amsterdam and the green theme

On Wednesday I met my friend Ank in Amsterdam to proceed with the program for Green Gardens workshops in May and October.

In the greenhouse of De Plantage we had an exciting meeting. Afterwards we went to the Hortus Botanicus to enjoy the Amsterdam Light Festival in and around the garden, to make the green theme complete.

s a l e - black & white baby blanket

S A L E: Black & White baby blanket.

The handmade black & white baby blanket is now for sale in my Etsy shop.

If you rather make the baby blanket yourself, you can also find the pattern of the baby blanket and the harlequin rug o v e r h e r e.

happy green year

Happy New Year to you all.

Just be kind, respect nature and start making beautiful memories!

First day of January is about making new plans and the best way to start 2017 is: just do it!

Why wait? Start looking forward to travels and new adventures for this brand new year.

For example, by joining a green city break to Marrakech.

Some months ago we have developed the Green Gardens workshop in Marrakech. A great way to get to know the city in a different way. With professional guided tours we will arrange for all the gardens we will visit during the workshop.
Besides the daily garden visits, we also want to be actively engaged with our daily green experiences.
Everyone will make a personal Green Gardens herbarium during the workshop. Collecting leaves, seeds and making drawings of the plants and leaves.
We will also organize a moroccan veggie cooking workshop.
But most of all we would like to take you on adventure and show you all the beautiful green places in and around the city.

Below you can find more information about the Green Gardens workshops in May and October 2017.

PROGRAMME:

During the workshop we will visit and explore all kinds of gardens in and around Marrakech; An Arabic garden, a rose garden, botanical gardens, secret city gardens, city parks, hidden courtyards, an art garden, museum gardens and vegetable- and herb gardens.
To make the green theme complete, we will also organize a veggie cooking workshop (including vegetables & herbes shopping in de souk). All the participants will get an herbarium notebook, in which they can make daily sketches and collect green memories, such as leaves and seeds.
You will be surprised how green the Red City actually is. Urban jungle adventures with guided tours and delicious moroccan food, make this green travel-workshop unforgettable!

GREEN GARDENS WORKSHOP

Six days in Marrakech! Green is the theme. Price € 675,00 per person.
The price is based on a shared twin bedroom and excluding flight ticket. It's not possible to book a single room.
It's always possible to book extra nights, before or after the workshop (info@chambresdamis.com)

INCLUDED:
- transfer from airport Marrakech to Riad Chambres d'amis (v.v.)
- shared twin bedroom (5 nights) including breakfast in Chambres d'Amis. (no single rooms available)
- 3 dinners & 4 lunches (drinks not included)
- veggie cooking workshop
- collecting green memories in a herbarium
- all excursions in and around Marrakech

SPRING GREEN GARDENS WORKSHOP arrival: Thursday 11th of May - leaving: Tuesday 16th of May
AUTUMN GREEN GARDENS WORKSHOP arrival: Thursday 12th of October - leaving: Tuesday 17th of October

If you would like to join one of the workshops, please send an e-mail info@woodwoolstool.com for an application form.

Both workshops are a collaboration with my friend Ank van der Pluijm, owner of CHAMBRES D'AMIS, oasis in the Medina of Marrakech and our 'basecamp' during the workshops.

unforgettable moments of 2016

2016 has been a great year.

12 photos, 1 for each month. Randomly chosen.

Those golden sneakers travelled a lot this year.
Londen in February, with my son Minne.
Marrakech in April, for another Cool Crochet workshop.
Paris in June, with my love Henk, son Minne and my friend Rosa.
In July we often went for a day to our favorite beach in Zeeland.
Berlin in August, just the two of us, to celebrate my birthday.
Portugal in September for an amazing roadtrip from Porto to Lisbon.
Marrakech once more, for the 6th Cool Crochet workshop.
The last months of 2016 I've been at home a lot, to work on new projects and enjoy my family and just being at home together.

Two thousand and sixteen was a wonderful year with many happy memories!
I am grateful for that and I'm looking forward to the new adventures in 2017!

Thanks for following my blog and Happy New Year to you all! Xx

december days

During the last weeks of December I've made two new beanies, because I've sold all the moroccan beanies. A multicolored one and the other one is matching my mittens.

I also made two warm shawls, a black one and a rusty brown one.
The shawl is very easy to make, the fabric looks like it's knitted but actually is an easy crochet technique.

You start with a foundation chain and make the chain as long as you want your shawl to be.
I've made a foundation chain of 250 chain stitches (ch).
All the following rows are worked in half double crochet (hdc).
The first row of stitches is worked into the foundation chain. Always start with 2 ch for the 1st hdc and continue the row with hdc (it's a long row!)
Second and following rows: 250 hdc, but instead of going through both the front and back loop, you insert the crochet hook ONLY through the f r o n t loop of the previous row of hdc.
After some rows you will see a textured crochet fabric that resembles a knitted rib.
My shawl is 24 rows wide, but you can make your shawl as wide as you want.

If you start now, your shawl might be ready before 2017!

(I used a crochet 5 mm hook and about 300 grams of yarn)

If you want to make the beanie, join the cool crochet workshop...

crochet mood

Afternoon crochet on the vintage bamboo daybed.

Working on a warm winter shawl, in a very cool crochet technique.
I will show it soon on the blog.

merry christmas

Merry Christmas to all of you!
We are having a drink in the front yard. Cheers!

*let*it*snow*shoes*