Local crocheting and knitting

Good morning from sunny South Africa!  South Africans produce the most beautiful works of art and craft and travelling the Little Karoo is an experience of visual indulgence.  Between the pink, yellow, white and purple flowers currently carpeting the area and the works of craft, it is hard to choose a favourite image.

The "Smitswinkel" is a Karoo Farm Shop/Roadstall located on the R62 between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn. The shop and cafe is co-owned by Marianne and Frances who also run a job creation project involving a group of ladies living on and nearby the farm. These ladies were born into extreme poverty and challenging social circumstances and now earn a sustainable income through the craft of hooking and knitting Their story will soon be told in a local magazine, the Landbouweekblad and for those interested in the work created from string, Marianne or Frances can be contacted on +27 44 213 3801 or via mail at  smitswinkel@gmail.com

Oh how I wish I could shop and shop, but alas all my purchases are currently influenced by the size of that one suitcase I am living out of during this period of relocating between Malaysia and India via a pit-stop in South Africa.  Have a great day.  Cheers!

The project space where fingers are regularly crafty with string

Bags knitted from string and adorned with crochet flowers  

Images from "The Smitswinkel" where we also popped in for breakfast and cake in addition to enjoying the craft work. Below on the chairs the knitted throws can be seen.

Tutorial: Hiding Chain Stitches on Granny Squares between the rows

Hello, Hi, Hiya, Bonjour, Dumela, Asalaama Alaikum, Hej, Namaste and more! When I decided to forego my beloved pentagon and hexagon patterns in favour of hooking the "Little Karoo" throw in a basic square a month ago, I simply couldn't remember at what stitch to start and end a Granny Square. In hindsight I am glad since the majority of squares start and end each row in such a way that the chain stitches that form the first US dc are highly noticeable throughout the project.  Below are a few photos detailing the way I start my squares which also happen to hide the joins 100% - a pattern that emerged out of not knowing how others do it. Anyway, it might also be that this method is well known but I haven't surfed the tinternet yet to verify, so this is the Pigtails join for the time being. 

You will also notice that I do not put a chain stitch between my clusters in order to keep the squares tight and uniform.  I also only chain 2 instead of 3 stitches in order to create a US dc. I demonstrate by joining a new colour but the method remains the same irrespective of colour changes.

 In corner, ch 4. These will form one US dc and the 2 ch to create the corner.

Now create a cluster by hooking 3 dc. The corner will thus consist of 4 chains and the next set of clusters. 

Hook clusters all around.  I create my 4 corners by hooking ch 2 between clusters and not ch 3 as some do.

Once you have hooked a row around the square, simply hook another 2 US dc in the corner. You will cover the base of the first 4 chains you started with somewhat [it might feel wrong] which is exactly what you wanted. No-one will be able to detect where you started and ended your rows.

 Slip stitch into chain to close round - as seen above and below.

Now simply ch 4 again in order to start the next round. 

I hope my tutorial makes sense, I am not exactly the best tutorial writer where hooking is concerned. Have a great day - the sun is shining here and the weather is pleasant for a change. I am off for more tea-garden hooking and another fabulous Lemon Meringue South African style as seen below. Cheers!

Viva Africa! Vinnis Nikkim and the Little Karoo

The inspiring Vinni Nielsen, a Danish woman living in Cape Town, established a yarn company producing cotton and bamboo yarns to die for. According to the label hugging the 100% Cotton Yarn, the yarn is hand dyed by women from an economically depressed rural area of South Africa.  I picked out 10 colours without having the foggiest idea of what on earth I was going to hook with the yarn. I took one look at a few succulents in the area where we are currently vacationing and decided to hook a throw that reminds me of the Little Karoo.

The Little Karoo is a fertile valley in the Western Cape Region of South Africa, bounded on the North by the Swartberg and on the South by the Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains. I love the character and the charm of this area and cannot wait to see the end result of the the project. I've hooked 20 granny squares thus far, each consisting of 3 rounds of one colour and another 5 rounds of a different colour. The squares measure 170mm x 170mm each. I have just picked up another 10 skeins of yarn and hope to show you some more pictures soon!