Give-away Tulip Etimo Gold Set – Joining is easy!

I had been eyeing the Tulip Etimo Premium Gold Set set for quite a while before I finally got them. I had read positive reviews about these hooks and I loved (and love) their aesthetics. Plus I really enjoyed working with my other Tulip hooks. (The Japan-based company has been making high quality hooks since 1953.) 

I was a bit hesitant though because I already have sooo many crochet hooks... - But, I'm glad that in the end I decided to get them. The cushion grip is perfect (not too bulky and with a pleasant feel to it), the hooks themselves are very smooth and handle all types of yarn easily. And I adore the stylish, neutral colour which will never clash with the colours of a project. 

The complete set includes eight crochet hooks (sizes 2.00, 2.20, 2.50, 3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 5.00 and 6.00 mm), a cute - and sharp! - pair of scissors, two darning needles, a ruler, all packed in a beautiful light-grey & silver case.

And now... You can win your own Tulip Etimo Premium Gold Set... In cooperation with the lovely people at Tulip I happily present you this give-away. Participating is easy!

1. Leave your comment under this post and follow this blog. That's it!

2. You'd like an extra chance to win? Be my guest! For an extra chance to win:

Leave a comment on my instagram account under this post (click here). 

3. For yet another chance to win:

Repost my give-away IG-post (this one!) on your (public) instagram account using the hashtag #tuliphooksbyhaafner

Deadline

The give-away is open to everyone everywhere! Bear in mind though that if you live outside the EU customs in your country might charge you some import tax. I will randomly pick a winner (from the entries on my blog and Instagram combined) on Sunday December 4th. So if you win you could have YOUR set before christmas - if post services cooperate!

If you don't want to wait for that: at the end of this blog post I'll include links to Amazon and Bol to buy you own Tulip Etimo hooks directly. Just scroll down. ;-)

Hook talk & Good luck to you!

Talking about hooks, I'm curious, what are your favourite crochet hooks? Do you like a grip on your hooks or not? (I personally prefer either a smooth, modest one like these or no grip at all. Definitely no bulky grips for me!) Are you into wooden, bamboo, plastic or metal hooks? (Metal works best for me.) Or does it depend on your yarn? Have you worked with Tulip hooks before?

If you are participating in this give-away: Good luck to you and thanks so much for dropping by.

xxHaafner

PS. Shopping

Please take note that there are several variants of the Tulip Etimo sets: the contents, hook sizes and colours vary, so check before buying!

But at Bol.com
But at Amazon

Nature Bag and a Giveaway

Hello dear readers,

Ohoh, it's been too long... But it's good to be back, both at home and on my blog.
I had a lovely time in Thailand and today I would like to take you with me to an interesting project in a neighbouring country: Laos.

Maybe you remember the first photo, I posted it before on this blog last September...

It's a bag from Nature Bag - I bought it a couple of years ago when I was in Laos. I sometimes use it as yarn bag when I'm abroad, because it's flexible and lightweight. It's from made of the natural, strong kudzu fibre which is traditionally used in Laos (and other countries) for making bags and baskets. Kudzu (also known as Japanese arrowroot, as Wikipedia kindly informed me) is a climbing vine that is native to Laos and many other parts of Asia.

On the occasion of posting that photo last year I was contacted by the kind Terry from Nature Bag. Nature Bag is a fairtrade project based in Laos. They make these traditional tote bags with a modern twist from the JungleVine as they dubbed the amazing fibre that is destined to be turned in a Nature Bag. We agreed that I would style and photograph more Nature Bags. The results of which you see here! I loved doing this because fairtrade has my heart.

I tried to highlight the fact that they are very lightweight by pinning them to my wall. I only needed a two or three pins. (Good news for my wall.)

Despite their lightweight nature and delicate looks, the bags are very strong, capable of expanding to carry heavy cargo. (I loaded mine with books!) The bags are knotted, not woven or crocheted, so in the unlikely event that a hole develops, the bag should not unravel. I wish I could say the same about my crochet. ;-)

Nature Bag gifted a bag for a giveaway for my lovely readers! If you would like a chance to win the blue-striped bag below, follow this blog and leave a comment. You can enter until April 2th 2015. [Edit: now closed]

If you'd like to see all styles of bags and meet the people who craft these lovely bags click here to go the Nature Bag website. (They have a webshop.)

In my next post I'll show you a bag I crocheted with JungleVine. I'll also share my pattern!
Okay, that's it for now. I hope you'll enter the giveaway. [Edit: now closed] If you do: Good luck!

Many thanks for your visit and I wish you a most lovely week.
♦♦♦

(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.

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...

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...?

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.)

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.

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.

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.

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

Give away * Winners

Well - I was touched by your sweet reactions
on my little give away.
I really wish I could send a garland to all of you.






















 But alas...























Blindfolded (seriously!) I picked the winners...

The little notebook goes to...






















Baukje!

And the garland goes to...






















Heather from Vintage Grey!

Congratulations & please send me your addresses.
Everybody: thanks for participating & good luck next time!

Oh - before I forget: I will write down the pattern of the garland asap,
so all of you who crochet can make a similar one yourselves.
♦♦♦

A little give away! (Finally)

Although I wanted to have one sooner,

here it finally is. My first little give away.

The first item I'm giving away is this set of nine coasters 

which doubles...

... as a garland (photo below) - in case you're not the coaster type...
(I'll send it as garland - with a long string attached.
But it's easypeasy to remove the string.)

Secondly I'm giving away this cute little Chinese notebook.
(Which is partially lined.)
I use a similar one for scribbling down my crochet notes.

Just leave a comment and tell me what you would prefer to get.
A follow or tweet is appreciated, but not necessary to win.
I'll announce the winners on Thursday the 21th of February.
Until then you can enter the give away. [The give away is now closed!]
(I do find this rather exciting, what if nobody cares for these things at all? Yikes!)

Good luck!
♦♦♦