I was very lucky to be able to enjoy a family holiday on the island of Corfu at the beginning of June. Being such a beautiful island with lots of nature and coastal inspiration to enjoy, I’d like to share some of that with you here in this blog post… yes wherever I go, my crochet comes too!
I had never been to Greece before… as a family we don’t fly very often and tend to enjoy travels in our campervan so this was a real treat. Why Corfu? Well like many people we’ve enjoyed the TV series ‘The Durrells’ over the last 4 years which is filmed on Corfu… and it enticed us to visit!
We stayed in a little apartment in Kalami on the north east of the island. A really wonderful place which is also where Lawrence Durrell lived in the ‘White House’ from 1935 – 1939. You can see it there…
We only took cabin luggage so I didn’t have much room for yarn but my holiday project was a Filet Crochet shawl using my gorgeous skein of ‘Blue Planet’ silk yarn from Spectrum Fibre… it’s such a special yarn and Corfu seemed the perfect place to be crocheting with it…
On the beach was the most fabulous piece of driftwood that many people sat on… when I got the chance I used it as a brilliant base for some photos!
The first local crochet which I spotted on Corfu was quite by chance… we had hired a car and drove up into the mountains. We stopped at a viewing point and there on the ground we saw this…
…which on closer inspection was a happy crocheted face so I hung it up for others to enjoy… a Corfu Yarnbomb!
Corfu is very close to Albania and here you can see across the water… at one point Albania is only 2 miles away!The beaches are amazing for beachcombing… yes there is sadly a lot of plastic washed up but we also found beautiful driftwood and seaglass too…
We hired a boat one day and the water really is this blue…
And so clear… it was the first time I tried snorkelling which gave such a wonderful snapshot into the sea life below…
I crocheted around a piece of seaglass using my pattern which you can find hereThere really is so much seaglass to be found on the beaches. We bought a local fruit liquor in a glass bottle which is in the shape of Corfu… now once we drank that delicious drink, it became the perfect home for my new seaglass collection!
We visited Corfu Town and I really wanted to buy some yarns locally… but I just couldn’t find a yarn shop…
I did see these crocheted dream catchers in a tourist shop though…
And then we came across ‘Adriana’s Workshop’ where a local lady sells her own crochet makes…
I got talking to the delightful and very talented owner… and she gave me directions to a yarn shop!!
Off we went across the town only to find that it was closed… 🙁
But it was a pleasure to gaze through the window and see that crochet is certainly alive and well in Corfu Town…
Oh how I would have loved some of that local yarn to take home with me but alas, not this time…
We then visited the Vlacherna Monastery…
And inside is where I saw some more local crochet… which just like my holiday project was Filet Crochet too! How wonderful…
During our stay we came across more crochet in other churches we visited…
We spent one whole day driving around the north of the island, stopping off at various coastal places…
Sidari where we swam and also found some more seaglass…
Peroulades which has a beach with amazing cliffs and views to the very north west tip of Corfu Island, Cape Drastis and also south to Diaplo which is part of the Diapontia Islands…
We visited Porto Timoni which has a very unique beach… actually two beaches, either side of a piece of headland…
And finally Paleokastrisa beach for more clear waters and snorkelling…
Progress was made on my Filet Crochet shawl during the week…
And the local flowers and plants were just stunning…
And now to an absolute highlight for me … we discovered ‘Agathi’s Handmade Lace‘ Shop in Kassiopi. And what an absolute gem… I had finally found crochet heaven on Corfu!
The delightful owner sells her crochet makes… and she’s been doing this here for 47 years! It was absolutely wonderful to see all the amazing things she has made…She told me how she had learned to crochet initially in her childhood, like so many of us, but then she had gone to a designated school for handicrafts on the island of Crete and mastered her craft there. She crochets all these designs from her head… it was just so inspiring to see and I was in awe of her crochet skills! She makes lace too…
I just had to buy something to support her business so my daughter chose a gorgeous red crocheted top. She looks absolutely amazing in it… you’ll have to take my word for that… 🙂
We found the actual house that was used for filming on the TV series ‘The Durrells’… that was a really lovey place to spend some time…
And we even managed a sunset! Staying on the north east of the island, it meant we didn’t see the sunsets from Kalami so we drove around to the north west and it was certainly worth it…
Corfu is just so beautiful and I made the most of the photo opportunities and photographed my ‘Coastal Granny Square’ which I designed for the Hobbycraft Blanket crochet along (it didn’t take up much room at the bottom of my hand luggage!)…
And finally here’s my shawl… any guesses what the design will encompass…?
Yes… it’s my ‘Corfu Shawl’!
The pattern will be released very soon!
Thank you so much for sharing my Corfu inspirations… have any of you lovely readers been to Corfu? I’d love to hear about it…
Happy Crocheting Everyone… 🙂 🙂
What a great post, Greece and crocheting together! I’ve been to few places in Greece but not Corfu. Now it’s in my list. Whenever I go on a trip, I always look for some crocheting or at least handmade craft shops. Sometimes it’s difficult to find but when I find it, oh, what an energy source starts to work inside me! Really inspiring. Thank you for the post!
Awww… Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it… you’re just like me in trying to find those local, handmade craft shops… and the one I found on Corfu was just perfect! 😊💙☀️
Love your work.
Thank you so much! 😊💙
Thank you for sharing your wonderful Corfu adventures, I enjoyed reading them😃
You’re very welcome as always Peter… thank you for reading them! 😁💙💙
What a great read! I went to Corfu with my hubby many moons ago before we were married and it was an interesting week! The island itself was beautiful but our last minute booking came with lots of issues. A long story for another day!! I loved reading about your adventures 😃👍🏼
Awww… Thank you so much Claire! I really want to hear about your Corfu adventures and interesting stories!! One for round a campfire somewhere one day… 😘😊❤️
Ih Elenora, you are so blessed to live so close to these gorgeous places. Beautiful!!!! And thank you so much for sharing. I love seaglass!!!! Unfortunately, you can’t find much if it here in the US.
You’re very welcome Kathy… thank you! Yes, we are lucky in Europe to have so many different places to visit which aren’t too far away! Seaglass does vary from beach to beach… 😊💙💙💙
Can’t believe you went to see Agathi !!! …she is a great friend in Kassiopi where we go at least once a year. I always try to take her something that I have done or am doing and something new in the way of patterns. I shall be able to tell her that it was you that created my lovely Seaside stash blanket of which she has seen the pictures !!! So thank you Eleonora x
Gosh… that’s amazing!! How absolutely wonderful! What a small world it can be and I love how our online crochet connections are so special… Agathi was just wonderful to meet! You’re very lucky going there… enjoy! 😊💙💙
Really enjoyed reading all about your trip to Corfu with all the beautiful crochet. Xx
Thank you so much Clare! 😊💙☀️
Your views of Corfu look amazing. The blues of the water are so pure. Thanks for sharing.
You’re very welcome… thank you for reading! The colours of the water really amazed me… they really were that blue! It’s beautiful…😊💙💙💙💙
Your photos would inspire anyone to pack their bags and head to Corfu straight away. I love your idea of using that interesting bottle for your seaglass. It looks wonderful.
Thank you so much! A perfect way to store the seaglass we found… It’s now on my kitchen windowsill back in England! 😊💙💙💙
I found your post by accident, l was so happy to hear about pom pom, l live in peroulades and find it difficult to find things like wool, buttons etc, there are a few places selling bits and pieces but nothing like lm use to in the uk. I do quilting, knitting and my last visit home l was learning crocheting. I did finish a blanket which l was chuffed about. I’ve been looking for buttons for a cardigan l finished a few weeks ago but not found what l require so hope fully next time lm in corfu town the shop will be open and l can have a browse. I did read your post and found it informative and entertaining. I enjoyed the read and it’s nice to see corfu through someone else’s eyes. If you come out again let me know maybe you can give me some tips on crocheting and how to keep my edges straight lol.
Hello Lisa… how lovely to hear from you! Thank you so much for your kind words… you live in a very beautiful part of the world! We really fell in love with Corfu… Pom Pom looked wonderful from what I could see through the window… so I hope you get there while it’s open and discover a new place to stock up on bits and pieces… Let me know what it’s like inside! We’d love to visit Corfu again one day… 😊💙💙💙☀️☀️
That’s amazing! I’m off to Corfu in a few days so it’s great seeing your photos! I’m taking s small project with me and I’ll certainly look out for the places you’ve been to especially Agathi’s shop.
Oh how wonderful! Perfectly timed blog post for you… enjoy yourself! I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time… 😊💙☀️☀️☀️
Wonderful!!I m deeply in love with Corfu.Been there more than 12 times & definitly will go again.❤
Wow Marica! We fell in love with it too… it’s so beautiful in so many ways… amazing that you’ve been 12 times! We hope to return one day… 😊💙☀️☀️☀️
Absolutely awesome! Martha of Ohio
Thank you so much Martha! 😊💙💙
A wonderful post – makes me want to go there. Such good photos and that last photo is beautiful!
Thank you so much Sandra… it really is as beautiful as we expected it would be after watching the Durrells for all those years! Highly recommend it… 😊☀️💙
Most enjoyable.
I’m very happy you enjoyed it… thank you! 😊❤️
I loved reading about your experience in Corfu. My husband and I visited Corfu last year. You brought back many lovely memories of the beautiful beaches, Corfu town and the relaxed way of life! We also paid a visit to ‘Blue eye Nature Reserve’ in Albania, which as you said is so close to Corfu. I live in Malta, which is very close to Corfu, and in my country, lots of people work crochet and handmade lace using bobbins. Crochet is my passion! Your work is beautiful!
Regards, from Yvonne Spiteri
Thank you so much Yvonne… it was amazing how close Albania was although we didn’t go there this time… lovely to hear you had such a good time on Corfu too… it’s so beautiful isn’t it?! 😊💙😊💙
My wife found the yarn shops in and around San Rocco Square in Corfu town. Almost every ladies underwear shop has a section at the back for all sorts of yarn. She left me having a beer whilst she enjoyed herself
Hi Chris… so that’s where all the yarn is!! I’ll bear that in mind if we ever go back… thank you so much! 😊💙
What a fabulous post!!!
I’ve visited lots of these places myself with my fiance…..
Corfu is so so beautiful.
You’ve inspired me to collect some of the sea glass myself when I’m there again in September 😊
Oooh how lucky that you’re going again in September! Yes… lots of seaglass to be found! Enjoy searching for it and have a wonderful time! 😊💙
Eleonora, what a wonderful post especially as I’m going to Corfu in two weeks time!!! I’m so excited as like you we never fly to get to our holidays and you’ve given me so many ideas of where to go! I insisted on going to Corfu as I loved loved the Durrells!!!!! I wish I was brave enough to write posts!! I’m useless! It was Lindsay ( Postcard from Gibraltar) who got me started one holiday visiting my mum, but I just doubt myself 😁
Thanks again for sharing your beautiful photos
Marisa 😘
Hi Marisa… I hope you have a wonderful time!! We certainly loved it… and maybe you can write a blog post about your Corfu adventures and discoveries!! 😄👍 I’d love to hear how you get on… I’m going to send you a private message on Instagram with more details about where the house used for filming the Durrells is… it isn’t widely advertised and took us a while to locate it! 😊💙💙💙
More great pics , love that you have shared your beautiful holiday with us all , and to have the perfect container to store your seaglass , such a lovely souvenir
Thank you so much Joan! Yes… I was very happy with that souvenir! 😊💙
Your trip to Corfu was really very complete. Your descriptions and photos really lovely. Your Corfu scarf looks nice on you and is very “watery” feeling! Brava!
I thought to add to your info about Corfu that many many women, including my relatives and neighbors, all of the older generation of women excelled in crochet, especially the lace. They learned it as children and since there was no tv until 1972(!) and few cars, and not many tourists the women sat around and knitted and crocheted and talked. It is becoming a lost art now with the busyness of life.
Thank you for your interesting blog.
Leslie
Hello Leslie… thank you so much for sharing this wonderful added information! There was certainly a lot of the lace crochet to see… so beautiful! Hopefully it will not be a lost art… 😊💙💙
Dear Eleonora! With great pleasure I read Your post.
You describe your journey very well: simple and easy ))) And really interesting, with beautiful photos, beautiful landscapes and nice people. Your views are simply amazing.
You wrote, you love the sea and it really feels.
I wish you continued success
Thank you so much Irina!! What lovely words you have written… 😊❤️❤️