And so it begins… a journey to tropical shores through our crochet! 😃 Yay! 🏝🏝
It’s Week 1 of the Tropical Shores blanket crochet-along (CAL) which I’ve designed for King Cole and it’s lovely to be sharing this with so many of you! 🥰🏝🌊💙
Here’s the link to the pattern for Week 1 available free over on the King Cole website:
https://www.kingcole.com/content/2021/06/TropicalShoresCAL_WEEK1.pdf
And here are the links to the two YouTube tutorials made by King Cole to accompany this first week:
And here’s the general introduction from King Cole: https://www.kingcole.com/tropical-shores-crochet-along-blanket/ 🙂
Further down is the second instalment from the diaries I kept 20 years ago during a trip, together with my husband, to the Pacific Island of Moorea in French Polynesia… 🙂 I’ll be sharing these throughout the crochet-along because it was this trip that has provided me with all the inspiration I needed for this blanket… 🙂
This first week is all about the tropical beach and we’re crocheting four squares inspired by that picture postcard classical tropical beach scene!
As we walk along tropical shores and gaze out across the water, the palm trees are swaying in the gentle breeze…
I did have a lot of fun with these raised stitches to recreate little palms… 🙂
So here’s the next instalment from our visit to tropical shores… the words of a 20 years younger me… enjoy! 🙂 🙂
Day 2
Tuesday 17th April, 2001
16.15
In the end we actually slept surprisingly well last night except for one annoying mosquito occasionally disturbing Steve. I think I’ve actually got used to the idea of lizards walking above our heads! We heard it rain very heavily overnight. After having a refreshing shower this morning, the first thing we did was head for the beach bar for breakfast! Delicious it was! We had a ‘continental’ breakfast which consisted of French bread, butter, jam, tea and a plate full of delicious juicy and exotic fruits.
Afterwards we headed for the reception area and asked to use the free bicycles which are available. We cycled into the local village area on these very basic but comfortable bikes. We found an ATM and withdrew some cash, bought postcards, stamps and also went to the supermarket and stacked up on WATER and other foods which will keep us going. It felt extremely hot in the supermarket. We cycled back (it is not far) and then headed straight to the beach which is only about 20 metres from our bungalow.
The sea water is very warm and we spent a long time out in the water – as it is a lagoon it is very shallow but we could certainly feel a strong current. We then relaxed by our towels on the beach for over an hour before coming back to our bungalow where we are sitting on the veranda, having written our postcards and now our diaries!
Extract from Steve’s diary: We were ready for breakfast in the local beach snack bar, which is right on the water’s edge. We were served up massive portions of fresh fruit with lots of French bread and jam – the best continental breakfast I’ve ever had!
21.25
After writing in these diaries this afternoon we walked to the beach to see the sunset. We were about to take an instant photo when a French couple sitting on the bar veranda started shouting excitedly. At first we didn’t realise what they were talking about, but then we saw it – a massive sting ray in the water, just in front of us! We walked out onto the jetty and saw another sting ray right below us in the water – very large and graceful creatures. The English family we met yesterday (father, mother and son (12 years)) were also there and we spoke to them for a while. Tonight, we did go to the restaurant and have enjoyed a delicious meal in a lovely atmosphere. The lighting was very ‘gezellig’ and it was all open air except for the roof! The lizards are back on our ceiling tonight and we have already hunted down a few mosquitos!
As always with a crochet-along, it’s lovely to be able to follow each others progress and connect with each other – do share your crochet progress over in the Facebook Group and over on Instagram… 🙂
Happy ‘Tropical’ Crocheting Everyone! 🙂 🙂
How lovely you still have those diaries, such a gem to be given an insight to ‘your’ French Polynesia. I saw a programme once on the best hotels in the world and one was in French Polynesia, lots of references to Marlon Brando and his love of the place. Fun to be designing another blanket and who doesn’t love a palm tree?!
Thank you Tinaor… it’s been really special to look back at that trip… definitely a beautiful place and we have happy memories from it… thank you for reading along! 🥰🏝🏝
But what happened next ??!! I was really enjoying your holiday, but then suddenly it stopped! Could you please show the rest or are you planning installments? xx from Alison…(one of many missing her holidays 😢)
Hi Alison… I’ll be sharing them over the next 5 weeks to accompany the crochet along! So the next instalment will be coming… glad you’re enjoying them! 🥰🏝🏝🏝
Oh that’s brilliant, thank you so much, I look forward to the next installment, 😀 xx
What a wonderful holiday in paradise.
Just read your diary while having my breakfast this morning. Absolutely delightful! can’t wait for the next chapter! the details and your pictures def. transports one to those idyllic shores! so refreshing since we cant go anywhere at the minute. I’m loving the colours , both in your holiday diary’s and photos AND the CAL. Thank you Eleonora for your gifts and for making it easier to dream!
Awww…. Thank you so much Chavela… so happy you enjoyed it! 🥰🌴🏝☀️
Hello! I love your designs and have made two beachcoming blankets. Is there any chance you’ll release the new tropical shores blanket using US crochet terms??
Hi Diane.. there are no plans at present I’m afraid.
Where do I buy the pattern for Tropical Shores
It’s free if you click the link to King Cole in this blog post… enjoy!