First of all, the Stitches and Craft Show which I attended with my multi-craftual friend 'M': I got to catch up with old acquaintances like Prudence Mapstone and friends, and make new friends like 'Sheepish' Sarah and Charmaine from Yarnarama.
Then I found out that fellow crochet blogger Michelle Westlund was coming to visit from New South Wales. How exciting! For the first time we would be in the same city at the same time and couldn't let the opportunity slip.
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| "The 12 Apostles" are a famous feature along the Great Ocean Road (Photo used with kind permission from Michelle Westlund) |
Michelle had been travelling the Great Ocean Road to support friends and family members who participated in the Great Ocean Road marathon.
In the past, she has followed the Great Ocean Road through to Portland (Victoria) and Mount Gambier (South Australia). This year she kept on going until she got to Adelaide!
I don't know how Michelle manages so much travel with chronic fatigue (another thing we have in common). She must be an excellent planner but even planning can be difficult with the unpredictability of illness and fatigue. It is such a compliment that Michelle made time to meet even though she was very tired from the obligatory sightseeing trips in and around Adelaide. I am sure her energy is very precious as is mine. Thank you, Michelle!
Michelle's only free time was in the evening. Oh dear! I avoid going out in the evening as I am usually exhausted and too tired to drive. This worried me a lot and I desperately hoped my body would behave so I wouldn't have to cancel at the last minute. Then I fell quite ill in the week preceding our meeting and still wasn't better the day before. I did nothing but rest and hope. Luckily, when the time came, I was a bit better–still very very tired, but well enough to go out.
Thankfully, my good friend and fellow crochet enthusiast Adrienne (whom I hadn't seen in ages due to busy family commitments) was able to join us and she drove us both into the city. (Thank you so much, Adrienne.) I was longing to see Adrienne and missing our catch-ups. It had been too long since the last one!
I also wanted Michelle and Adrienne to meet each other because they have a few interests in common including travel, German, running and crochet. It was so much fun to see each other again and be able to natter about crafts, life and our interests during a break from mothering our families.
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| Michelle, Jodie & Adrienne. I love Adrienne's scarf that she crocheted. |
It had been years since I'd been in the city on a Friday night. It was bustling with lights and people and I loved it. It reminded me of a former life when I had energy (and the finances) to enjoy the benefits of city living. That was a loooong time ago–B.C. ('Before Children'!)
I secretly fantasised about a night out on the town with "the girls"–Yeah! That's what we should do one day!–but seriously, my poor body can't handle it any more. That last thought 'burst my bubble'!
Michelle and I both needed a restful time, so we chose to relax in the lounge of her hotel with coffee, crochet, craft and good company!
Although Adrienne and I went out to the city,
it was still a quiet night in!
Michelle and her mum, Janelle, and Adrienne and I had a lovely time with a "Show and Tell" of our projects and yarns as we got to know each other better while working the crochet hooks.
I was excited to be out and about and also super excited to meet another blogger and be with my friends (instead of managing all my children's social engagements!) We were all very excited to meet each other and I am certain we managed to overcome our ailments and got through the evening on just adrenalin (and some pretty good coffee too).
Sadly, we did miss Anne who was back at home in Germany. How lovely it would have been were she with us!
We were graced by the presence of a different, very special visitor however–
a "happypotamus" called Captain Poprocks!
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| Captain Poprocks posing for a fan-photo with Michelle and Jodie |
Captain Poprocks stole the attention of every passer-by! Adrienne observed, "He is better than a baby for a conversation starter!" and she was right. I was astounded at the number of people he charmed. He certainly is a celebrity; pure charisma!
He was kind enough to pose for a fan-photo!
Between travel jaunts, Captain Poprocks helps Michelle with her crochet business, Wrapped with Love by Michelle. The web page shows pictures of stuffed toy animals all made with the African Flower hexagons by Heidi Bears. Michelle makes and sells these along with other crocheted goods.
On our crochet night in, we did a bit of making
but much more talking!
Janelle was crocheting little granny squares to go towards a larger project while Michelle was working on her three-pointed shawl which turned into a poncho until Captain Poprocks insisted on having one just the same.
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| Captain Poprocks wearing his poncho |
I was working on some poppies (what else?) with more conversation and less crochet action but still managed to finish off at least one complete bloom.
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| Adrienne's cotton square |
Adrienne was also making square motifs again at our meeting but with 4 ply cotton and a different pattern this time. These squares are destined to become a bag.
We took much pleasure over the silken sheen and softness of Adrienne's newly purchased yarn–Alchemy's "Silk Purse" 100% silk–and the soft fluffiness of my silk mohair scarf, also an Alchemy yarn–"Haiku".
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| Jodie's alpaca scarf-in-progress |
Michelle was working with her latest all-round favourite Drops Design Cotton Merino DK/8 ply by Garnstudio. It has beautiful colours and a firm but soft hand with good stitch definition.
They all were beautiful yarns…
…and I am lucky to have such beautiful friends
to share the love of crochet!
to share the love of crochet!
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| Michelle, Captain Poprocks, Jodie & Adrienne. Captain Poprocks is wearing a grey poncho which matches Michelle's Sunday Shawl-Poncho. |
Thank you Adrienne and Michelle
and families
for a great evening of fun and friendship.
Links and Related Posts
Adelaide, South Australia: http://www.australia.com/en/places/adelaide.html
See also South Australia (listed below). Regions close to Adelaide are Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Fleurieu Peninsula.
Adrienne:
Blogger: http://mrsski71.blogspot.com.au/
Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/people/mrsski
Alchemy Yarns of Transformation:
Silk Purse 100% silk: http://www.alchemyyarns.com/0312yarn.html
Haiku 40% silk 60% mohair: http://www.alchemyyarns.com/0318yarn.html
Anne Schüler:
Blogger/Google+: https://plus.google.com/108218320399531207429
Crochet Between Worlds, blog: http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.com.au/
Captain Poprocks, the Adventures of [web page], Crochet Between Worlds blog: http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html
Crochet Between Worlds, "Ta-dah! Sunday Poncho!" blog entry, 29 May 2015: http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/ta-dah-sunday-poncho.html
Frog Tree Yarns: Alpaca Sport 5 ply 100% alpaca: http://frogtreeyarns.com/YarnDetail.php?4
Garnstudio: Drops Cotton Merino 50% Wool, 50% Cotton: http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/yarn.php?id=103
Great Ocean Road, Victoria: http://www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/Great-Ocean-Road/Things-to-do/Nature-and-wildlife/Beaches-and-coastlines/The-Great-Ocean-Road
Great Ocean Road marathon: http://www.greatoceanroadmarathon.com.au/
Heidi Bears:
Blog: http://heidibearscreative.blogspot.com.au/
Ravelry store: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/heidi-bears-ravelry-store/patterns
Lupey Loops, "A 'Drafty' Mind as the Fog Lifts" blog entry, 28 May 2015: http://lupeyloops.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/a-drafty-mind-as-fog-lifts.html
Lupey Loops, "Poppies Shaping Up" blog entry, 4 June 2015: http://lupeyloops.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/poppies-shaping-up.html
Michelle Westlund:
Blogger: https://www.blogger.com/profile/12910287804024257064
Crochet Between Worlds, blog: http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.com.au/
Wrapped with Love by Michelle, Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wrappedwithlovebymichelle?fref=ts
South Australia, regions: http://www.southaustralia.com/regions.aspx
Thank you so much for having me, and introducing us to Adrienne as well!
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes it's worth over-spending the spoons a little bit for the sake of a special occasion :) We had such a good evening - the time just flew by. Adelaide has definitely moved further up my list of places to visit again soon!!
It was an absolute pleasure, Michelle! Adrienne and I both had a great time meeting you and your family. We had the same feeling as you that it was like meeting old friends after an absence. In many ways, getting to know each other online first meant that we already knew a bit about each other so when we got together it was straight "into business" with our current news and crochet projects which made a lot of the time we had together. There were still so many things we didn't get to talk about so another visit some time is a must! :-)
DeleteP.S. and totally worth the price of spoons xx
Oh wow!!! A wonderful meeting but my goodness what a physical challenge! I also find the anticipation or worry about managing an event is an issue before it happens. Often so worth the effort to make social interactions possible. I hope you didn't feel too exhausted in the following days but can see that having some you time was really good for you! Take care for now... I wish I was close enough to have tagged along!! J9x
ReplyDeleteYou would have been more than welcome Janine! The more the merrier!
DeleteI was pretty exhausted in the following week. Any sort of stress will drain my batteries whether it be emotional, physical, good or bad. It is very hard, being the exuberant and passionate person that I am, to restrain myself from strong emotion. I have always thrown myself into things wholeheartedly - if something's worth doing, it's worth doing properly! Whenever I am having a lot of fun, I need to remind myself to calm down a little and not wear myself out but I didn't even think about it this time so felt it the next morning. (Actually, I did have one fleeting thought but decided "Nah! I am going to fully enjoy the company of my friends!") Not to worry - it's all good. I just have to factor in recovery time and make sure I am as fit as possible beforehand. (I call it racking up "rest credits" to get me through extra demands.)
Thanks for your good wishes and for understanding the pre-event concerns. It is a fine balance between healthy concern and worrying so much that the stress makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy. All we can do is have a Plan B (or C & D too) just in case and off we go! Wishing you frequent opportunities for fun and friendship gatherings, Janine. xx
It sounds like such a lovely time. I am so glad you were able to enjoy your time, sometimes chronic illness steals even that from us. I hope you did not suffer too much in the aftermath but sometimes it is well worth those awful days afterwards. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Sharon for your caring thoughts. You are right about chronic illness. It does steal a lot from us and social life is a major casualty.
DeleteAs much as I love my family and friends, it is not enjoyable if I am too sick to give proper attention to them or if I don't have the stamina to cope with the outing. Fortunately, my best friends are very patient and understanding. I have no room in my life for those who are not. My time and energy are too precious to waste and my focus is on good quality time together not quantity.
The fact that you understand how chronic illness steals lives makes me sad because only those who have been touched by it truly 'get' it. It is great that you have been planning family events and wish you all the energy you need to do what you want with them.
Cheers! xx
Hi I'm after the frog tree Tunisian scarf pattern - do you know where can I get the pattern? Been wanting to do one myself!! Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi Mel, I am assuming the scarf is the burgundy and green striped scarf (Frog Tree Alpaca Sportweight) that appeared in my post about the "Adelaide Stitches & Craft Show":
Deletehttp://lupeyloops.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/adelaide-stitches-craft-show.html
Or could it be the Lacy Tunisian Scarf made from Frog Tree's Ewetopia?
Both scarf patterns were presented during workshops by Prudence Mapstone. There are various ways to contact her:
Prudence Mapstone, Knot Just Knitting, web site: http://knotjustknitting.com/
Craftumi shop: www.craftumi.com.au/PrudenceMapstone
Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/freeformbyprudence
Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/PrudenceM
She travels overseas frequently and I know she has been on tour in Australia with her Flower Power exhibition which I am looking forward to seeing in Adelaide next month:
http://50yearsofflowerpower.blogspot.com.au/
Both scarf patterns were written by Prudence (she holds the copyright) so I cannot give you any more details about it apart from all the means that I know for you to contact her directly. If she is travelling, you may not receive a same day reply but be patient. She is lovely and always willing to please her customers. I know she will reply to you as soon as possible. In many parts of regional Australia, telecommunications can be unreliable.
What colours are you planning for your scarf, Mel? Do you have the Frog Tree yarn already? Perhaps you can post a link to your creation here on Lupey Loops or on Google+ where I am in the early stages of setting up a private Lupey Loops Google+ community. I have a section for posting our WIPs to share with other Lupey Loops readers. More information is in the following blog post:
http://lupeyloops.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/struggles-with-blogger-google-community.html
If you are interested, I also blogged about Prudence Mapstone and Frog Tree yarn in these posts:
http://lupeyloops.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/a-crochet-christmas.html
http://lupeyloops.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/adelaide-stitches-craft-show.html
I hope you can get a copy of the pattern–I am not sure whether these are exclusively for workshop participants or not. Prudence is definitely the best person to contact. I know she will love to hear from you.
All the best (and please share your scarf when it's done!) :-)
Cheers,
Jodie
P.S. I thought the Flower Power Exhibition was coming to Adelaide next month with a regular exhibition but the flyer that just arrived in my letterbox doesn't mention it so it must be coming at a different time...
Delete