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(A Lot) More Crochet in Lisbon and A Little Giveaway

Happy New Year To You and Your Loved Ones! To live up to my resolution of blogging more often, it seemed a positive start to be posting on the very first day of the year.

ByHaafner, vintage granny square blanket, bright colours, crochet














Let me now first explain this Granny Galore to you... I didn't make this vibrant blanket myself. (I wished!) However, when I was in Lisbon I stayed part of my time there in a lovely apartment. One where I had stayed before. It's an old, very spacious and airy apartment, flooded in light, lovingly restored by owner Joana, who is an architect and who also acts as a host together with her mother Martha. Both are the most welcoming people you can imagine. If you're planning a visit to Lisbon I can really recommend this place, you can book here via Airbnb. But I haven't told you the reason I chose this apartment. Well, in one of the pictures I saw a beautiful vintage granny square blanket, so that was that, choice made! ;-) It was this blanket...
ByHaafner, vintage granny square blanket, bright colours, crochet, airbnb














And a great choice it was! When Martha heard I was into crochet she gifted me two lovely doilies. I still treasure them on the board above my desk. She also showed me this vintage pink popcorn blanket. It's just a quick snapshot with my phone, but isn't it a beauty...?

ByHaafner, vintage crochet blanket, pastel, pink, popcorn stitch


When I returned recently, a good 1.5 year later, she not only remembered my love for crochet, but she had a huge stack of doilies waiting for me to admire and two other beautiful blankets. What's more, she insisted I took some doilies and a blanket of my choice home with me. The kindness! I was seriously tempted to accept this generous offer, but travelling light as always, I had not enough room in my suitcase for a blanket. ;-) These are those blankets... (Pictures, again, taken with my phone.)

ByHaafner, crochet, vintage blanket, white, lace

ByHaafner, crochet, vintage blanket, white, lace

ByHaafner, crochet, vintage blanket, white, lace
Aren't they amazing? Imagine the many, many hours that it must have taken to make these...

Below a compilation of the doilies, photographed against a concrete background.

ByHaafner, crochet, lace, vintage doilies


You'd think that's enough crochet to make my heart sing. And it was. But even so, my crochet luck didn't end there... In one of the retrosaria's (haberdashery and yarn shops) I discovered a wobbly pile of old crochet mags, tucked away in a dark, dusty corner. I bought two. (Which I will show another time here - still have to make some decent pictures of them.) I might go back next time to buy the rest of the pile. ;-)

Which reminds me that, from a previous visit to Lisbon, I still have another magazine waiting for a little giveaway that somehow never happened. It's the one below, with classic patterns for filet crochet. You could of course tweak the patterns a bit, and give them a modern twist by using a sturdier yarn and other colours. It contains 62 patterns, mainly doilies, but also other items, like curtains. Since every pattern has a chart, you don't have to know any Portuguese.
ByHaafner, Portuguese magazine, filet crochet

































Interested? Leave behind a comment before January 6th and I will pick a winner.

I'd like to end this post with my favourite sunset - ever. Lisbon. In pastels. Of course.

ByHaafner, sunset in Lisbon



















ByHaafner, sunset in Lisbon

Many thanks for your kind visit and I hope we'll have many more online encounters in this new year.



23 comments:

  1. Gorgeous photos of Lisbon! :) Happy New Year!

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  2. Wonderful blankets and doilies! Happy New Year!

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  3. I love everything about crochet , so my head is spinning right now...Beautiful dollies and blankets. Happy New Year !

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  4. Oh , that popcorn blanket , sooooooo beautiful, so gorgeous. I would be extremely happy with a pattern. Could not you give it a try?

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    1. Okay, I will give it a try! Watch this space, ;-) I hope to come back here within a week or two with the pattern...

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  5. What fabulous crocheting you have show us from Lisbon. The contemporary and tradtional compliment each other beautifully. And...I agree with you about that exquisite pastel toned sunset.

    Bliss.

    Happy 2015 to you! xo

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  6. Ah Lisboa :) Always so beautiful!!
    Wonderful blanket, love the colours.
    Happy New Year.

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  7. So happy to read your beautiful words about Lisbon! In fact, I grew up among that kind of magazines and "doilies", your photos are amazing!

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  8. Happy New Year! Thank you so much for sharing the photos of such amazing vintage crochet! Coincidentally I have just ordered two books from Japan with lace crochet patterns. I am looking to make some scarves and shawls with a delicate lace feel to them. These beautiful blankets are certainly giving me inspiration!!

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  9. Wow, that popcorn blanket is amazing! Very jealous :P

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  10. Oh, it would have broken my heart not to be able to accept one of the beautiful crocheted blankets! How lovely they are. Were you able to get the patterns for them?

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  11. Great blankets! And Lisbon seems beautiful. I don't participate in you give away (I'm not a doily person...).

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  12. Happy new year and thank you for the link♥
    xx, Martina

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  13. Happy New Year dear Haafner! Lovely picture of beautiful Lisboa, I love this place on earth! Enjoy your blogging and crochet!

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  14. Super!!! Ah, must go back to Lisbon...

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  15. Great travel ideas. So fun to meet kindred spirits abroad!

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  16. What wonderful and gracious hostesses you had for your two visits to Lisbon. I must tell you though that, had it been me, I would have returned home with only the clothes on my back but with a suitcase full of one beautiful, crocheted blanket! Lol! Happy New Year!

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  17. What beautiful crochet and an amazing sunset!

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  18. Happy new year! Beautiful crochet and lisbon pictures, it makes me happy too!! I would very much like to win your little give away!! Have a nice day!! Regards Marijtje

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  19. Beautiful crochet lace. Loved your post. I love to collect old crochet books/magazines and I can relate to your find in the dusty, hidden corner as I love to peruse old antique stores for just such corners.

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  20. beautiful blog post, those sunsets are amazing. I particularly love the pink popcorn blanket, it's gorgeous isn't it. happy new year to you.Pjx

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  21. New to your blog. Did you publish a pattern for the popcorn blanket? Would love to have the pattern.......thank you.

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