Public Boat Docks in Seeley's Bay

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Ahhh Memories

I have been sitting here all morning with nothing accomplished to speak of.  I cleaned up my Pinterest site, I answered e-mails, I made phone call invitations to our Annual Lions End of Year party, I wobbled back and forth to the computer from the sewing machine, and I am in a great deal of discomfort with this leg I managed to hurt yesterday.  All in all not a productive morning!
I did however visit lots and lots of sites whenever I managed to sit down in front of this screen, some which I added to my Pinterest and some which I tried to enter, but, couldn't and then I just got myself sidetracked with memories of other places which house other shops!  
For instance, I really wanted to share some of the Fabric shops I visited while in Holland last year, like Stegemans Textiles.  I wrote last year about my visit there but I don't believe I gave it a thorough review.  The shop is located in Rouveen, very near the old Dorp (Village) of Staphorst.   That is the shop to go to if you want folklore costumes, or just bits of old costume fabrics which are resold and you can take apart to remake into something quilty or wearable.  The town itself is quiet, and its elder inhabitants still wear traditional costumes of many years ago.  The sight of a woman on a bicycle dressed in traditional garb is quite the treat.   There is a lovely Blog I visit now and again names Belvivere Luxury Linens, there you will find a well written article with interesting pictures on her Holiday stay there last summer (I think it was last summer).  One of these fine years I too will be back visiting that Village and this time taking much, much longer to spend my money in that fine fabric filled shop.  It carries traditional Dutch reproduction fabrics which if you were to visit you'd be overjoyed with.  Mind you, present day fabrics are not excluded, that shop has such a varied and wide selection of the latest for you to purchase as well. 
Henk Van der Leeden took a wonderful and awesome picture of women of Staphort all in traditional attire - you have just got to see this picture. 
Compliments of Bon Voyage Theodora there is this picture showing full frontal views of the "Sunday Best" so different from the everyday working attire those women are wearing....
In Stegemans you can actually buy reproductions of these fabrics or, in the alternative as I stated above, you can but the pieces of the costume itself !
As it is with our Mennonite and Amish Sects here in North America, these people of Staphorst still are not comfortable with getting their pictures taken. 
Now, if you would like to visit a modern quilt shop in the Netherlands, try out the t'Hobby Hoekje 
in Arnhem (very close) actually in Huissen, more or less a suburb of Arnhem.  This store is open for business through the week and also does a good retail business over the internet with its web-store.  The selection of fabrics is impressive for small space store!
Last memory I would like to share with you today is the De Lapjesgaard in Amstelveen.... Looking around (see pictures at this site) you can see the "old fashioned" furnishings of the shop which enhances your visit to this well stocked store.   
The scent will transport you you know, old floors, old cabinets, old wood?
Now that I have shared some of my Dutch Fabric/Quilt shops with you, it really is time for me to think of a return trip, don't you agree, I should return and revisit and explore more shops to share?
IF you find yourself in Holland I can attest you will not be disappointed in the quantity and the quality of the Quilt Shops and fabrics in this tiny country.   Like so many other countries in Europe, the dutch quilter is meticulous and takes her hobby of quilting very seriously, they are great at adhering to the letter of the pattern.  What these women in Holland have I might never acquire, patience.  
Thanks for putting up with my meanderings today,  I hope you enjoyed some of my memories?


Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending.  ~Author Unknown

2 comments:

  1. I so enjoyed your post today! What a wonderful trip you had to Holland!! It must have been so exciting to visit all those beautiful places! One of my son-in-laws in from Sweden, and some day I plan to visit his homeland with he and my daughter! :-)

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  2. Hello Gwen: Yes it was fantastic, and I have lots more to write about, just was't sure others might enjoy it, but at the outset, Europe is a most interesting place. Thank you for your lovely comment, and I too hope you have the opportunity to visit with your son and family in Sweden, a place to which I have never been, hmmmmmmmm must see to that some year.

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