Friday 19 July 2019

Raining Cats...

Happy Friday, Yarnarinnas!

🌸Hope all is well in your patch of Crochetland?🌸

It's been raining Cats and Dogs here! I often wonder where that expression originated? If any of you cleversticks can enlighten me I'd appreciate it very much.

This week has whizzed by as I furiously hook up a storm to reach next Friday's deadline for the completed Hibiscus Tea Extension. Yesterday I made over 3000 dc's! All the while LIFE happened in the background. Many of you may already know that our beloved and legendary Johnny Clegg from Jaluka and Savuka fame and the man behind so many wonderfully unifying songs like "Scatterlings of Africa" and "It's a Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World", passed away after losing his four year battle with pancreatic cancer. His music has been the backdrop of my life for so many years, and thankfully his legacy lives on. Again, tears wove themselves into the Yarn. Good grief, this has been a very teary year so far. This has to stop!


On a positive note...it has been raining, raining and did I say RAINING! Our dams are filling up fast ahead of the dry Summer months. Our rain tanks are full to bursting. The swimming pool and fish pond have overflowed. Luckily Jaws, Nemo and Dory ( our three longest surviving Goldfish ) didn't get washed away! As a born Pluviophile, I am in my element. We're heading for our coldest month ( which just happens to be my B'day month too ) and I'm holding thumbs for SNOW! And of course, it's perfect crochet weather. I just want to make ALL. THE. THINGS!



My top-down Lemon and Ginger Fizz Sweater is coming along (aka The Gilmore Girls Project). This is very much an experimental piece in anticipation of many ( hopefully! ) future Sweater and Cardigan patterns. I'm very eager to try my hand at yarny garment designing seeing as I've been making some of my own clothes (as well as my children's clothes when they were littlies) for many years, and I've always loved "fashion"...or more accurately anti-fashion! I'm mostly off-trend though (positively anti-trend! ). 😄





























As you can see, the struggle to complete WIP is real.

Today, this image caught my eye and I enjoyed putting together the colour mood. As you can see, there are quite a few colour combinations you could play around with.

I've used colours from the Stylecraft Special DK range simply for its many colour choices. I'm sure you can match the colours to any similar Yarn range. Talking about colour. There are some spectacular colourways coming forth from our wonderfully talented Members over on the Pattern Workshop Group. This gorgeously romantic colourway for the Hibiscus Tea is being hooked by Shirly Martosoewondo while she holidays in France. Lucky fish!


The upcoming FIRST EVER Cape Town Yarn Festival is fast approaching ( on Woman's Day August 9 ). I am so excited to meet some very special Yarny people and I'm saving up to make sure I don't leave without an armful of delicious Yarn (and a proper Yarn bowl). I'm going to take a gazillion pics to share with you all and get you acquainted with all our local talent.

Which brings me to some international talent. This week the Giveaway is the beautiful Sakura Shawl by Atty van Norel. If you haven't already nabbed this beauty then all you have to do to stand a chance of being one of our 3 x GIVEAWAY RECIPIENTS is leave a comment in the comment section down below (don't forget to add your Ravelry name!).

💗Please check your Ravelry Library to see if you're a lucky last Friday winner! 💗



 IMAGE CREDIT: Atty van Norel.

Wishing you all a happy, peaceful weekend, and a full yarn basket!
💗Jen

PS: for those of you who are no longer on Ravelry I have made some of my patterns available at LoveCrafts. 



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23 comments:

  1. Anonymous19 July 2019 at 00:31

    Beautiful shawl and beautiful post My Ravelry name is MadJen

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    1. Jen19 July 2019 at 03:59

      Thanks for leaving your Rav name, Jen! :D Hope your weekend is FAB! xx

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  2. The Pilot19 July 2019 at 00:55

    Hi Jen,

    Thanks for the awesome post...sharing your sadness for the loss of the Great Heart ♥!

    ITA RAINING CATS AND DOGS:
    This expression originates in the days when most people had thatching for roofs and many people had hay-lofts in their houses...apparently theaninals would snuggle into the thatching for warmth and then if the rain suddenly comes down hard...it breaks through the thatch, hitting the furbabies where they sleep..who would then in turn launch themselves out of the roof in great haste making it look like it's raining cats and dogs!!

    My Ravelry name is AddasApprentice...

    Thanks for all the inspiration!!! 😍

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    1. NoeleneSampey19 July 2019 at 03:26

      Thanks for the raining cats and dogs explanation.I love learning where all of these old sayings have originated from.

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    2. Jen19 July 2019 at 04:02

      Oh, yes, of course...that makes perfect sense! What an image! Lol! And I imagine it would have rained roosters and chickens and any number of farm yard animals who would be snuggled into the eaves of a thatched roof. I'm going to be thinking about that all day now. Thank you! :D xx

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    3. The Pilot19 July 2019 at 05:56

      What a wonderful thought right...lol?

      I'm an online ESL teacher when I'm not playing for the Amanzi Throw #Teamsloth, and that is actually an expression that has come up in lessons...I love investigating the origins of words!

      Did you know that BEskuit and BIscotti actually have the same root?
      BI means 2 and it is in reference to the fact that it is technically TWICE baked (the like warm drying counting as a bake)

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  3. NoeleneSampey19 July 2019 at 03:24

    Another wonderful tale Jen and I learnt that I am a Pluviophile, which is now one of my all time favourite words. I'm so excited to see the outcome of your sweater design, I need to crochet myself some new clothing items and I'd be so happy to wear a Hooks'nTales original Xx

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    1. Jen19 July 2019 at 04:06

      Aw, thanks for your encouraging words as always, Noelene! I've made a few booboos as a result of over-thinking this top down technique...it's really a whole lot more simple than I imagined. I'm using Lime/Ginger colours but I think the next "sample" will be in Blues, or perhaps Orange and Pink...and call it Pink Lady Fizz! Oh, the colour combination possibilities... :D xxx

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  4. Kris19 July 2019 at 04:46

    Well, I learned a new word that applies to me - pluviophile!! Rainy days are my most favorite ones! I've just started crocheting clothing for myself this year and can't wait to see what you come up with! Ravelry: kjprice

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    1. Jen20 July 2019 at 00:02

      I was thinking, Kris, just how many crochet blankets can one have/make? :D At least dabbling in crochet garments means we'll get to make things we might actually would wear. :D

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  5. TBChilders19 July 2019 at 07:17

    What a blessing to have enough moisture! Enjoy your week-end! Rav name is Bubbalips.

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    1. Jen20 July 2019 at 00:02

      Thanks so much for popping by! Good Luck! :-) xx

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  6. LiaH19 July 2019 at 13:54

    Hi Jen thanks again for last week’s give away. I love The pattern And Will certainly try it out beteeen all My other wip’s. Looking forward to your cardigan and sweater patterns. My ravelry name is liahartman

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    1. Jen20 July 2019 at 00:03

      I'm so glad you like your pattern gift, Lia! I know how you feel, so many WIPs so little time, even if we had 200 years! :-) xx

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    2. LiaH20 July 2019 at 02:06

      Yes and as I am hiking in Scotland now I don’t get anything done. Scotland is beautiful though.

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  7. Donnaleec19 July 2019 at 18:03

    Beautiful shawl, love the blog, You are awesome Jen
    Ravelry = doco5256 ... thanks for the opportunity

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    1. Jen20 July 2019 at 00:05

      It's such a lovely Shawl pattern and as I've said before...I choose patterns I wish I had time to make. Vicariously I am crocheting these beauties through all our Giveaway winners! :D xox

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  8. Unknown19 July 2019 at 21:32

    Beautiful shawl. I enjoy your blog.
    Ravelry name: Fern2176

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    1. Jen20 July 2019 at 00:05

      Hope you're a winner, Fern! Thanks for stopping by. xx

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  9. Sharmane young20 July 2019 at 19:06

    Love your work jen.you are auch an inspiration to me. Thank you for all your hard work designing truly amazing patterns. I have made 2 amanzi throws. Also the karoo and I have just finished high tea. I'm about to start the hibiscus x Sharmane5765

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    1. Jen25 July 2019 at 23:52

      Your work is always amazing, Sharmane! Can't wait to see your finished Hibiscus! Happy weekend! xox

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  10. Designerhook22 July 2019 at 02:39

    I learnt that I too am a 'pluviophile' long time lover of rain (think it's the smell as well). That shawl though, omw it's gorgeous and I would love to create it. Look out for #LunaFibers on #Jaarn's stand at the #CTYF and let us know what you think. We are busily get all the squishy gems packed to send down to you all in CT!! Green with envy we can't be there in person. A good goal to have for next year. Keep warm Jen and thank you for your inspiration! xxx

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    1. Jen25 July 2019 at 23:54

      Oh my word, I am looking so forward to going and meeting some of my favourite Indie Dyers. What a pity you can't be there! :'( xxx

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