Making New Friends: Scheepjes Bloggers Day 2016

Notes from the Netherlands. Part 3

This post is a third part in a series about my recent (and first) stay in the Netherlands. In two previous parts you can read about my yarn adventure in Amsterdam (HERE) and meeting with Van Gogh for real (HERE). And today’s story is about Scheepjes Bloggers Day. That was the main reason why I went to Holland – to meet with my online blogger friends and to learn more about Scheepjes company. 

After spending almost two days in Amsterdam I went to Groningen – a nice city located in the very North of the country. But first I headed to the airport to meet Sarah from Crafts from the Cwtch and Dedri from Look At What I made. This meeting was very exciting for me, as both ladies are very known in the world of crochet as brilliant bloggers, and I still can’t say I am a blogger about myself… I mean I have a blog, but am I blogger? I don’t know. But my inner worries were away the same second I saw them – smiling, and greeting, and hugging. We took the train to Groningen and spent more than two hours talking, and talking, and talking about crochet, sharing our current wips and projects, laughing and talking again. No need to say 2 hours passed unnoticed.

What can I say about Groningen? Unfortunately not too much. Wikipedia will for sure give you much more insights about it. As I didn’t really have a chance to get acquainted with this city, except of two short walks – to the hotel on the day of arrival late in the evening, and a short city “tour” (mostly around the markets) the next day. From Kirsten (Haak Maar Raak) I heard they sell amazingly delicious fresh pasta there. And I was impressed by counters with fresh fish and seafood. “Look! Fish! I love fish!” – screamed I running to the counters and Sarah took the picture of me immediately (a blogger, you know…). 

Photo credit: Sarah Knight (Cratfs from Cwtch)

“Oh, look! Flowers! How many flowers!” said I the next second as we were passing long rows with flowers. A hard feeling when you see all this beauty and cannot buy anything because you have a flight next morning. So my first and only impressions about Groningen are markets with delicious food and lots of flowers. Isn’t it a good reason to come back one day and make more sightseeing?

The main point was to meet altogether at the Scheepjes Head Quarters in Tynaarlo. I will tell you more about my visit to Scheepjes warehouse as it deserves a separate blog post (by now I can only say Scheepjes team is working very hard and very soon they will surprise us again – with new yarns and something else…). We had an excursion, an educational session about pattern writing and garment construction, and of course lots of chatting and laughing together. 

I have never ever been in the company of so many creative and talented people. I usually crochet sitting on my gauge in the living room and watching TV. Alone. But being in a nice café with nice and friendly people, who very quickly become your friends – is something different. I learned a few brilliant tips (about how to connect two tails of wool yarn, for example), and I changed my mind about some yarns. Before I touched the blanket made with Cotton 8*, I could not even imagine I would ever use this yarn myself. But I should tell you it feels wonderful, so soon there will be a new project made with it ;-) 

 

Photo credit: Dedri Uys (Look At What I Made)

I have been following blogs for a while but it was very interesting to meet their authors for real. You know when you read something you get a feeling of a person standing behind a blog. She shares her thoughts, and feelings, and ideas with you. And there is a kind of connection between you both, because very often her blog is talking to your heart, and your soul. And then you suddenly meet this person for real! And you get a fantastic chance to know even more of her “shades”. Very exciting! 

The numbers of Scheepjes Bloggers “tribe” are growing and now we are: Kirsten from Haak maar Raak, Jellina from Jellina Creations, Esther from It’s all in a Nutshell, Dedri from Look at What I Made, Carmen from Crafty Queens, Esther from Happy in Red, Christa from the Curio Crafts Room, Atty from Atty’s, Bernadette from Berniolie, Sarah from Crafts from the Cwtch, Nerissa from Miss Neriss, Tammy from Canadutch, Maria from 50 Shades of 4ply, Annelies from Vicarno and Susan from Felted Button. Can you recognize everyone in this picture (Annelies and Susan couldn’t come this time)? And you probably wonder who is the man at the back. Well, this is the owner of the company Job, aka “Mr. Scheepjes”.

The blanket we are holding is Last Dance on the Beach – a Dance in the Stars version made with Merino Soft. It’s one of three luxury kits which are available for purchase via Woolwarehouse*, Deramores*, Paradise Fibers and local Scheepjes stockiest. In real life this blanket looks and feels even more wonderful than in the pictures! There is also a basic version of the kit available with acrylic yarn Colour Crafter. Scheepjes CAL 2016 will begin tomorrow and I can’t wait to start crocheting! It is still not late to join it and choose your version of Last Dance on the Beach. You can read more information about this CAL HERE and the description of the kits is HERE. 

And we all got very nice and touching goody bags: with designers kitchen towel (by TillyFlop Designs – mine says: “Oh, how I’d rather be crocheting) and Blogger’s mug (by Deez Dutch – “Bloggers gonna Blog – Hookers gonna Hook”). Creative gifts for creative people.

That was my stay in Groningen. Next time I will tell you about the inner world of Scheepjes. Stay tuned! UPDATE: you can read about my excursion around Scheepjes Warehouse HERE.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.



*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!