Learning the ropes from Swedish Sune

Merhaba,

  Rain was forecasted for today, but, other than some late morning sprinkles, we’ve had mostly sun.  And calm after last night’s wind!  I even snuck in a load of laundry that seems to be drying even with the sprinkles and the afternoon bits of clouds.  I chanced the laundry today because the next several days also forecast rain.  I tend to go with the weather report I get from looking out the window in the morning.  Because it’s Thursday market day, our morning walk was to the market.  We needed vegetables and some cheese, and as I’m now officially addicted to them, some simit.  I bought some mozzarella looking cheese which goes great with toasted simit.  I slice the simit, toast it, put the cheese on and then give it a zap in the microwave.  Yummmm.  I have to restrain myself and only eat one simit at a time.  Between the simit, cheese and wine it’s pretty easy to chub up here if one isn’t careful.  Of course the culprit might be the wafer cookies I’m also liking at the moment.  Somehow a snack of fruit seems less appealing in “cold” weather but cookies and tea are great!  I need another one of those 2 hour, over the mountain hikes.

Ru

      Yesterday at Wednesday Art Group Kerstin’s husband Sune came to teach rope work.  I was determined to practice some of the skills I’d learned watching a watercolor video so I stuck to my paints.  But I did take some photos and Mary, who was learning the skill, also took some photos.  I did learn a teeny tiny bit about watercolor, but next time he teaches rope works I might just give it a whirl.  Everyone made it looks so much fun. And Sune was the most patient of teachers.

If you would like to give it a try, this website and instructions looks not too bad.  But it’s way easier to learn with an expert there to help!

http://www.igkt.net/beginners/ocean-plait.php

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Kerstin and Sune

Kerstin can knit about anything using a rainbow of colors that makes you smile.  Sune creates wonderful  and useful things from rope.  Both are what teachers should be; excited about their craft and wanting to share their knowledge and skills.  Both have tons of patience!   Kerstin leads the Wednesday Craft/Art Group and Sune teaches rope work at both marinas for kids and adults.

 

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Samples of Sune’s rope work.

He makes them in all sizes using different weight rope depending on the purpose of the finished product.  Some are good for coasters or hot plates.  Other large ones are sturdy enough for floor mats.

 

The photos  show the intensity of concentration as everyone worked on her/his project.

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It all starts like this… Sue K, Mary and Sue M watch as Sune explains.

 

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Lee came to learn the ropes: Zehra came to lend moral support.

 

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Right over left… then make a knot….

 

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Sune showing what to do and then helping Mary

 

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Lee, Sue, Victoria and Becky working their ropes.

 

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This rope looks like it’s trying to run away……but then, like magic, it’s where it’s supposed to be.

 

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Such intense concentration!

 

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The Devil won’t find any idle hands at this workshop!  Sue’s blue and white rope is almost finished.

 

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Sune helping Victoria                                                               Becky working on her ropes.

 

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Mary and Sue proving that the hand is quicker than the eye, at least the camera eye.

 

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Kerstin raises the blinds so a passing fellow could get a better look.  Sue M’s project is the light colored one at the left end of the table.  Sue K managed to make 2 using blue and white rope.  Lee works to finish his. 

 

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Kerstin is rescuing Mary’s first ever sweater project…a close up of her colorful fingerless cloves.

Thanks to Kerstin’s help Mary had such success with her purple hat and scarf that she decided to try a sweater.  But something about decreasing for the neck had gone awry.  While Mary learned to do the ropes from Sune, Kerstin was able to save the knitting project. 

 

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Turkish women in a tent…version 5…or whatever

For me it’s still “one step forward,  2 steps back.  But I am learning.

 

After Wedensday Group Randal and I walked to town for lunch at Aciktim and to do some chores.

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Across from the marina, the less protected town wharf was feeling the wind and waves.  Wednesday night we had gusts up to 40 knots so thankfully we were in the marina with its protective walls.

 

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Just around the corner from Aciktim we saw this motorbike covered with cats!

 

Wednesday was cat photo day….there were several in the marine paint shop we visited.

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Lots of cats live in the paint shops near the marina…you have to look twice to pick the cats out of the paint supplies.  All of the cats seem healthy and cared for from the multiple feeding stations around the marina and town.  I stop and spend several minutes each day with different marina cats petting them.  They all love it and purr and it’s good for them and me.  To be absolutely honest I have a harder time walking away from the stray dogs….whose photos I’ve  yet to take.  So I guess I need to do that too one day.