish, watch boats and enjoy the views. Time also for a leisurely latte by the water’s edge.

Thankfully, despite many businesses being closed already in October, the place I wanted to visit was open – Agathi’s lace shop.

I have visited this shop several times over the last 20 odd years and it always had plenty of customers, but this time it was quiet. Agathi was crocheting as I entered and I was the only one there, so it was an excellent opportunity to have a chat. She had just started crocheting a top-down cardi in white cotton – she pointed at all the crocheted tops hanging up around the entrance – all made by her. She makes so many glorious things: garments, tablecloths, doilies, rugs – and in many different fibre crafts: lacework, crochet, traditional Corfu Venetian lace (a sort of tatting), weaving, cutwork, embroidery, ribbon embroidery, cross stitch – the list is endless, she is extremely talented.

Agathi opened her shop 43 years ago, in that time she has seen many changes. The season used to start early (March) and end late (November), but it has changed many times over the years. Today the season depends very much on the airline timetables and so do her sales – she has so many beautiful woven rugs but they will be too heavy for taking home on an airline and I expect many of her sales are for the smaller items. Next time I go to Corfu I will pack light to save room for a rug!

Each item in the shop has been made by her (well, apart from the carved olive wood by her son!) and the range, quality and beauty of them is unbelievable – she is so very talented.

I purchased 2 beautiful square doilies, in very fine crochet:

This one is 4 motifs joined simply in very fine cotton.

This is a single motif, with texture.

Each one will have taken 2 days to make. I explained that I crocheted as well and she suggested I should copy them! But I won’t as I doubt I have the patience or talent to make such very fine work. However, she has inspired me – and when I returned to the hotel I started swatching a motif based loosely on a simpler part of one of her doilies, it won’t end up anywhere as good as her work but it will remind me of how wonderfully talented she is.

Agathi’s is well worth a visit if you go to Corfu. Kassiopi is easily found and Agathi’s is on the main street down to the harbour. Next time I’m in Corfu I will visit again, it’s a must!

Tomorrow I’ll post a final blog about my fibre adventures in Corfu…..the last day was a bonus which I’m keen to share with you 🙂

Happy crocheting xx

It’s true!

On October 11, 2015 By agrarianartisanLeave a comment

I have researched yarn shops in Corfu before, and found a couple of blogs that suggested the place to find yarn in Corfu is a lingerie shop. And I have tried to locate one in Corfu Town once a few years ago – to no avail.

However, this time I was determined to find it. All I knew was that it was ‘around the corner from M&S’. Yes, there is an M&S in Corfu Town!

I know where Corfu’s M&S is so my plan was to walk all the way around the block where M&S is located. My husband is very supportive of my yarn searches and was happy to let me wander the streets a while looking for the lingerie/yarn shop. I spotted a lingerie shop with the sign ‘Triumph’ outside (Triumph is a well-known UK bra manufacturer), but when I peered in the window I could see no yarn. So I walked some more and then after prompting from Supportive Husband I went back to look a little more – right at the back I could see what I thought were buttons. So in I went and YES there was yarn hiding at the back, along with quite a lot of haberdashery and some fabric. There wasn’t much yarn, and it was mainly acrylic, but I found this:

2 large balls of aran weight wool/acrylic mix from Italy in very short variegations of blue (suitable best for crochet I think) and a 4 ply angora/acrylic mix from Turkey in longer variegations.

The purchasing process was interesting. I had to take the yarn to the haberdashery counter for the yarn to be bagged and the prices to be written on a small piece of paper, then take the paper to the front of the shop to pay.

I bounced out very happy.

Unfortunately I have no photo of the yarn shop as it was on a busy road (and more congested due to roadworks) but this is the name on the bag:

And it is located at 14, Stamatiou Desila, very close to the open air market (recommended for a visit to see the most glorious display of fresh fish for sale).

We hired a car for a few days and took our usual route through town to get from the port to the seafront at Garitsa Bay, a route we have travelled many times which goes through the open air market and, yes, right alongside the lingerie/yarn shop – over the years I must have passed this shop so many times yet not realised it was a yarn shop!

On foot it is easy to find, it is just around the corner from M&S, walk south on Theotoki Georgiou with M&S on your right and take the very first right turn – the shop is a very short distance along on the left.

I have no idea what I will make with this yarn, but I chose blues because, as well as being one of my favourite colours, it reminds me of the blues of the skies and sea around Corfu.

I was very satisfied – I had found yarn in Corfu fairly early in the holiday (but was it the only one?!).

So my next adventure was to revisit a lovely crochet and lace shop in Kassiopi – more about that tomorrow.

Happy knitting and crocheting xxx

Room with a view…..

On October 10, 2015 By agrarianartisanLeave a comment

It’s a while since I blogged, but I have a good excuse – I’ve been on holiday. Shortly after returning from Yarndale I was packing cases ready for a holiday in Corfu.

We love Corfu and have visited many times, normally in May or September. This year we had a few logistical problems getting a date for holidays, mainly because there was something happening virtually every weekend throughout May and September. However, it is still possible to fly directly to Corfu in October.

As we knew many holiday businesses will start to shut during October, we decided to do something a little different and book a hotel in Corfu Town rather than book a villa in the North East, hoping there would be plenty of activity in Corfu Town.

So that is what we did, choosing our hotel carefully so that we had a good view and a short walk to the old town.

This was the view straight out of our room:

The weather was good for October, mainly sunny and very warm. Evenings were still warm and no jacket or jumper was required. Our view to the left in the evening:

Spianada, Liston and Palace of St Michael & St George in evening light

However, we did have a little rain, a few grey clouds and one magnificent thunderstorm. This is the view to our right on the evening the thunderstorm started to build (shortly after this shot the clouds thickened, the breeze turned to wind and the calm sea gained white topped waves…):

The hotel was the Cavalieri, in an old Venetian building of character and a rooftop restaurant (with those views!). It was just what we wanted – not a large characterless box, no spa or gym, no pool but a tremendous location, lovely character, restaurant with a view and good service.

I am sure you will be wondering if I did anything yarny on holiday….well I did, but I’m saving up my Corfu yarny adventures for more blog posts – just watch this space!

Happy knitting and crocheting xxxxx

Buxton – the extras!

On April 28, 2015 By agrarianartisanLeave a comment

I have a few more little joys to share with you from my Buxton holiday!

First the visit from Nic who is YarnsfromthePlain, she brought a sweet shop full of yarn to Buxton. Yes, I know I mentioned this before – but I didn’t show you which sweets I bought! So here they are:

They are both the same yarn base called Plumley – a single spun yarn, 100% Blue Faced Leicester Roving DK, approx 200m per 100g skein.

Have I ever told you I love single spun yarn? It is so smooth to work with. So I was overjoyed to see Nic had started dyeing some. I will be back for more!

The second Buxton ‘extra’ is my mandala obsession – I did some crochet ‘doodling’ and designed 2 new ones! Here’s a sneaky peek:

I will share more when the designs are more advanced, or closer to publishing. My mandala obsession is only just beginning!

Happy crocheting xx

Buxton in April

On April 24, 2015 By agrarianartisanLeave a comment

I have just returned from a lovely few days away with my knittery friends! We went to the very same venue as last November – the Alison Park Hotel in Buxton.

Buxton is a lovely spa town in the Peak District, with lots of history, and each time I visit I learn more. But the main focus of our visit was a knitaway – a holiday with like minded friends where we can knit and crochet, do a little shopping and exploring, knit and crochet, eat a little, knit and crochet, eat a bit more and maybe drink a little….and have a great laugh, good time and share special memories together. I didn’t think it possible, but this knitaway was even better than the last.

So what did we do….here’s a quick review in a few photos:

We decorated the lounge of the hotel, which is a lovely Arts and Crafts building with interesting features like this window, with crochet decorations 🙂

We spent each afternoon on the patio – the weather was glorious and we knitted and crocheted and drank…Pimms on the patio in the Buxton sunshine was fantabulous!

We spent the evenings enjoying our knitting/crochet time……..and we drank a little and watched DVDs and (you just can’t tell from this studious photo) we laughed A LOT!

We had a visit from Nic – aka Yarnsfromtheplain – who brought her pop up wool shop and stayed for dinner and knitting. And there was plenty of scrummy yarn:

And I couldn’t resist 😉

Each morning we fuelled ourselves on an excellent breakfast at the hotel.

And each day we walked into Buxton for lunch at one of our 2 favourite venues – Upstairs at Charlotte’s and Number 6 tea rooms. And we shopped – especially at Jantar. And we bought wool at Sew In. And we had ice cream…at least some of us did 😉 And we had an exclusive presentation from Netta of DiscoverBuxton about Mary Queen of Scots and her regular visits to Buxton.

And we had visits from Ruth and Rose, who joined us for a few hours…lunch and knitting 🙂

And each evening we enjoyed an amazing dinner at the hotel.

And each day we enjoyed excellent hospitality from Sara and Dave and the staff at the hotel. And we will be back, because it is a perfect venue for us.

Thank you to my lovely knittery friends for your excellent company and so many great times, and to the hotel for an excellent venue, food and hospitality and to Buxton for a great town and to the weather gods for the most perfect weather.

And I am soooooo looking forward to doing it all again!

Happy knitting and crocheting xxx

Knitting away……

On November 22, 2014December 17, 2014 By agrarianartisan1 Comment

I have just returned from a knitaway break to Buxton in the company of 8 lovely knitters.

I have been on numerous such holidays over the last couple of years and they are always enjoyable. We find new things to do, enjoy a relaxing time away from our normal ‘routine’ and have a great laugh. Perhaps I should add we eat very well and quaff a fair amount of wine, or maybe I should say lots of wine 😉

This was a new venue for us – the Alison Park Hotel . It is a family run hotel in a large arts and crafts style house just a stone’s throw from Pavilion Gardens and therefore very easy strolling distance of the town centre. It proved to be a very good knitters’ venue – the rooms were all ensuite and spacious, they have 2 lounges, one of which was ours exclusively, and a light and airy dining room, part of which is a conservatory and a perfect size for our meals and workshops. The staff and managers were very friendly and nothing was too much trouble. The food and drink was plentiful and good.

So what do we do on a knitaway? Well it isn’t all knitting, there is always some crochet but we also like to try new crafts. So we started with a self help workshop on making Dorset buttons, which are buttons woven with yarn on a circular ring. I had seen these at Yarndale and I purposely decided to buy a bag of rings so we could all have a go at Buxton. Here are the two I made:

Dorset buttons were traditionally made in Dorset as a cottage industry, with thousands employed in the craft. You can find out about Dorset buttons on various websites such as this one: Henrys. And you can buy the rings from Beakers Buttons

Do you remember the beaded crochet and knit pouches? Well that was the subject of the second workshop. Some ladies wanted to knit and some wanted to crochet, but everyone had a go. Of course with all the nattering we didn’t quite finish these beaded pouches, even with 4 days away.

This is the one I made, finished at Buxton except for the lining.

The lining is purple felt bought from this shop in Buxton. I am sure they enjoyed our stay, we all purchased at least one item from them!

The third workshop was on sock knitting, toe up two at a time socks (avoiding the second sock syndrome) expertly tutored by Jenny, and Sue was on hand to provide excellent hints and tips and one to one tutoring on sock making

We dipped in and out of workshops as we fancied, nothing was compulsory and everything was flexible. We had chosen 2 mitts patterns to work on together, although very few of us made much progress with them!!!! I did start mine….

Snow Mitts

Also, we worked on many other projects (I brought a hat and a shawl to work on). Although I don’t think very much was finished.

Buxton has lots of lovely shops, so we visited the town every day for a bite for lunch and a bit of shopping…..did I mention the shops?

On the last evening Nic from Yarns from the Plain dropped in to see us with her pop up wool shop. This was like a sweet shop for knitters and crocheters. Not only were her colours wonderful and the yarn bases soft and squidgy, but the names she gave them were very local, such as Nether Alderley, Chelford and Mobberley. All of which conjured up images of the Cheshire plains and local sheep. Of course, I couldn’t resist……

So – knitting, crochet, shopping, eating, drinking laughing….such a good combination and one which we are sure to mix together again, and likely at the same venue!

Happy knitting and crocheting xxx

Portuguese designing……..

On September 28, 2014October 3, 2014 By agrarianartisan2 Comments

I bought some Rosarios 4 Bijou yarn in Portugal (from Ovelha Negra a wonderful shop). It is super bulky with a varied thickness and absolutely lovely to use. As soon as it was on my hook it flowed! So I wasted no time in making something with it which reminded me of our holiday in Northern Portugal.

Probably the best evening we had was the first night, it was pouring down with rain but we had the most spectacular view of the Luis I Bridge over the River Douro. It is known as the Eiffel Tower of Portugal, and is constructed from lots of grey steel.

The Bijou yarn I bought is a pale grey and as I looked at this photo of the bridge:

my mind started to think – simple steel structure, simple crochet stitches. This cowl is the result:

The stitch is simple and shows off the yarn beautifully, it is so simple it took only a few hours to make. It is also adaptable, I made it using Bijou but you can make it in any yarn as long as you use the correct hook size and start with a chain which is a multiple of 4.

The pattern is now properly written in English and US terms and is available here on Ravelry:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/luis-i-cowl

Simple., beautiful and very useful. Thank you Portugal!

Happy crocheting xxxx

Yarn adventures

On September 28, 2014September 29, 2014 By agrarianartisan1 Comment

Here is the official Yarndale stash photo:

I had a fabulous day out at Yarndale but I had only recently returned from a holiday in Northern Portugal and my mind was still there.

The holiday was a short river cruise on the Douro followed by a short stay in a Pousada.

Prior to going I asked around on Ravelry to see if anyone could give me ideas of yarn shops to visit during my free time (a few hours on the first day) in Oporto. So I was fore-armed. Unfortunately things don’t always go to plan and my idea of having 3 hours free to wander Oporto on the day we arrived dissolved when we were whisked off for a coach tour of Oporto and a port wine tasting (and I love white port – so I wasn’t too disappointed!). However, the tour included 20 minutes of free time in an area very close to one of my ‘tips’. So I wasted no time in searching out ‘A Vida Portuguesa’. It is a lovely old shop with lots of beautiful items all made in Portugal. Unfortunately my enquiries drew a blank – I was advised they had no yarn.

As the time was ticking away rapidly, I felt quite low, my only possible chance of finding yarn in Portugal had diminished substantially…. or so I thought…. I unexpectedly I found a fabric shop/haberdashery on a street corner so took my chances and jumped in. After an interesting discussion consisting mainly of gesticulation, I was told to go around the corner and across the road (I have no idea how I worked this out as my Portuguese is extremely limited!). By now I had only 2 minutes free time left but I ran across the tramlines and into the shop……which turned out to be a fabric/haberdashery/yarn shop. It took only a quick peruse of the shelves to see there was no Portuguese wool – it was all acrylic. Nevertheless I asked and someone who could speak enough English let me know they didn’t have any local Portuguese yarn.

My first yarn hunt had drawn a blank but I was happily surprised at having found not one but two crafty shops in a small area of Oporto.

Two days later we visited Lamego – a small town famous for the sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies and its long staircase down to the town (685 steps and yes I walked down but I didn’t count them! Thank heavens they didn’t ask me to walk up!!!).

After the long descent (which reminded me of my last fire drill from the 24th floor of the building I used to work in!), we wandered through the main parts of Lamego and then took a side street and lo and behold I found Casa Das Las on Rua Olaria – yes a yarn shop!!!! After the usual gesticulations (I was getting used to this!) I found some yarn in hanks that was 50% Portuguese wool. I was surprised to find it was sold by weight and priced by the kilo. I chose 2 colours and found they weighed about 240g for a total cost of €9.37.

Suddenly I felt I had achieved my goal of finding Portuguese yarn.

Two days later we were back in Oporto, but again the timetable had changed and I found we had 1.5 hours free time. Filipa, the hotel/ship manager, had given me a map to find Ovelha Negra, a modern yarn shop in Oporto of which I had read some excellent reviews. I found it easily and found someone who spoke perfect English. She seemed surprised that someone from the UK wanted to visit a Portuguese yarn shop! She helped me find some Rosarios 4 yarn (a Portuguese brand) and I left feeling happy. The shop is very modern and much like many yarn shops we have in the UK

Apologies for the quality of this photo – it was taken on my phone and I made a complete hash of it!

Here is the yarn I bought:

I was now on a high and decided I would like to revisit A Vida Portuguesa as it was a lovely shop, old and characterful, and full of local Portuguese goods. I ascended the beautiful old wooden staircase and just at the top I found some lovely yarn! Just a few skeins in a basket but this was clearly handcrafted and gorgeous! So my second yarn purchase of the day – and only 8 euros!

The next day we visited Braga – a larger town. Again we had some free time ….did I tell you about the fantabulous pastries in Portugal? Well I went in search of one of the pastry shops, which are everywhere, and lo and behold almost next door to the first pastry shop I found was a wool shop, no signage but plenty of wool (on Rua de S Marcos). Again the language barrier was overcome with gesticulation and a clear love of La (wool) and I was shown a section of hanks of 100% wool. I chose a hank and this was weighed and priced as before.

You can imagine how happy I was by now – 4 yarn purchases in a few days!!!!

Our last trip was to Guimaraes, a UNESCO world heritage site with a beautifully preserved medieval centre. It has lots of characterful buildings, restaurants and shops….and very strangely I found 2 yarn shops, much the same as the ones in Lamego and Braga. I was extremely restrained and decided not to buy any more yarn, maybe the size of my suitcase helped in this decision!

But I thoroughly enjoyed finding yet more yarn shops and I also spotted some small handcrafted crochet shops, primarily baby clothes but definitely hand made.

Finally, I fell in love with Guimaraes embroidery – which I found everywhere. Traditionally in black, red, blue or cream on cream linen. The best shop I found was a co-operative and I was tempted to purchase a lovely embroidered pouch bag – I love how the drawstring is crocheted!

And this was small and flat, so fitted easily in the suitcase!

So Northern Portugal has been very rewarding for a yarn addict. It is clear that there are more plentiful yarn shops than in the UK (much more plentiful). I just hope it stays that way.

And I must thank my husband, he was very patient as I searched out all the yarnie goodness in Northern Portugal and I love him to bits!

Happy knitting and crocheting xxxx

PS I didn’t mention it but the prices of everything are excellent, I can’t recall ever buying a bottle of beer (Super Bock) for only 70p!!! Visit Northern Portugal now, before it gets too commercial.

PPS I have been working with some of the Rosarios 4 yarn and there is a cowl pattern almost ready to publish…. a fabulous reminder of my yarn adventure in Northern Portugal!

Catching up

On June 8, 2014 By agrarianartisanLeave a comment

These last few days I have been trying to catch up with myself. Why? Well I had a few days away in Malaga, unplanned but very good!

Many people pass through Malaga airport on the way to holidaying in southern Spain, but fewer people visit Malaga itself. This is a shame for those who don’t visit, but great for those of us who do because it means less crowds. Malaga really is worth visiting – it has some beautiful architecture and there is plenty to keep you occupied for a few days. It is also easy to get around and very clean.

I visited the Picasso Museum (he spent his early years in Malaga), saw most of the sights from the top of a lovely sightseeing bus, had a guided tour on a ‘modern’ rickshaw, and wandered through the streets quite happily enjoying it all. The food was excellent. And I can recommend the café in the Picasso Museum, a beautiful relaxing quiet oasis in the city – perfect for a post museum/pre-shopping coffee.

We staying in an old residential area of Malaga – called Huelin. A taxi ride from the centre (or an hour’s walk if, like us, you couldn’t find the taxi rank on the first morning!) but a stone’s throw from a long beach. As it was off the tourist track, the food and drink prices were excellent – the drinks on the first night were at 1980s prices!

The house we stayed in:

The cathedral:

The Alcazaba above the Roman amphitheatre:

Some old tiles found in a back street (I like the shapes in these):

So I have spent the last few days catching up. I finished the shawl I started in Blackpool, completed the June instalment of Kaleidoscope

and published the pattern for the Molly Shawlette.

which you can find here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/molly-shawlette-2

I still have a few things to tick off my ‘to do’ list, but I’m in no hurry. In fact having spent a lovely break in Malaga, my thoughts have turned to longer holidays…….!

Happy knitting and crochet xxx

Agrarian Artisan

Tag: holiday

The best came last……..

Crochet and lace

It’s true!

Room with a view…..

Buxton – the extras!

Buxton in April

Knitting away……

Portuguese designing……..

Yarn adventures

Catching up

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