25.8.13

Crochet Country #1

Only after I picked Portugal to be my next travel destination, it suddenly dawned upon me...
Hey, isn't Portugal a crochet minded country?
Aren't some of my favourite crochet blogs Portugese?


And yes, it truly is a very crochet minded country.
Not only did I come across many beautiful works of crochet, but there was an amazing number of different crochet magazines - and shops that sold local yarns. Needless to say, all this was a pretty good travel bonus.

The bright light in Portugal is beautiful. As are the many pastel and bright colours you'll see everywhere.
Everything back home seems so very dull and grey in comparison.

Yarn bombs in Lisbon...

ByHaafner, crochet, granny square, yarn bomb, Lisbon, brightByHaafner, crochet, granny square, yarn bomb, Lisbon, bright
ByHaafner, crochet, granny square, yarn bomb, Lisbon, brightByHaafner, crochet, granny square, yarn bomb, Lisbon, bright
ByHaafner, crochet, granny square, yarn bomb, Lisbon, bright

More yarn bombing: a billboard in Porto...

ByHaafner, crochet, granny square, yarn bomb, Porto, exhibition













The bobbin lace museum (okay, not crochet, but still beautiful) in Vila do Condo, a charming old little town renowned for its lace...

ByHaafner, bobbin lace, bobbins on display, lace museum, Portugal

ByHaafner, bobbin lace, bobbins on display, lace museum, Portugal





















You can watch lace makers at work,
making breathtaking pieces with this fascinating technique.

ByHaafner, bobbin lace, work in progress, lace museum, Portugal




















En there is a bobbin lace school! Here you see the class room...

ByHaafner, bobbin lace, work in progress, lace school, Portugal


Where I admired the works in progress from the young pupils...


ByHaafner, bobbin lace, work in progress, lace school, Portugal
ByHaafner, bobbin lace, work in progress, lace school, Portugal









































Scrummy samples of lace on the wall...

ByHaafner, bobbin lace, work in progress, lace samples, lace school, Portugal





















Lucky for me the museum had a little shop where gorgeous pieces of bobbin lace were sold. Of course I couldn't resist purchasing a small piece myself. I'll show it later.

For now I want to thank you for dropping by. Have a good day!
♦♦

17 comments:

  1. Gorgious!! Any good yarn stores in Lisbon?

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    1. Yes, there are! And a lot(!) of them are located in the same street... ;-) I'd have to look the name of that street up, in case you're interested!

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  2. Thank you so much for this post with its glimpse of the textile side of Lisbon. Seeing that such beautiful lace-making is still being taught in a school really made me happy.

    (If my eyesight were a bit better now, I would contact that school and see it a senior citizen might enroll.)

    xo

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    Replies
    1. Oh, that would be a great thing to do! Although I presume all the lessons would in Portugese (which I myself don't speak unfortunately).

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  3. So pretty!! Would love to take that class! :) Happy new week! xo Holly

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  4. Lovely post with beautiful pictures !
    Have a nice week !
    And thanks for following my blog...
    Anna

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  5. Isabel S./Lisbon-PortugalAugust 26, 2013 at 6:57 PM

    I'm very glad you enjoyed Portugal. It has many beautiful things to see/discover.
    Hope you come again.
    I want to thank you for your pattern of popcorn blanket, it is very, very beautiful!! I was checking your blog every day to see if you had put the pattern, so thank you once again. I love all your work.

    Hugs
    Isabel S./Lisbon-Portugal

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    Replies
    1. Hi Isabel, You're so lucky to live in such a beautiful country with so many very kind people! (And with crochet everywhere...) It's definitely high on my wishlist to visit Portugal many more times. I'm glad you like the blanket, I'd love to see a picture if you make one yourself.
      All best, Haafner

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    2. Isabel S./Lisbon-PortugalAugust 29, 2013 at 1:52 PM

      Thank you so much for your kind words. I must confess....I LOVE your blanket!! I'm going to make one and will find a way to send you a picture, because I don't have a blog. Now I'm in the middle of another one but as soon as I finish yours will be next. Thank you so much for sharing.
      Hugs

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  6. Such beautiful photos, love the crochet work and the lace-making. I saw something similar on Chios, Greece years ago (I have no photos:( I think it is very impressive.
    Thanks for sharing, have a lovely week!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Chios... That's a good suggestion for a holiday, sounds very nice... Lovely week to you too!

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  7. Oh, that lace is gorgeous and how fun would that class be to take!! Thanks for sharing such prettiness!! xo Heather

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    1. Thanks Heather! It would be great indeed to learn how to make lace... Have a nice week, Haafner

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  8. Oh my goodness it looks like you had a great trip! The lace work on the chairs look so neat and makes for a scrummy photo. My first housemate as a student and one of my best friends is Portuguese and she taught me all there is to know about Mediterranean cuisine. She left South Africa and now lives in Lisbon, Portugal is a great country!

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  9. I was so happy to read your post about your trip to Portugal. I'm glad that you could visit different cities, not only Lisbon.

    I guess that the street where you found the yarn stores in Lisbon was Rua da Conceição, near the main square by the Tejo river. Nearby, there's also a big yarn store in Rua dos Fanqueiros.

    The lace that you saw is called "Bilros" lace. It's a very traditional craft in the north of Portugal, and everybody can learn it (even senior citizens, Frances).

    Hope that you all can come and visit this beautiful country!

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