We were lucky enough to go to Holland at Easter to visit a Dutch friend of my husband’s, and his family. Apart from Windmills, Tulips and Clogs I have to admit I knew very little about Holland really.
I had heard of Dutch bicycles, “sit up and beg” bicycles are very much en vogue again in the UK, but I didn’t realise just what a huge thing cycling is in Holland. It seems like almost every dutch citizen has a Dutch bicycle! The roads are extremely cycle friendly with proper cycle lanes, making it easy to get on yer bike ! Cyclists have right of way too so be prepared to give way if you are driving!
Delft
I’ll be honest I didn’t do that much vintiquing in Holland it was more a case of happenchance that I did find some. We had a trip to Delft on market day, Thursday. The market was very jolly, we had a pretty musical accompaniment similar to this one which the boy (wobbily) filmed at Keukenhof:
I found some lovely fabric in the market, interiors weight cotton. I wasn’t intending to make any more cushions for my Folksy shop but I guess I am going to have to now/one day as I couldn’t not buy it! At 8 Euros a metre it was excellent quality for the price. I also spotted some yarn bombing in Delft!
I am thinking of making something unusual to wear out of the world map fabric but my one mistake was that I didn’t realise that the writing was of course in Dutch German (I have been corrected!) but I guess it doesn’t really matter.
We had a walk around past all the touristy shops selling wooden tulips and furry clog slippers and the like and were trying to find a Pancake House which I’d found recommended in the Lonely Planet Guide. Unfortunately for my husband I chanced upon an antiques market alongside the canal not far from the main market square.
I did a deal that I would only take ten minutes to look around while he went to find the Pancake House. It was a lovely little market and I got myself (another) printer’s tray for my nick-nacks but this one is extra large!
I intend to spray paint it cream blue(!)…eventually
I knocked the seller down from 30 Euros to 20. Of course the harder negotiation was persuading my husband that it would fit in the car to take home!
The pancake house – Kleijweg’s Stadskoffyhus was lovely, the prettiest we’d seen in Delft and it had a floating barge patio so you could sit outside on sunny days. The food was great too, thoroughly recommended if you are ever in Delft (you never know!)
There were also several antique shops in Delft but unfortunately time and my printer’s tray wouldn’t allow. I tried to maneouvre my way around one antiques shop but it was too dangerous to turn the corners with it and I was getting some worried looks – I felt like I was in a Mr Bean sketch!
Here are a few for you to check out:
For antique linens – Antiek & Design Linnengoed
Furniture and lighting 1920’s to 1950’s – Art Deco Style & Light
Kitchenalia- De Emaillen Emmer
Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens was our next stop and although it has nothing to do with vintiquing I have to add some photos to show how stunning it was. There were thousands of people there, all copying each other and posing at the most desirable photo spots!
ArtyCraftyAli 