Let me begin with my love of African wax print cotton cloth. It has a facinating story that spans centuries and includes Dutch traders, Batik printing techniques from Java and a whole lot of trading for Africa's abundant resources. In the pursuing centuries, fashion, fabrics and technlogies have changed vastly, but Africa's love of wax print has endured. Each region has its own interpretation and imagery and the ones I love the most have a quirky mix of Africa meets the rest of the world.
The fabric is either bought in 6 yard (5.5m) lengths - enough for a fabulous outfit and scarf/head wrap, or in 2 yard pieces - just wrap it around you as a skirt, or use it as a baby sling, leaving your hands free, and your baby happily swaddled and close to mum's warmth.
I designed some beautiful (I think!) wrap skirts with a contrasting lining, pleated taffeta trim and a little hanging pocket that keeps the strap in place. You can also keep your washing pegs in the pocket on a Monday!
I have various places where I forrage for cloth, but lately there hasn't been much to find, so I was delighted when Sylvia, who originally hails from Congo, said she had recently brought some wax print from her home country, an arduous five-day bus journey.
When I went to her house, which is a little flat in someone's backyard, I was heartily invited in by Sylvia and her three very elegant home-girls, as well as her husband Daniel, who was busy feeding their baby.
Sylvia unpacked her treasures... and how exquisite they were! My absolute favourite had green pixelated hearts and orange Playstation consoles. To make the adventure even more bizarre, there was a DVD of Mr Bean playing in the background - you can see it in the photo - sorry about the poor pics.
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All over the world people are reeling from the increasing cost of basic foodstuffs, and it is no different in South Africa. Last week I proposed to our crafters that we co-operatively plant some food gardens. This is going to be quite a challenge, as most of Mielie's crafters live in Khayelitsha, which is very densely populated (I've added some pics). Zanele, one of our queen weavers, offered to ask the local councellors for a small communal allotment. Everybody is very excited and talking about drawing up a roster of duties. Melvin, who works in the nursery at Montebello, has offered to give advices wherever possible.
This project is not going to happen overnight - but I'll keep you updated!
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The products we make and sell in our shop all have an amazing story, and I realised that we don't always communicate exactly how much work goes into every product. We also want to celebrate all the amazingly talented people who produce our products, and tell their stories.
So I decided to make laminated cards that tell the story, but how to display them? I found some handy little clips on a steel cable, but couldn't think what to use as a base - it needs to be quite heavy so that the card doesn't wobble and fall over.
Then I remembered I have a collection of little bottles - I am not actually much of a collector, it's just that I hate throwing things away - I'm sure some shrink will have a field day with me! Being a commited crafter, I also went through the usual candle phase, and still have a block of wax to prove it. So, I thought, bottles + wax + clips = the perfect card clips.
A quick how-to:
Wash and thoroughly dry bottles.
Melt wax in a double boiler.
Carefully pour the wax into bottles.
I started with white wax and every time I poured wax into a bottle, I added a bit of red candle to the double boiler, first making the wax pink and finally red.
Now wait (I know, it's hard)
When the wax solidifies, it contracts, leaving a concave void at the lip of the bottle.
Fill with a bit more melted wax (if you've gradually darkened your wax it's difficult to match the colour properly, but don't dispair, just think two-tone!)
Now insert the clip, balancing it over the top of the bottle with a peg.
Leave for about 30 mins.
If you still have an uneven top, you can use a heat gun to melt just the top layer of wax.
... et voila! The perfect card clip. I think these would make perfect place card holders for a balmy summer cocktail party, don't you?
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