2012 TWINE & CORDAGE SELECTION

Coming Soon...

New to Sorazora is the addition of soft undyed cotton cordage and rope. The cordage measures 4mm in diameter and is available in lengths of 10m. The rope has a diameter of 10mm and is also available in 10m lengths.

Back by popular demand is the selection of Himalayan fibre cordage. Both the wild Himalayan hemp and giant Himalayan nettle fibres have been sustainably harvested from the wild, retted and then hand spun by remote villagers resulting in a truly organic cordage. The nettle cordage is 4 ply and comes in 25m lengths. The hemp is available in 25m lengths of 4 ply and also 10m lengths of 8 ply.

Sorazora's selection of twines are now sold in 30g balls, as opposed to 100g for nettle and linen and 25g for hemp. This year sees the addition of cotton and also bamboo. Only hemp and cotton will be available in a range of natural dyes. The above photo shows the natural undyed twines for each fibre. To complement these twines, we have a small range of craft tools, pictured below. These tools include a knitting spool, lucet, mini rigid heddle and also crochet hooks (not included in the photo).

Our 2012 collection will be with us by the end of March. We'll send out a newsletter to let you know when our new range of products will be available online. For a newsletter, simply request your email address to be added to our mailing list by contacting us at info@sorazora.com

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Sorazora's Mini Rigid Heddle

Coming Soon To Sorazora

The rigid heddle dates back to ancient times in many parts of the world and is also a part of a backstrap loom that has seen centuries of use and still used today. A mini rigid heddle would be used to weave narrow bands for either straps or decoration on clothing.

All that are needed to start weaving are the heddle, weft stick and twine. Printed instructions included with the tool will explain how to thread your warp through the heddle and load the weft stick. This simple, yet effective device helps separate alternate threads enabling you to weave effortlessly between them.

Sorazora's Mini Rigid Heddle is one of our latest editions to our range of craft materials and tool and comes with a clear explanation printed on hemp paper. The heddle and weft stick have been carved from buffalo horn and polished. The 55% hemp & 45% cotton pouch has been dyed using indigo with myrobalan and we added a soapnut seed to the hemp twine closure.

Our 2012 collection will be with us by the end of March. We'll send out a newsletter to let you know when our new range of products will be available online. For a newsletter, simply request your email address to be added to our mailing list by contacting us at info@sorazora.com

Other great craft tools to arrive will be:

Knitting Spool
Crochet Hooks

Lucet

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Sorazora's Knitting Spool

Coming Soon To Sorazora

Known commonly by many names, such as spool knitting, corking or french knitting, this basic form of knitting produces a narrow springy tubular cord. It can be used with an unlimited thread length and therefore suited to lengthy cords. It is also a great tool to teach the basic principles of knitting.

All that are needed to start braiding are the spool, working stick and a length of yarn. After a simple cast on, the yarn is simply looped and lifted over the prongs in turn. When the desired length of cord has been braided, carefully lift the loops and pass the remaining thread tightly through.

Sorazora's Knitting Spool is one of our latest editions to our range of craft materials and tool and comes with a clear explanation printed on hemp paper. The spool itself has been cut from a Nepalese hardwood called 'Saz', a large sub-himalayan tree found up to an alttitude of 1200m. The four pins and working stick have been carved from buffalo bone. The 55% hemp & 45% cotton pouch has been dyed using pomegranate peel and we added a soapnut seed to the hemp twine closure.

Our 2012 collection will be with us by the end of March. We'll send out a newsletter to let you know when our new range of products will be available online. For a newsletter, simply request your email address to be added to our mailing list by contacting us at info@sorazora.com

Other great craft tools to arrive will be:

Mini Rigid Heddle
Crochet Hooks

Lucet


Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Sorazora's Lucet

Coming Soon To Sorazora

This simple craft tool's history is believed to date back to the Viking age (790s to 1060s), when it was used to create cords for practical use. It is ideal for lacing and draw-strings due to its square, strong and slightly springy characteristics, and as it can be used with an unlimited thread length, it is a technique suited for lengthy cords.

All that are needed to start basic braiding are the lucet and a length of yarn. After a simple cast on, the yarn is simply looped and lifted over the prongs in turn. When the desired length of cord has been braided, carefully lift the loops and pass the remaining thread tightly through.

Sorazora's Lucet is one of our latest editions to our range of craft materials and tools and comes with a clear explanation printed on hemp paper. The Lucet itself has been hand carved from buffalo horn and hand polished. The 55% hemp & 45% cotton pouch has been dyed using pomegranate peel and we added a soapnut seed to the hemp twine closure.

Our 2012 collection will be with us by the end of March. We'll send out a newsletter to let you know when our new range of products will be available online. For a newsletter, simply request your email address to be added to our mailing list by contacting us at info@sorazora.com

Other great craft tools to arrive will be:

Mini Rigid Heddle
Knitting Spool
Crochet Hooks

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Annapurna Trek, Day 7-9

Day 7: Annapurna base Camp to Bamboo

January 1st saw the change in weather conditions

A gap in the clouds showed the snowfall

New year's day was planned to start with watching the sunrise above the mountains. It was not to be! The weather had changed drastically over night and not just in the Annapurna Conservation Area. We later found out that much of the Nepali Himalayas had been affected by heavy snowfall. The drop in temperature was also felt within the Kathmandu valley. We left ABC at 8:15am and cautiously made our way down through the light snow. Visibility was good enough for trekking, but the mountains remained mostly hidden by snow cloud. The icy trail was more of a concern!

Leaving ABC with little visibility

The trail was icy for most of the day's trek

We eventually made it back to Deurali for a much needed hot coffee and then another short break at Hinku Cave at 12:40pm. It wasn't long before there was another chance to demonstrate my skill at resting, at 1:20pm we had made it to the Himalay lodges where we were below the snowline. It was now rain that dampened our spirits. After reaching Dovan at 3:00pm, we decided to make the most of the remaining daylight and made a final push, arriving at the Bamboo lodges at 4:00pm. We were tired, wet and glad to call it a day.

Looking back at the Himalaya lodges

Day 8: Bamboo to Jhinu

We didn't plan on walking far today, but an early start was important if we were to have some freetime to enjoy the natural hot springs at Jhinu. We left Bamboo just after 8:00am and reached Sinuwa after a 90 minute walk. The next river crossing marked our return to civilization, permanent settlements and a steep climb back up to Chomrong. It was extremely hard work for me to carry myself up the never ending stone steps and my pace was definitely slowing. Hiromi had gone on ahead and was waiting with a cold drink in the centre of Chomrong village. After a relaxing lunch in the lodge where we spent the night on day 3, at 12:45pm we embarked on the final leg of today's route.

Thankfully the cloud line stayed above the trail

These steps were easier on day 4

It was all downhill to the settlement of Jhinu (1780m), although just a 30 minute descent down a traversing path. There are several lodges in Jhinu and from here it is just a 20 minute walk down through the forests to the river where you'll find a hot spring for which Jhinu is famous. Stone and concrete have been used to create the artificial pools that collect the spring water. It is much more developed than in 1999, now with an attendant and modest entrance fee. A long soak in the hot water was just what the doctor had ordered. We didn't want to walk back up to the lodges in the dark, so we stayed just as long as was neccessary. The hot spring was definitely the highlight of day 8 and a nice end to a week of trekking. Tomorrow we would be back in Pokhara.

Machhupuchhure (Fishtail) Mountain 6997m

Day 9: Jhinu to Pokhara

We left our guesthouse, which was still under construction, quite early and stopped at another lodge for breakfast. The other lodges were much busier and it was a good opportunity to meet with a friend we had first met at ABC. At 8:15am we left Jhinu and headed for New Bridge (1440), our pace was quite good as we had mostly dispensed with the severe ups and downs. New Bridge was just  an hour away. For the rest of the morning we would be following the Modhi river out of the conservation area. Kyumi (1350m) was to be our first rest stop at 10:30pm for 30 minutes of not having to wear our backpacks and of course liquid refreshment.

The brief descent to Jhinu

Relaxing at Jhinu's hot spring

As on day 1, Kliu was the setting for lunch at 12:45pm. We felt well and truly out of the wilds here as it was fairly populated and home to the occasional vehicle. The remaining section of walking was through the gentle slopes of farms, woodlands and villages. It was the path we had used on day 1. At 3:00pm we had made it back to Nayapul and all that was left to do was check out of the conservation area at the check point and head up to the main road to catch a taxi back to Pokhara. We arrived at Dam Side's Penguin Guesthouse at around 5pm, we had completed our trek and rewarded ourselves a couple of day's R&R in and around Lakeside with friends.

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Day 1-3

Day 4-6

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Annapurna Trek, Day 4-6

Day 4: Chomrong to Dovan

We woke to another breakfast with a view and headed further down into the village at 8:30am. It took a while to get down to the river crossing and once over, there will be no permanent settlements, just trekking lodges. Scenic slopes offered some relief for the climb up!
Arriving in Banawa (2080m) at 10am signalled a thirty minute coffee break at the Sherpa Guest House. The stepped path from here becomes very steep in parts and never seems to end. The thought of how many people and how much time had been needed to make these steps was constantly in mind.

A view of Chomrong village

A section of path after Sinuwa

We arrived at the lodges of Sinuwa (2340m) for lunch at 11:15am. Sinuwa translates to Nettle Forest in English as it was an area for harvesting nettle fibres, I doubt much harvesting continues to this day. At midday, we headed on after a much needed sit down and refuel. The path seems to flatten our for the rest of the day, a good view of our destination from our lunch table gave us a rough idea of how much walking was still to come.





This flatter path winds its way along the side of the valley just within earshot of the Modi River. Dense forests of Oak and Rhododendron provide plenty of shade as you slowly work your way up to areas loaded with bamboo. Bamboo Lodge (2340m), tucked in a clearing in the dense bamboo, became a brief refreshment stop. The rocky path continues through dark humid bamboo forests where lichen covers almost every branch. At 3pm we arrived at the three lodges that make up Dovan (2580m). We had left Chomrong six and a half hours earlier and much needed the hot shower and chance to put our feet up. The night was cold.



Dovan Lodges at 2580 metres above sea level

Day 5: Dovan to Machhapuchhre Base Camp

The morning was too cold to hang around so we started out at 8:15am. The Oak, Rhododendron and bamboo continued to provide the backdrop as we kept a steady pace along the trail. We briefly saw two monkeys playing  in a tree, but one glance at us was enough to make then disappear higher up the valley wall. Occasionally, the roaring Modi River would reveal itself, but never much nor for long.

Prayer stones near a stream crossing

Himalaya lodges further up the valley

We arrived at the two lodges that form Himalaya (2900m) at 10am for a quick coffee. The trail from here becomes rather rough and vegetation is mostly bamboo and grass. The sun appeared on the trail at 10:45am, lifting our moods as we tackled a rather steep climb. 30 minutes later we arrived at the large overhanging rock called Hinku Cave where we had a nice view of the next lodges further up the river. The stoney trail leading to Hinku Cave and ahead is an avalanche gully and not advised if there has been a lot of snow and conditions are bad.

One of many streams that cut across the trail

Our midday lunch at Deurali (3230m) was a treat, the food was tasty and it was good to be sitting in the sun. We even made sure that the local stray dog had something too. We left Deurali at 1:20pm and soon found the terrain more alpine with fewer trees and more scrub, we were also now level with the thundering Modi River. We passed abandoned lodges that had been moved due to the danger of avalanches. It was proving to be a long day as my pace slowed slightly. I arrived at Machhapuchhre Base camp or MBC (3700m) just before 4pm, Hiromi had arrived 10 minutes earlier and welcomed me with a big wave.

An avalanche gully on the way to MBC

Today we had climbed from 2580m to 3230m, enough to entertain the risk of altitude sickness, but we didn't feel too bad. The main dining room of our lodge had a crude under table heater that provided both warmth and fumes, not that it deterred a large meal. Machhapuchhre (Fish Tail mountain) is both stunning at sunset as the colours and shades change and in the clear moonlit night sky. Early nights seem to be the norm when trekking.
Day 6: Machhapuchhre Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp

Annapurna Base Camp at 4130 metres above sea level

It was a difficult night at 3230m, we were warm and tired enough, but continuous sleep we could not get. Over soup and corn bread breakfast, I learnt that other trekkers also had problems sleeping. It was a cold morning as we left MBC at 9am. We just had a two hour climb to our final target, the first hour fairly steep then opening out into grassy slopes. We were now truely in the heart of the Annapurna sanctuary. We could see stone lodges in the distance at which we arrived 11am. Annapurna Base Camp or ABC (4130m) was the setting for new year's eve 2011 with bright sunshine, clear skies and a view to die for. I first came to ABC in January 1999 and felt a great privilege in being back.

Some of the prayer stones that decorate the area

Exploring the sanctuary above ABC

A lunch in the sun was followed by a couple of hours exploring the glacier and admiring the magical atmosphere of this huge Himalayan ampetheatre. Of the eight-thousanders, the group of the planet's fourteen tallest peaks, the tenth highest stands in front of me, Annapurna 1 (8091m). Machhapuchhre stands behind me and I am flanked by towers of rock and ice. Snow was minimal compared to my previous visit, but the increase in visitors was noticable. Annapurna 1 is considered to be the most dangerous of the eigth-thousanders. 40% of those attempting the summit have died, whereas the average for all the eight-thousanders is 15%. It is hard to imagine how Chris Bonnington and his team scaled the south face in 1970 with its 3500m high near vertical rock face. memorials for fallen climbers are easily found around ABC.

The sun disappearing behind Hiunchuli

The sun shone its last rays on ABC just after 2pm, so it wasn't long before we headed back to the warmth of the lodge. It was new year's eve and the spirits were high in the lodge dining room. We had a great view looking down the valley watching other trekkers make their way up before sunset. Another difficult night's sleep awaited.


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Day 1-3

Day 7-9

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Annapurna Trek, Day 1-3

Day 1: Pokhara to Ghandruk

Waking up at 6am is not my idea of a holiday, but it needed to be done if we were to make it to Ghandruk by sunset. Over breakfast we arranged a taxi to take us to our trekking start point further Northwest. We arrived at the small highway town of Nayapul (1000m) at 9:30am after over an hour and a half's bumpy drive through 41km of mostly single lane mountain roads.
From here on in we would have to walk every inch of the way to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) in time for new year's eve, that will be day six. Today's destination lies a six hour's walk North along the Modi river, the river that we will follow to its source. The morning's walk was far from strenuous as we strolled sub-tropical woodlands, past paddy fields, banana palms and orange groves.

A bridge crossing after Nayapul

We made a quick stop for lunch in the village of Kliu (1390m) before continuing on what would become the toughest part of today's trek. From Kliu, the strolling path became a steep stoney uphill climb. We arrived at the large Gurung village of Ghandruk (1940m) at 4:30pm and soon found a room with a terrace to enjoy the superb view of Annapurna South. The sun dipped out of sight at around 5pm causing the tempurature to drop quickly. A hot meal with an amazing view and an early night were heartily welcome!

Looking back down our morning's route

The peaks of the Annapurna Sanctuary from Ghandruk

Day 2: Ghandruk to Kimron

Day 1 had taken its toll on our combined energy levels and we had an extra day in the bag to make ABC by new year's eve. Day 2 was a doddle! After a laid back breakfast we headed out of Ghandruk at 9:30am and made our way down to the bridge crossing Kyunri Khola stream. Once over the stream, it was all the way up towards the two ridge lodges that make up the settlement of Komrong (2250m). Arriving just before midday, it was an ideal spot for lunch. The lodges offered a great view of Ghandruk to the south and commanding views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre to the north. Hiromi and I decided that the river below would be the end of today's journey. Tomorrow morning's route was plain to see winding its way up to just over the same height on the other side of the valley.

Part of the village of Ghandruk

One of many steel bridges built by Gurkhas

After over an hour's navigation of a steep muddy path littered with loose rocks, we reached a small tea house that gave us a clear view of the riverside settlement Kimron. Kimron lies on the otherside of a wide rocky riverbed with a fast flowing narrow river snaking its way down. It was after 2pm and the sun's shadow suggested we had little warmth left for the day. It took just another 30 minutes of steep muddy paths to reach the gentle slopes and finally the riverbed. A makeshift bridge over the river was our rest point. This new found R&R was short lived as the sun's rays left us at around 3pm and it was starting to cool quickly. By 4pm we had a room in the Kimron Guest House. Another early night followed corn bread, soup and sitting by the fire with the family who run the lodge.

Our brief rest stop at Kimron river 

Day 3: Kimron to Chomrong

It was cold waking up in Kimron. The sound of the fast flowing river was a pleasure to fall asleep to, but chilling to wake up to. It was 7:30am and we still had to wait another hour and a half for the sun to reach us. We set off from the guest house at 10:15am and soon found a steep climb that would take us up and over a huge landslide that scars the entire side of the valley. Just past the landslide we stopped for thirty minutes at Hill Top Guest House and took one last look at Kimron tucked deep in the valley.

Our last view of Kimron Guest House

The steep climb carried on until another guest house, this time in Taulong, provided another break for breath and refreshments. Today's destination was just around the corner and one final burst of energy brought us to the outskirts of Chomrong (2170m) at 2pm. A very large Gurung village boasting a sensational view of the Annapurna range. We checked in to the Panorama Guest House not because of its stunning views north and south, but because it had a terrace that claimed the most amount of sunlight.

Machhupuchhure (Fishtail) Mountain from Panorama Guest House, Chomrong

Our arrival in Chomrong happened to coincide with a four day festival being held further down in the village. The Gurung were celebrating their new year and we had heard talk of music and dancing. That was our evening's entertainment sorted.


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Day 4-6
Day 7-9

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/