Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Commercial Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html
For dear friends, I've done many stitches of hand crocheted labor of love.
Measuring and designing these peacock curtains, then crocheting the 80 hours with double mercerized French DMC thread; the finest crochet cotton available.
For these, I've worked a lot at Schiphol airport, while waiting to board for our flight to Indonesia...
Also while in Indonesia when I had a spare minute.
Just wanted to show you the result.
Pieter hung them, using the tiny brass nails that he used for our Rose Curtains.
Pattern taken from a Burda special for Filet Crochet
I've only left off some leaves, that are shown on the left...
A lot of counting and paying attention to all the details.
Did you ever work some peacock pattern into something?
Proudly showing my hand knitted silk lace shawl in a peacock pattern... see link below post.
Wool skirt is one of my own sewing creations to match my Chanel bag in taupe.
Shirt is an Outlet find from Escada...
This was the main piece of my handwork that got to be on a PERMANENT display at Teaching Museum South in Fulton County near Atlanta, Georgia. This is part of the Fulton County Schools in Hapeville, a two hour one-way drive for us.
On December 31, 1993 a person from the Georgia State University with a photographer came to our home for the interview and permission to use some of my hand made lace for the above purpose.
We did serve both a warm lunch meal as it is one-way 2 hours driving distance.
You find photo taken by photographer in link below: Today I Turned 17! in regard to my proud United States Citizenship
It all started with and add in the Holland Times, the publication for all Dutch related people in and around Atlanta.
The above video shows the hand made knitted silk lace shawl being framed WRONG SIDE FACING OUT!
For such a meticulous knitted peacock lace pattern it makes a HUGE difference RIGHT SIDE versus WRONG SIDE...
Deborah A. Duchon, Research Associate for Applied Research in Anthropology at Georgia State University
So I contacted her... that's how the interview came to be and she left with several of my items that I let her take with her for a very small reimbursement as I felt kind of honored to be included in such a PERMANENT Display.
Yes, on Friday, May 27, 1994, I got up at 5:00 AM for being there for the hands-on workshop and demonstration of my crafts
Me at the Teaching Museum with part of my display
CROCHET (THE NETHERLANDS)
The artist studied horticulture with emphasis on mushrooms.
Her husband's job brought them to Georgia – he is also a
mushroom expert. They both now work as international
mushroom consultants. The artist learned crochet as a child
and now uses it to occupy time on long business trips:
'There's not much to do at night in the Indonesian
countryside,' she says. 'Luckily, I can always crochet.'
~
Sadly, two of my most sentimental hand crocheted lace handkerchiefs got stolen that morning...
One was my bridal handkerchief. Such sentimental value can never be replaced...
I could buy again the fine Swiss batiste and the French DMC tatting yarn, adding about 7 hours of patience to make another one.
See link below where I recreated a replica of it.
This got published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution on June 9, 1994...
Deborah did send me this poor copy at the end of the year.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote a huge error:
Youngsters (yep, 150 rude kids that screamed the one insult after another... calling me a racist and on and on) also got to see embroidery of all kind crafted by Vedder, (NOT TRUE it was crocheted lace work and knitted lace!) who lives in
Dublin, GA, and works as a mushroom
consultant. She says she has been creating
things with her hands since she was a child.
Vedder said she learned to crochet
as a child because school officials in Holland
saw it as a way for children to build motor skills.
~
On July 16, 1994 upon return from our work in Indonesia, I had to contact Ms. Duchon again as from the other lady at the Teaching Museum South there was no reply in regard to my missing crocheted lace handkerchiefs.
Also I remarked; Being a teacher myself, I have also to comment on the far too big groups you had that day (twice 75 kids for one hour!). No way that one can handle them. Not the least that they get proper attention to actually learn something!
All I ever got was the above poor copy, neither photos as promised earlier... Never heard about the missing pieces.
Due to the glare of those glass cases in the above video, Pieter wanted to return somewhat later for making professional photos with the right equipment.
The entire display had vanished – their version of PERMANENT?
On Saturday, October 26 of 1985, we got our new front door hung by the carpenter and I'd already hand crocheted the French DMC Rose Filet Lace Crocheted Curtains.
Before we had a solid, metal door and I did hate to open it, as I never knew who I was opening the door to...
So we changed it for this one, with small windows, so I could look out.
Pieter had done the tedious job of hammering in the tiny brass nails that I brought over from The Netherlands. Brass, on purpose, as that would never tarnish the fine filet crochet work.
Another Mega Task accomplished.
We also put a new window in the living room, one that allowed us to look outside instead of the previous higher window in a small size!
Yes, in our previous home we also had those solid oak window shutters, made by a craftsman from Virginia. They are excellent and eco friendly, in saving energy and you can close them for privacy, if needed.
That's me, crocheting on some curtains for somebody...
(The wool Smyrna rug under the table, got hand done by me—knotted with a latch hook).
Comfy and lazy!
So, now I was happy!
Finally having my roses back and LIGHT coming inside the hall way as well.
On December 24, after having taken the curtains off, Pieter managed to give the door its first coat of paint.
On the link below this post you can see more photos, also from a couple of years later, as well as from my previous two homes' Rose Filet Lace Curtains... Also you can clearly see the pattern.
Guess this time I need some help from my dear Japanese readers...
When we each received one, at the Sayonara party in July of 2007, I guess we were told it was a Japanese Fireman's Happi-Coat.
But I don't know anything about it.
If you know more about its meaning, according to the Kanji symbols, please let me know!
Yes, I was fortunate to be one of two chaperones (pictured to the right) and also the team leader, for a group of 6 teenagers from Dublin, Georgia to visit our Sister City of Osaki in Japan.
We all received such a heavy, black cotton, Fireman's Happi-Coat!
Sorry, but I cannot read these characters in Kanji...
~0~
Okay, here is the FULL explanation; thanks to blogger friend Miyako fromOrchid's Daily Voice:
The fireman's happi-coat is made of thick cotton (I think yours as well) and it soaks water well. They used to wear them pouring water over themselves to fight against fire.
Nowadays the coats are mainly for ceremonies.
The Kanji characters mean:
Osaki-city must have Sanbongi-town; its town's name. Yes Sanbongi-town is where we stayed!
means 'fire company'
and means 'head of the company'.
The large Kanji in the back resembles the very same as the top 3 on the front's left side... But to me it is a puzzle!
It did not come with a sash so I had to make my own.
With a roll of Offray ribbon and some DMC cotton thread, I managed...
Shiny DMC 5, black cotton thread from France.
Yep, two hand crocheted belt loops and I did sew them onto the cotton fabric.
For the sash I did stitch two layers of ribbon together after first having made a diagonal seam in both ends.
Here I am wearing my Japanese Happi-Coat, complete with self-made sash and together with the Zori Sandals...
Photo is taken on our balcony next to last year's polyurethane balustrades from Vintage Woodworks, Texas on the Italian CERDOMUS ceramiche tiles that Pieter laid himself.
