ideas_south_africa_322022 by borov665

May June 2022

MAKE YOUR WORLD BEAUTIFUL

9 771819 264006

06472

0D\ -XQH 1R 56$ 5 5 9$7 LQFOXGHG 1DPLELD 1

FILL THE KITCHEN AND YOUR PLATES WITH DELECTABLE SPICY FLAVOURS

CREATE THE COSY BEDROOM OF YOUR DREAMS

CRAFT WITH HEART ISSUE NO. 032

Stitchcraft bonanza: Easy projects to make and donate New life for charity-shop finds

MAKE GORGEOUS WIRE DECORATIONS

This book belongs to

May/june

MAKE YOUR WORLD BEAUTIFUL

on the cover Craft with heart

PROJECTS FOR YOU TO DO

56-95 Stitchcraft bonanza: Easy projects to make and donate

26 34 96 118

Create the cosy bedroom of your dreams Fill the kitchen and your plates with delectable spicy ﬂavours New life for charity-shop ﬁnds Make gorgeous wire decorations

craft & dÉcor 16 26 59 61 64 66

Décor: Old classroom now a lovely retro apartment Make your bedroom your sanctuary: Six styles Crochet a block: Three innovative designs Knit a square: Five diﬀerent patterns

food & entertaining 34 Cook healthy meals with colour, ﬂavour and aroma 46 Bake a focaccia garden for a starter or side dish 107 Biscuits and rusks to bake and donate 124 Give with ﬂavour: Chocolate bark with fruit and nuts

Crochet a granny-square scarf from your yarn stash Combine knitting and crochet with an embroidered

your life

vintage cloth to create a unique scarf for charity

68 Knit a jersey as warm and comforting as a hug 72 Make a colourful cover for a hot water bottle 74 Keep your hands snug in knitted mittens 78 Knit a pom-pom beanie, easy enough for a beginner 80 Crochet a Spanish dancer doll for a little girl 84 Sew and embroider a soft bunny cushion 87 Make a handy backpack and add pretty embroidery 92 Quilt a patchwork sleeping bag from fabric remnants 94 Upcycle old jeans into a cute lunch bag 96 Turn tea towels into décor items: Three projects 102 Convert old books into useful everyday items 110 Fill a box with special things to make someone's day 114 Create a charity donation board for the family 118 Shape a church, key holder and lampshade from wire

On the cover STYLING HANNES KOEGELENBERG PHOTO ED O'RILEY

07, 15, 33, 49 Words to live by

50 117

Heart's work: Make a diﬀerence with your crafts Creative maker: Wire artist from Kalk Bay shares his knowledge far and wide

122 Strip away accumulated clutter and live lighter 126 Advice for managing curly hair, from waves to coils 136 You said it: Our readers write to us

regulars 06 From the editor 10 What's new around town and in the shops 116 Subscribe to Ideas and save 125 Creative page for colouring: Armfuls to donate 132 Books to read now 135 Instagram inspiration

MAKE A COVER FOR A HOT WATER BOTTLE

Creative

COOK A HEALTHY VEGETABLE SOUP

SEW AND EMBROIDER A BACKPACK

118 CRAFT A WIRE CHURCH

78 101 103

KNIT A COSY BEANIE

QUILT A PATCHWORK SLEEPING BAG

DRESS UP YOUR KITCHEN STOOLS

CREATE A BOOK EMBROIDERY BOX

Stay in touch facebook.com/IdeesSA

CROCHET A SPANISH DOLL

makes

fromthe editor ven when I am sitting here in my home oﬃce working on beautiful, creative

magazines, I canʼt help but notice how the world around me is changing. Who can?

While Covid-19 has stripped so many people of their loved ones, their work and their businesses, those who were already unemployed and homeless before new hardship hit now seem so much more noticeable. The only good thing about this is that it forces us to be aware of what is happening around us. Closer to home, we also see the effect in our sales as readers need to focus more on necessities or are saving every cent in fear of where the petrol price is going and the impact it will have on the cost of living. So in December when I saw that the community had set a lovely long table next to a small tent town so the residents could also share in the Christmas festivities, it made my heart sing. Itʼs wonderful that there are people who make a difference. But more importantly, how do you become one of those people? When I received a letter from a reader, Sharon Reynolds, with her suggestion for a section in the magazine about giving (read her letter on page 136), it was as if someone was shaking me awake. Heavens, why did we not do this ages ago?! So thank you, Sharon, here is our issue about crafting from the heart, about how we can use our creativity to help. How we can use all those fabric remnants and half-balls of yarn to make a jersey, quilt, beanie or gloves, or simply knit or crochet squares that can be added to other peopleʼs contributions, to be joined together into a blanket or scarf. Also how you can support charity shops to make things for your own home or a family in need. Or if youʼre a baker, you can perhaps deliver a batch of biscuits or rusks every now and then to a local old-age home or childrenʼs shelter. Or give some to the homeless man you drive past every day. Itʼs been a long time since the team has worked on an issue with so much passion. Hereʼs hoping this Ideas lights the same flame in you.

contact me

STYLING: HANNES KOEGELENBERG • PHOTO: ED OʼRILEY • HAIR AND MAKE-UP: LISA SAVEN

terena@ideasfactory.co.za instagram.com/terenaleroux

Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting. ‑ Brian Tracy

EDITOR Email STUDIO AND STITCHCRAFT MARKETING AND FINANCES INQUIRIES COPY EDITING

Terena le Roux terena@ideasfactory.co.za Dala Watts Marweya Smal marweya@ideasfactory.co.za Diana Procter and Marié Smidt

STYLING

Hannes Koegelenberg, Dala Watts and Carin Smith

PHOTOS

Ed OʼRiley and Henk Venter

CONTRIBUTORS FOOD CRAFT & DIY

Features

Louisa Holst and Tani Kirsten Carin Smith, Albert Kamupíra and Hannes Koegelenberg Elsa Krüger, Marguerite van Wyk and Jani Augustyn-Goussard

STITCHCRAFT

Anelle Britz, Elsbeth Eksteen, Elizabeth Fester, Gina Ross, Liesl Kleu, Marietjie van Wyk, Louisa Holst, Dala Watts, Carin Smith

Retouching

Willie Koen

SOCIAL MEDIA

Carien Eloﬀ

PUBLISHER & SALES

Terena le Roux

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher. The editorial staﬀ do not necessarily subscribe to the opinions given in articles and advertisements. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the advice and information given to readers, the editor and publisher cannot accept responsiblity for any damages or inconvenience that may arise therefrom. The editorial staﬀ have the right to make alterations to any material submitted and cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage to any material submitted for publication. All prices quoted were correct at the time of going to press and may vary from shop to shop.

KEEP YOUR MIND SHARP Stay happy, Stay healthy, Stay sharp

JOURNAL $XWXPQ 1R 56$ 5 5 9$7 LQFOXGHG 1DPLELD 1 Z

pages of puzzles

Plans for positive ageing

œŵSet your sights

on happiness œŵDon't let the old girl in ‑ look after your back An empty nest can be fun ‑ yes, really!

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ILLUSTRATIONS: GETTY IMAGES

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learn more about: œŵYour last wishes and documents œŵHow a dog keeps you young œŵThe relationship between your stomach and your brain

Get your new Journal – a good-life work-and-play book. It’s packed with date, to keep you healthy, to keep laugh and to challenge you. It may

magazine and practical reads to keep you up to you young, to make you just change your life.

On sale now!

what’s new Here is our line-up of what's new on the block and on the shelf.

Resurface your skin Few things can make your skin glow as much as a good peel. The latest product from iS Clinical, the Active Peel System (R2 502 for a box with 15 product-infused face towelettes), brings you salon results at home. This botanically based treatment works gently in two steps to resurface and polish the skin, while providing hydration, rejuvenation and antioxidant protection. It is formulated to be used every second day to improve the skinʼs texture and tone, and to help it look smoother and more youthful. Step 1 is a towelette infused with botanical acids to exfoliate the top dead-skin layer. Step 2 uses botanical extremozyme technology and copper tripeptide-1 combined with soothing botanical ingredients. Your skin will soon look as soft and smooth as velvet.

Reimagine the world Decorex Africa is the design authority for the décor, interior design and lifestyle industries, with a long history of bringing world-class exhibitors to the public while showcasing lifestyle trends and design highlights that are not to be missed. This year, Decorex Africa is being reimagined with a refreshed brand identity and enhanced virtual features, combining the digital and the physical. One-day summits, functioning as platforms for sharing and connection to serve the local design community, will be held as part of the main Decorex event. Decorex Africa and 100% Design South Africa are on at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 16 to 19 June 2022 and at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 28 to 31 July 2022. Go to decorex.co.za for details.

Donation for doggies

Royal Canin has partnered with Imagined Earth in a campaign that encourages consumers to ʻrecycle with a rewardʼ: For every item that is recycled in one of Imagined Earthʼs reverse vending machines, a pet shelter will receive a kilogram of Royal Canin food. The company aims to donate 10 000kg of pet food. The red vending machines are branded with a large ʻPay it Paw-Ward!ʼ logo, a play on the concept of ʻpaying it forwardʼ. Find them at the East Rand Mall in Johannesburg, Cornubia Mall near Umhlanga, Durban and Willowbridge Centre at Tyger Valley in Cape Town. You can recycle plastic, glass, Tetra Pak and metal items. To learn more about the campaign, go to royalcaninheroes.co.za/pay-it-paw-ward

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3 NEW SHOPS, DÉCOR AND CRAFT dala@ideasfactory.co.za 3 FOOD AND RESTAURANTS ideasmagazinefood@gmail.com

New collections The Silk and Cotton Co specialises in ﬁne international fabric and wallpaper brands and is also home to exquisite locally printed fabrics. Each new collection is selected with designs and fabrics that build on the colours and nuances of existing ranges, ensuring continuity for customers. Look out for the new hues in the Bush Tales by Aureum collection from local T&Co brand. The fresh greens and complementary pinks are perfect for a sunroom or patio. On the international side, the Jordnära range of wallpapers from Sandberg embraces the concept of slow living in patterns with soft aesthetics. Feel close to nature and the beauty of the stripped down and simple. Harmony between art, nature and the wild, elegantly tamed Go to silkandcottonco.co.za to see more.

Special Chardonnay La Motte recently released the 2020 vintage of their acclaimed Chardonnay. Made from grapes grown on the estate, the wine is fermented and matured in French oak barrels for 12 months. This vintage has beautifully fruity

Radiantly polished

citrus blossom aromas, subtle richness and oakderived ﬂavours of cashew and freshly baked bread.

If your skin needs revitalising for a polished,

It is complex and balanced

smooth and radiant appearance, Neostrataʼs

and makes an excellent

new Glycolic Microdermabrasion Polish

partner to a special meal.

(R1 190) is the answer. In one step, it polishes

It would also make a great

the skin and removes the dull, dead surface

gift for mom this Motherʼs

cells. It contains 10% glycolic acid combined

Day. Available online from

with aluminium crystals. The dual physical

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and chemical action rapidly helps to clarify

R159 a bottle.

the complexion by removing impurities from pores. It is a useful anti-ageing product that can be used two or three times a week.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 11

What’s NEw Flavour trends Itʼs always fun to discover a new ﬂavour and elevate your dishes in a creative way with interesting ingredients. Here are a few trends to look out for and add to your cooking repertoire: YUZU ‒ a lesser known citrus fruit popular in Japanese and Korean cuisine. You can buy bottled yuzu juice in Asian supermarkets and use it

Bubbly with a difference

Raise your glass with a diﬀerent type of bubbly next time you have a special occasion: Loxtonia Méthode Traditionelle Cider. Available in Brut and Rosé, the MTCs are made in the slow, traditional French way of bottle fermentation to create the vibrant sparkle. Stylishly presented in classic sparkling wine bottles, they owe their complexity to bottle ageing for 15 months on the lees. The Whitﬁeld family have been making a wide range of ciders from ʻorchard to bottleʼ on their Loxtonia farm in the Ceres valley of the Western Cape since 2013 using only homegrown, 100% freshly pressed and naturally fermented apples. You can order the ciders online at www.loxtonia.co.za.

to ﬂavour salad dressings,

Oil and serum in one

sauces, soups, vegetable and

Oil and serum with a bi-phase action can only be a winner. Gatineauʼs Age

ﬁsh dishes and noodles. It

Benefit Youth Revitalizing Oil-Serum (R1 650 for 30ml) combines oil and serum, the two powerhouse elements in skincare, in one formula to tackle skin ageing. The product has a long list of hardworking active ingredients that provide your skin with an all-in-one cocktail that will have the cells celebrating. Examples are a botanical bouquet of Persian silk tree extract (mimosa), Centella asiatica (pennywort, also known as tiger grass in Asia), vitamin B3 (niacinamide), chestnut seed and Barbary fig extracts. They are all skin allies that combat redness, inflammation, hormonal imbalances and stress. In addition, they stimulate collagen formation and cell rejuvenation. The oils (rosehip, camellia) in the oil-serumʼs fatty acids protect the skin barrier against the elements.

has a distinctive tart-sour taste, somewhere between lemon and grapefruit. TURMERIC ‒ Available fresh or dried and ground, try it added to your drinks, especially cocktails, and to salad dressings, sauces, breads and desserts. HIBISCUS ‒ Adds a sweet but tart ﬂavour as well as a gorgeous pink colour to your drinks, dips, bakes and desserts. To make hibiscus sugar, dry fresh hibiscus petals in a sunny area or in the oven on the lowest setting with the door left ajar. Once they are dry, place them in a food processor with an equal amount of sugar and blend to create a pretty pink sugar. Use sprinkled over pancakes, desserts or bakes.

12 IDEAS May/June 2022

Propagation plates

In order to grow, plants need water, oxygen, nutrients and some support to keep themselves upright. Usually, plants get those last two from soil, but if you ditch the dirt in favour of nutrient-rich water and a propagation plate to support the plants, you can have a hydroponic garden. The propagation plates from Mart Handmade Ceramics are ideal! Pick a plant that will root in water and cut oﬀ a section just below the leaf, where the plantʼs natural rooting hormone is active. While the cut is still fresh, insert the stem through the hole in the propagation disk and place it in a jar ﬁlled with water. Use bottled spring water or chlorine-free water, and top it up after a few days if necessary. Rooting starts typically at about two weeks. Available from Starke Ayres Garden Centres in Rosebank and Sunningdale in Cape Town for R395 for a set of three, or order directly from the artist, Martin Neethling, via email at marthandmadeceramics@gmail.com

Patterns and prints for 2022

Plump is good The one time that it is good to have a thick skin is when your skin ages, because it can become as thin as paper. An older skin has a need for rich, nourishing creams. The new Densitium Baume Nuit (R530 for 50ml) from French cosmetic house SVR is speciﬁcally formulated for an older skin. The night cream helps to combat dryness, wrinkles, sagging, lack

FROM STRIPES TO FLOWERS Décor, homeware, textile and fashion predictions for 2022 indicate that all manner of stripes will be on trend in the second half of the year: time-honoured black-andwhite, horizontals, diagonals, waves and wiggles, and graphic scribbles. More abstract marble-like designs also have their place in this trend, as do pastels. Bold colour blocking and strong collage assemblages are making an impact, some with a considered jigsawpuzzle look and others more free-form. Contrasting colours and textures build interest here. If this is not your style, you could rather opt for blurred botanicals and shadow ﬂorals. Animal prints never seem to go out of fashion and 2022 is no exception. Camouﬂage designs and earthy tones play their part. Look out for soothing ombré patterns as well, varying from two to multiple hues in one design and from seamless opacity to staggered colours in fading stripes. (Sources: WGSN, The Spruce, whowhatwear.com)

of radiance and uneven texture. It contains ultra-fragmented hyaluronic acid and bio-calcium, which plump and redensify the skin, as well as amino acids, probiotics and peptides that improve the skinʼs elasticity. Itʼs an eco-formulated cream with 95% of the ingredients coming from natural sources, while the packaging is biodegradable.

NURTURING F IBRES The Art of well-dyed Yarns FRWWRQ _ EDPERR PHULQR ZRRO _ PRKDLU

Lunch-box snack Kids (and adults) will love Power Cup, the new dairy snack from First Choice. Developed as a healthy option for inbetween meals, it is made from real milk and packed with dairy goodness. It is a long-life product, so it does not need to be stored in the fridge and can be served chilled or at room temperature. It’s a great on-the-go, anytime snack or quick and easy dessert. Available in five flavours from selected supermarkets nationwide.

Stockists and free patterns on ZZZ QXUWXULQJÀEUHV FRP

décor

Backto school

What are the chances of living in your old school classroom? Good, it seems, in the case of Lynn Rouwhorst, who has created this gorgeous retro apartment in the place where she once learned her tables. COCOFEATURES.COM photos ANNE DEN HAAN

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Lynn loves entertaining. Her huge crockery cabinet, which she bought second-hand, comes in very useful here as she so many beautiful pieces that she likes to display and use. The dining table is from Ikea and the chairs are either Ikea or second-hand ﬁnds.

She paid extra for the breakfast-bar extension in the kitchen and the tiles, an investment she feels was well worth it.

décor

Barista corner: ʻThe coffee machine was an online marketplace find. I think these are normally quite expensive because they are catering equipment, but mine makes fantastic coffee! You can buy the syrups you see in shops.ʼ

ynn Rouwhorst was staying with her mother temporarily after a break-up when she heard about a new project in her Dutch town of Winterswijk. Her old school building, which had become vacant nine years earlier, was ﬁnally approved for housing and the conversion project, one of a few aimed at keeping young people in the village, was to start soon. Two years later and Lynn and her two kittens, Boef and Beer, could move into her apartment ‒ just a few months before this interview. ʻIn the months prior to the move, I scrolled through the online marketplace daily. I already loved thrift-shopping with my mother anyway, and now we had a goal! By the time I could move into the apartment, my momʼs storage was full of my things,ʼ says Lynn.

ʻI already had quite a bit of furniture as my ex-partner and I had lived together before we broke up, so I knew what the basis of my interior was going to be. I made a 3D design and drew all the furniture in on a floor plan. My parents and I were regularly driving off somewhere to pick up something second-hand that I found online. ʻI had to pay extra for the breakfast-bar extension of the kitchen counter and for the tiles, but I already enjoy it so much. We can make coffee at the bar and just for the overall look of the kitchen, that investment was totally worth it! 'The steel-framed glass door was also an extra investment. I immediately saw how the standard white door closed off the space and this was my solution. Now I can also keep a close eye on the cats when

May/June 2022 IDEAS 19

Marktplaats ('marketplace') is the Netherlands' favourite online site for selling or buying anything you could possibly want. Lynn calls it her 'best friend'. 'An IT specialist had decided on a whim that he wanted to sell ice creams next to his regular job, but he didnʼt really like it and sold the giant ice cream online. He asked me what I was going to do with it and didn't understand why anyone would want it in their house!ʼ

I come in with guests, because they are not allowed to go outside. ʻThe housing project was a lot of fun with 30 young people getting the key to their new home in one week! During the renovation, everyone was constantly dropping by, and we shared a lot of building material. We made a WhatsApp group to borrow tools and so on. We shared a bucket of white paint; it was the basic colour the contractor used on the walls. The WhatsApp group would constantly ask, “Who has the white paint?” That usually meant that someone had

20 IDEAS May/June 2022

accidentally bumped a piece of furniture against the white wall or something and they wanted to touch it up again. ʻI like to organise dinners here for family and friends, in my well-known Lynn style: three courses and nice table décor, almost always completely vegan and everyone always loves it. Thatʼs what that huge crockery cabinet is useful for; I have so many beautiful pieces, I like to display and use them. ʻThe cabinet is actually two three-part cabinets stacked on top of each other. A man was selling it

décor Lynn stays strictly within her colour palette of yellow, ﬂuorescent pink, mint green and pastels. She loves retro and vintage things and collects various art items, many of which have to do with sweets, and are mainly the work of female Dutch artists. She thinks it is important to support other women.

for next to nothing. I asked him whether the cabinets could stand on top of each other, whether they would be straight ʻHe didnʼt really understand me. He said it was possible, but the height would be almost four metres. He didnʼt know about my mezzanine of course! ʻThe cabinets were a good two hours away for us and the advertisement stated that we would have to disassemble them ourselves. When we arrived with some screwdrivers, we quickly realised we had underestimated the job. In the end we worked for two hours with a crowbar to get them oﬀ the wall. The

cabinets only just fit in the trailer ‒ we even had to take the doors off otherwise they just wouldnʼt have fitted. We did receive a discount from the seller because of the disassembly help. So in the end it was a huge adventure, and that entire wall of cabinets was under R2 000,ʼ Lynn says. ʻI stay within my colour palette at home, which is yellow, fluorescent pink, mint green and pastels. This way, structure remains visible in the busy coloured items that I have collected. I am in love with retro and vintage things and I collect everything with the

May/June 2022 IDEAS 21

décor Lynn sleeps in the loft, overlooking the living room. Next to the bed is an old locker unit, also a marketplace ﬁnd, that ﬁts in with the old school building history of her apartment.

themes pastry, candy or rabbits. Once I come across something in my style, I ﬁnd it hard to resist. Nothing beats that dopamine rush! ʻAt the same time, though, I will gladly pay full price for work by Dutch artists who inspire me. Thatʼs what I have my candy art wall for! My stairs are behind that

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art wall. They lead to my bedroom in the loft. I love sitting in the window, cuddling Boef and Beer, my cats, with a book and that beautiful pink blossom outside in the background. The coolest thing is that I went to school here, this apartment used to be my classroom and now I live in it!ʼ

décor

Like so many people these days, Lynn has a 'work from home' corner upstairs in her bedroom. And true to her style, the design aesthetic is strong. 24 IDEAS May/June 2022

décor

Sleepwell Your bedroom is where you get some well-deserved rest after a long day. Here are a few ideas to make your room your sanctuary. copy DAL A WAT TS photos GE T T Y IMAGES and WARREN HEATH from BUREAUX

SERENE SIMPLICITY

Raw cement walls or paint techniques that mimic the look are becoming very popular. Here the rough brushstrokes and various shades of grey turn it into the focus wall for the room. (A CreteStone finish can give you the same effect.) For a modern headboard, which doubles as the perfect bookshelf, install a shelf across the length of the wall and paint it white, to stand out from the grey. The wooden base of the bed and the floor add warmth to the room. For a touch of colour, use brighter bed linen. Green is an obvious choice because it is associated with peace, rest and safety ‒ ideal for a bedroom. Repeat the green with a plant here and there, which also strengthens the sense of serenity. The rest of the furniture is simple, with a white flokati rug for a touch of softness.

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INDUSTRIAL IN GREY

The trend of converting old factory buildings into large open-plan homes started in New York in the 1970s and remains very popular. Some retain an authentic industrial feel with unplastered walls, high ceilings and metal-framed windows offering city views. Screen off a corner for your bedroom by tying a cable between two walls and hanging heavy curtains from it. Keep the palette monochrome, like this one with its luxurious bed linen in white and grey and whitewashed floor, brick walls and large terracotta pot. Frosted glass has been used for privacy while at the same time making a focal point of the gorgeous windows themselves and allowing in loads of natural light. The graphic artworks and rustic wooden frame with lights draped over it complete the picture.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 27

décor

CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE

(Left) These two colours never disappoint; itʼs a classic combination that just always works. Keep the walls and ﬂoor white as this creates the perfect background for and contrast to the black elements in the room, such as the metal window frames, doors and furniture items. The palette is broken by the charcoal blankets, grey headboard and cushions with geometric patterns. Mid-century modern furniture and light ﬁttings are very fashionable nowadays, and they work well with the simplicity of the fabric headboard and metal bedside table. Keep any artworks in the same colour scheme and frame them in black as well, so they repeat the lines of the other elements in the room. Black creates a feeling of power, mystery and elegance.

ISLAND STYLE

This bedroom is reminiscent of a gorgeous white chalet on an exotic island. If your house a similar loft room, you can easily recreate this look. Instead of one large bed in the centre, use the space cleverly with two smaller beds on either side of the room, under the eaves of the roof. Use white as your main colour as it creates the illusion of space. The gleaming white ﬂoor provides a stylish, modern feeling, as do the beds resting on slightly larger wooden bases. To enhance the sense of openness in the room, there are no paintings on the walls, but the lampshade of woven rattan and lush potplants make up for this. The grey-green botanical pattern of the linen, single white bedside table and wooden storage box work well with the island-style décor.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 29

décor

KAROO CALM

(Right) This gorgeous bedroom with its wooden ceiling calls to mind the old houses in the Karoo. The black bedstead with bright-white linen and striped throw fit perfectly with the simplicity of the room. Instead of hiding the old wooden ladders away in the garage, keep them in the room as part of the décor. Choose pretty glass light fittings for a vintage effect ‒ even better if they are not all exactly the same. A mat made from a natural fibre like sisal or hemp on the stone floor will warm the room and also protect the floor against scuffing. Complete the picture with a modern bedside table for a bit of playful fun in your room.

RICH IN COLOUR

If you love colour, you can certainly go to town in your bedroom, but do it cleverly. The most important thing is to stick with one colour family, rather than mixing lots of bright colours. In this way you can ensure that everything will work together harmoniously. It is well known that nature has a calming effect, so wallpaper printed with a botanical design is a good choice for a bedroom. If you have green fingers, you can even use the real thing. Just make sure the plants belong indoors and are good for you. Choose interesting plant holders, like these wood and cane ones. The sumptuous layers of bed linen vary from plain-coloured throws to cushions with geometric designs, but everything is in tones of yellow, ochre, orange and moss green, with the result being a cohesive picture. And look at how striking the lights are, suspended at different heights!

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Spiceisnice

A touch of spice can add fantastic flavour, aroma, colour and health benefits to your everyday meals. recipes and food produc tion LOUISA HOLST st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED OʼRILEY

HEALTHY VEGETABLE SOUP Turmeric is a much-loved spice that adds earthy flavour and a vibrant yellow colour to food. It has amazing health benefits because it is rich in antioxidants and also helps reduce inflammation in the body. This wholesome soup is full of flavour and will give your immune system a welcome boost during the cold winter months. Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour

♥ 45ml canola oil ♥ 1 onion, chopped ♥ 3 stalks celery, chopped ♥ 2 cloves garlic, crushed ♥ 10ml grated fresh ginger ♥ 30ml grated fresh or 15ml ground dried turmeric ♥ 5-10ml dried crushed chillies (optional) ♥ 1kg cubed butternut or pumpkin ♥ 1 x 400ml can chickpeas, drained ♥ 125ml red lentils ♥ 1 litre prepared vegetable stock ♥ 1 x 400ml can coconut milk ♥ 1 small bunch kale or spinach, sliced ♥ lemon juice, to taste ♥ fresh coriander, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oil in large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for a few minutes until softened. 2 Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and chillies, if using. Sauté for 3 minutes. 3 Add the butternut, chickpeas, lentils and stock. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 4 Add the coconut milk and kale or spinach. Add a little more stock or water if you prefer a thinner soup. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the ingredients are all tender. 5 Season with a squeeze of lemon juice and serve hot, garnished with fresh coriander, if you prefer.

food & entertaining

May/June 2022 IDEAS 35

36 IDEAS May/June 2022

food & entertaining

SPICED POTATO AND CAULIFLOWER Piquantly flavoured mustard seeds are an important spice in many cuisines around the world. They are used whole or ground, or are ground and mixed with water and vinegar to create the popular condiment, prepared mustard. Mustard seeds are used extensively in pickles and preserves and are often added to Indian dishes. We have used them whole in this recipe to create a delicious vegetable dish that will add an exotic touch to your meal. Serve with chicken, meat or fish or as an interesting warm salad at your next braai. Serves: 4-6 as a side dish Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes Oven temperature: 200 oC ♥ 1kg baby potatoes, peeled ♥ 60ml canola oil ♥ 1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets ♥ 40ml butter ♥ 2 sprigs of curry leaves, to serve (optional) ♥ yoghurt dipping sauce (see below) SPICE MIX ♥ 10ml mustard seeds ♥ 5ml cumin seeds ♥ 5ml fennel seeds ♥ 5ml fenugreek seeds ♥ 5ml onion seeds (nigella seeds) 1 Line a baking tray with aluminium foil. Spread the potatoes out on the tray and drizzle with 20ml of the oil. Toss to coat well. Roast in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. 2 Remove the tray from the oven and add the cauliflower. Drizzle the cauliflower with 20ml of oil and toss well. Return to the oven and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and golden. Toss once halfway through cooking. Remove from the oven. 3 Heat the butter and remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the curry leaves, if using, and cook for a minute, then remove and set aside. Add the spice mix and cook, stirring, until the mustard seeds start to pop. 4 Remove from the heat and spoon the mixture over the potatoes and cauliflower. Toss well to coat and season with salt. Return to the oven and heat for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with the curry leaves and dipping sauce. DIPPING SAUCE: Mix 250ml Greek-style yoghurt with 1 clove crushed garlic, 50ml chopped fresh coriander, a squeeze of lime or lemon juice and 15ml sweet chilli sauce. May/June 2022 IDEAS 37

HEARTY BEEF STEW Caraway is a spice that has a distinctive anise-like flavour and can be used in sweet and savoury dishes. Itʼs often added to rye bread and cheese and used to flavour liqueurs. It is believed to help improve digestion. Itʼs a common ingredient in meat stews in Hungary and Austria and youʼll also come across it in Swiss cuisine. It is used to flavour this warm and comforting meat stew. A winner for winter. Serves: 6 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: approximately 3 hours ♥ 30ml canola oil ♥ 1kg boneless beef stewing meat, cubed ♥ 2 medium onions, sliced ♥ 2 sticks of celery, sliced ♥ 1 x 330ml bottle of beer ♥ 1 litre prepared beef stock ♥ 15ml tomato paste ♥ 10ml caraway seeds ♥ 4 cloves ♥ 4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm chunks ♥ white cabbage, thickly sliced ♥ 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered ♥ 3 x smoked sausages, sliced ♥ 25ml cornflour ♥ parsley, to garnish 1 Heat a heavy-based casserole dish over a high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil and brown the meat in batches. Remove from the pan and set aside. 2 Reduce the heat to medium and add a little more oil to the pan if needed. Add the onions and celery. Sauté for a few minutes until soft. 3 Add the beer, beef stock, tomato paste, caraway and cloves and stir well. Add the browned meat. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer slowly for 2 hours. 4 Add the carrots, cabbage and potatoes. Cover and cook over a low heat for an hour or until all the ingredients are tender. Add the sausages. 5 Stir the cornflour and a little water together until smooth. Stir into the stew and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly. Garnish with parsley, if you prefer. Serve with rice, mashed potato or crusty bread.

38 IDEAS May/June 2022

food & entertaining

May/June 2022 IDEAS 39

40 IDEAS May/June 2022

food & entertaining

GREEK MEAT PASTA Cinnamon is a spice that always evokes comforting memories. The fragrant smell and warm flavour go so well with fruity desserts and bakes ‒ and letʼs not forget about pancakes. Itʼs also an essential ingredient in many savoury dishes found in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. This traditional Greek pasta makes a change from the usual meat lasagne or spaghetti bolognaise and has an unusual but delicious flavour. A great dish to serve the family for supper. Serves: 6-8 Preparation time: 1 hour Baking time: 40 minutes Oven temperature: 180 oC ♥ 50ml olive oil ♥ 1 large onion, finely chopped ♥ 2 cloves garlic, crushed ♥ 1kg lean beef mince ♥ 1 x 425g can tomatoes, chopped ♥ 250ml dry white wine ♥ 10ml ground cinnamon, plus extra for seasoning ♥ 120g (130ml) butter ♥ 110g (200ml) flour ♥ 1 litre milk ♥ 2 large eggs ♥ 500g macaroni or penne pasta ♥ 200g white Cheddar, grated ♥ 30g Italian parsley, chopped

1 MINCE Heat the oil in large saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the mince and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the meat is browned. 2 Add the tomatoes, wine, cinnamon and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add 125ml hot water and bring to the boil. Stir well, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. 3 SAUCE Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the ﬂour. Add the milk gradually, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Stir until the mixture has thickened. Season to taste with a pinch of cinnamon and salt. 4 Once the sauce has cooled, whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add a little of the sauce to the eggs and stir well. Stir into the remaining sauce. 5 Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until it is al dente. Drain and set aside. 6 Grease a large ovenproof dish. Add the pasta. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pasta and stir in. 7 Add the parsley to mince and spoon on top of the pasta. 8 Spoon the prepared sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in a preheated oven for 3040 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 41

food & entertaining

CHICKEN IN ORANGE AND CARDAMOM SAUCE

Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes

The fragrant spice cardamom has been used to ﬂavour Middle Eastern

♥ 15ml canola oil ♥ 800g-1kg chicken pieces

and Arabic foods for centuries and is now a popular ﬂavour here too. It is

♥ 2cm piece fresh ginger ♥ 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly

very versatile and is equally delicious

sliced ♥ 350ml freshly squeezed orange juice

in sweet or savoury dishes. Green cardamom is commonly used and can be added to recipes whole or ground. Black cardamom is not as well known but can be found in spice shops. The pods are dark brown or black and are larger than the green pods. They have a smoky ﬂavour which adds warming

♥ 150ml prepared chicken stock ♥ 4 green cardamom pods, bruised ♥ 4 black cardamom pods, bruised (or use green) ♥ 50ml light soy sauce ♥ 30ml honey

depth to savoury dishes. Weʼve used

♥ 15ml cornﬂour ♥ bunch of spring onions, sliced into

both varieties in this quick and easy chicken dish, but if you canʼt ﬁnd the

1cm pieces ♥ crushed pink peppercorns and orange

black variety, just use the green instead and add a pinch of smoked paprika as a

slices, to garnish ♥ steamed rice or rice pilaf, to serve

substitute for the smoky ﬂavour. 1 Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and cook over a medium to high heat until browned on both sides. Cook in two batches. Remove from the pan and set aside. 2 Add the piece of ginger and the garlic to the pan and stir for 30 seconds. Add the orange juice, stock, cardamon, soy sauce and honey and stir to combine. 3 Add the chicken pieces. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over a medium to low heat for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over and then cover again and continue to cook for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 4 Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Skim excess fat from the surface of the sauce and discard. Remove the cardamom pods and discard. Mix a little water with the cornﬂour and then stir into the sauce in the pan. Stir until thickened slightly. 5 Return the chicken to the pan and coat the pieces with the sauce. Sprinkle with spring onions. Garnish with pink peppercorns and orange slices and serve hot with steamed rice or pilaf.

42 IDEAS May/June 2022

May/June 2022 IDEAS 43

food & entertaining

44 IDEAS May/June 2022

APPLE AND ALMOND CRUMBLE The prettiest spice on the rack is certainly the lovely star anise. The whole pods are added to marinades, soups, braised dishes or roasts. The seeds can

1 FILLING Heat the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the apples, cherry jam, sugar, star anise and rose petals, if using. Stir well. Cover and simmer slowly over a medium to low heat for about 10 minutes until the apples start to soften. Remove from the

also be used ground but be careful not to add too much as the ﬂavour is quite

heat, cover and set aside to cool. 2 CRUMBLE Put the ﬂour, oats, sugar

strong. Star anise has a warm, sweet and spicy ﬂavour similar to liquorice and

and butter into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles

fennel. It complements sweet dishes and is excellent in chicken and pork dishes.

breadcrumbs. Stir in the coconut and almonds.

Try this favourite dessert made extra special with the addition of the star

3 Spread out on a baking tray in a thin layer. Bake in a preheated oven for about

anise and a crunchy crumble topping.

15 minutes until light golden. Stir a few times during cooking. Remove from the

Serves: 6-8 Preparation time: 45 minutes

oven and set aside. 4 Grease an ovenproof dish with a little

Baking time: 30 minutes

extra butter. Spoon the fruit mixture into the dish. Cover with the topping mixture. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until bubbling and golden. Serve warm with ice cream or custard.

Oven temperature: 200 C ♥ 80g (85ml) butter, plus extra for greasing ♥ 1kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks ♥ 50ml cherry jam ♥ 110g (125ml) castor sugar ♥ 8 whole star anise ♥ 10ml dried rose petals (optional) ♥ ice cream or custard, to serve TOPPING ♥ 135g (250ml) cake ﬂour ♥ 50g (125ml) rolled oats ♥ 110g (125ml) castor sugar ♥ 150g (165ml) butter, cold and cubed ♥ 70g (250ml) shaved coconut ♥ 50g (125ml) ﬂaked almonds

SPICE TIPS • Store your spices correctly so they stay fresh and full of ﬂavour. They should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. • If you buy a spice in a plastic packet, transfer the spice to an airtight container once you have opened the packet. • Check the expiry date and buy the spice in small quantities to make sure that it is as fresh as possible when you use it. • Whole spices stay fresher for longer, so rather buy them whole and grind them yourself when needed, to ensure the best ﬂavour.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 45

Art from the oven Focaccia gardens are a fun way to serve this delicious bread as a snack, starter or side dish. Be creative with different vegetables and designs to wow your guests. by TANI KIRSTEN photos ED OʼRILEY Makes: 1 large focaccia Serves: 12-16 Preparation time: 30 minutes plus rising time Oven temperature: 180 oC YOU WILL NEED ♥ 3 x 250ml cake flour ♥ 2,5ml fine salt ♥ 5ml instant yeast (half a sachet) ♥ 350‒450ml warm water ♥ 50ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling TOPPINGS ♥ 4 baby leeks, halved lengthways and grilled in a hot pan for 1 minute ♥ fine asparagus ♥ Kalamata olives, halved ♥ feta cheese, crumbled ♥ herbs ♥ coarse salt

Mix the ﬂour, salt and yeast together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil. Add threequarters of the warm water and mix the ﬂour in from the sides. Add a little more water as necessary to form a soft dough. Knead for 5-7 minutes. If you have a stand mixer, use the kneading attachment to knead for 3 minutes. The dough will become smoother. Roll into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a moist cloth and leave for an hour in a warm place to rise.

Turn the dough out onto a baking tray lightly greased with olive

Sprinkle with olives, feta, herbs and coarse salt and drizzle with olive

oil. Press it out gently with your ﬁngertips. Cover it and leave to rise for another 30 minutes. Press the dough out again to ﬁll the baking tin and to make deep dimples in the dough. Decorate with the leeks and asparagus to look like plants growing in a garden.

oil. Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.

46 IDEAS May/June 2022

how to

your life

Heart’s work Many of our wallets are becoming emptier. People are hungry, at the mercy of a struggling economy. Luckily South Africans are a nation of givers. They are industrious, the knitting needles click. Together they crochet, do pottery, woodwork, transform fabric remnants into colourful quilts. Everyone can make a diﬀerence.

by MARGUERITE VAN W YK st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED OʼRILEY

ack in the day, granny, mom and the aunties all busily knitted baby booties. And there were always the sweetest little jackets in pink, blue and white for the new arrivals ‒ all gifted to the church bazaar to raise money for the less privileged. In his turn, Afrikaans singer Johannes

The big-hearted Sharon Reynolds, a retiree from Edenvale in Johannesburg, agrees. She volunteers at a charity organisation with the lovely name Beacon of Hope. ʻI always wanted to do charitable work Now I have lots of time. My adult sons live overseas. I donʼt even notice that the nest is empty, because I am so

mies. And Beacon of Hopeʼs blankets are regularly handed out to the needy during the cold winter months. Her love for animals is a real soft spot and sheʼs involved with a craft group called Blankets for Baby Rhinos. Click-click go her knitting needles as she knits blankets for the little animals orphaned when their mothers are slaugh-

Kerkorrel reminded us about the hardships of life in Hillbrow. Beautiful lyrics that still cut deep:

busy. We help where we can, make soup, hand out food parcels,ʼ she says. You canʼt stop her once she starts telling you about all the things South Africans do to help. Her own list of handicrafts is as extensive as can be: She knits blankets for baby rhinos and crochets octopus toys for premature babies She describes, with great pleasure, how the babies weave their hands through the ʻtentaclesʼ. ʻThey think itʼs their motherʼs umbilical cord.ʼ She has even crocheted breast prostheses for women who have had mastecto-

tered by poachers. The blankets are used to comfort them or sold to collect money for feed and medical expenses. The funds raised also go to education programmes for under-resourced communities ‒ often the same people who poach the rhinos ‒ to teach them to respect nature. Many of those who live in areas bordering on the Kruger Park, for example, or near luxury game farms, have never learnt to appreciate a rhino in its natural habitat. The only frame of reference for these communities is what dad and grandad told them: This animal can make us some money. And so

En gee, gee, gee. Gee, gee, gee Jou sente, jou drome, jou klere vol gate Gee jou hart vir Hillbrow Ja, gee jou hart vir Hillbrow (Give, give, give, your cents, your dreams, your clothes full of holes. Give your heart to Hillbrow.) A friend likes to quote Jewish diarist Anne Frank: ʻNo one has ever become poor by giving.ʼ

50 IDEAS May/June 2022

the vicious cycle of poaching continues. Also with elephants. Nevertheless. The wonder of giving brings hope to the receiver and to the giver. ʻTo see the light in someoneʼs eyes when they realise you can help them is amazing,ʼ says Sharon. ʻWhen I knit or crochet, I know every stitch is going to make a difference in someoneʼs life. Itʼs an enormous privilege to be able to make another personʼs life a little bit easier,ʼ she says. Dr Rosa Bredekamp, a Cape psychologist, says altruism brings with it many psychological benefits. ʻIt ensures that our species survives. It creates a feeling of usefulness, togetherness. We have to get through life together, help each other. Giving teaches tolerance and cultivates good relationships.ʼ In modern life, with its strong focus on individuality, this type of community service creates the opportunity to reach out to others and to listen. Itʼs important for children to be involved too. ʻChildren need to learn to be empathetic. They need to realise that you donʼt only make a difference through money. You can use creativity to help: a scarf, beanie, jersey, pretty cushion, blanket, wash cloth, card,

your life

‘It is communicating a message to all of us that it is possible to make South Africa a better place. We have no choice but to work together as a nation to correct many things that are wrong in our country.’ ‒ Thabo Mbeki

childrenʼs art ‒ it can make a wonderful diﬀerence to the life of a granny or grandfather, child in a childrenʼs home or an animal,ʼ believes Rosa. And, she says, the example set by the parents will often determine to what extent children reach out. For instance ‒ a dad who helps with the school garden, or a mom who knits teddies for children in hospital: Itʼs usually their children who listen carefully and want to make a diﬀerence from a young age.

ocial entrepreneur Carolyn Steyn, founder of the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day initiative, is a case in point. She has described in interviews how her mother, who taught her to crochet when she was at school, grew up in a childrenʼs home. In 1999, when Carolyn returned to South Africa from overseas, she wanted to make a diﬀerence. The poverty in the country hit her between the eyes. Her path crossed with that of Madibaʼs personal assistant, Zelda la Grange, and the seed for her knitting project was planted. A Facebook group was formed and within months it had thousands of members from 15 countries. Even celebrities like Trevor Noah and Lira have partici-

pated. Carolyn has also taught people to knit. This year they are teaming up with Gift of the Givers and in May they will showcase the results of their #RainbowNationBlanketofHope charity drive. Thousands of warm, colourful blankets will then be handed out to communities in need, with the help of Gift of the Givers, before the cold of winter arrives. This award-winning knitting campaign has also helped a neighbouring country in need. When tropical cyclone Idai hit Mozambique in 2019 (killing more than 1 000 people and destroying 100 000 houses), Graça Machel, Madibaʼs widow and Mozambican politician and humanitarian, asked for help. Stuttafords Van Lines was immediately called in to deliver a large number of blankets to stranded people. Former president Thabo Mbeki had this to say about the project: ʻIt is communicating a message to all of us that it is possible to make South Africa a better place. We have no choice but to work together as a nation to correct many things that are wrong in our country.ʼ (Read more on 67blankets.co.za.) All well and good, but how do you get involved with charitable initiatives, many people wonder. And if you yourself donʼt

have money, but want to help, what do you do? Sharon says itʼs no excuse. We buy too easily. If you have an old jersey that you no longer wear, unravel it and knit a toy with the yarn, or even a new jersey. Go to fabric shops and ask for their offcuts. You can make them into wonderful quilts or kitchen cloths. Turn old towels or curtains into something new. Make cute books or cards for children or the elderly in old-age homes. Use your imagination: Cardboard, ribbon, wire, chalk, anything that you have lying in a drawer can come in handy. And just imagine how it could brighten someoneʼs day. She suggests that you ask at your nearest church or community centre, animal protection society or school and find out what the requirements are in the community, and if existing charity projects could benefit from your creativity. And then you get involved. ʻI was looking for crochet patterns and started doing research on Facebook. The more crochet pages I found, the more popped up. I noticed that many of the people who share their patterns ‒ also for knitting ‒ are often participants in bigger charity projects.ʼ

May/June 2022 IDEAS 53

your life

‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?”.’ ‒ Martin Luther King Jr

Sharon doesnʼt believe in coincidence and says that if you want to get involved and start digging, you will be led in some way or another. Her charity work came together ʻorganicallyʼ. ʻIʼm not a traditional Christian, but I see God in the eyes of a buck, in the stars, a ﬂower, and in the light that shines in a personʼs eyes when you help.ʼ Reaching out with your own handiwork is something that must come from the heart, a call that you must respect, says Sharon. Thatʼs when one wonderful opportunity after another will cross your path. Often people think they are not artistic enough to make a diﬀerence, or their crafts leave much to be desired. But it is not necessary to be a maker of worldclass quality or to win prizes, says Sharon. Start small, and when you really get going you will be surprised by what you can do. One of Martin Luther King Jrʼs loveliest quotes is: ʻLifeʼs most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?”.ʼ By the way, Carolyn often involves school children and prisoners in the knitting for her Madiba blanket project. I read the words of a prisoner who took part a

54 IDEAS May/June 2022

few years ago: By knitting together as a group (in prison) we were able to heal our broken lives and restore our humanity. It was as if we, as a nation, were being joined together by knitting yarn. Sharon recalls a memory Years ago she and her children would drive past The Couch Man every day, she says. They gave him this name because it looked as if he had dressed himself in everything and anything that he had found on a couch. They would regularly buy him something to eat ‒ bread, a pie, a cold drink, milk ‒ and pass it to him through the car window. One day, Sharon decided it was time to talk to him. She stopped the car, climbed out, shook his hand and introduced herself. The rough, dirty hand gripped hers. He looked her in the eyes and a light went on. ʻI realised nothing beats human contact.ʼ And so it is the crafting. Itʼs something that comes from the heart. A connection. Your unique piece of warmth, your hand and heart that for a moment ʻshake handsʼ with a stranger. Itʼs as if your work says: ʻI see youʼ ‒ even if you donʼt have eye contact. Itʼs that instant of humanity that makes life softer.

Examples of crafts that can make a difference: 3Knit blankets or knock together dog kennels for Buster and his buddies at a dog shelter, or make soft cushions for cats. 3 Crochet or knit booties, beanies, bibs, jackets and pants for babies in childrenʼs homes. 3 Crochet, quilt or knit blankets. 3 Knit warm socks. 3 Make clothes. 3 Make cute childrenʼs books with remnants of cardboard and bits of ribbon. 3 Make toys from wire. 3 Help someone with their garden. 3 If you do pottery, make someone their own bowl, mug or plate. 3 Take a photo of a family who are struggling, frame it and give it to them as a gift ‒ it acknowledges their humanity and says: ʻYou matter.ʼ

There are a multitude of charity and welfare organisations in South Africa that could beneﬁt from your creativity. Here are a few examples: 3 Red Cross War Memorial Childrenʼs Hospital ‒ childrenshospitaltrust.org.za; 021 686 7860. 3 National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ‒ nspca.co.za; 011 907 3590. 3 Domestic Animal Rescue Group (DARG) ‒ info@darg.org.za; 021 790 0383. 3 Blankets for Baby Rhinos ‒ blanketsforbabyrhinos.org. 3 Badisa, which describes itself as a neighbour to everyone in need ‒ badisa.org.za; 021 957 7130. 3 Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT), which does wonderful work in the Karoo to empower children, as well as prison outreaches ‒ pactrust.co.za. 3 Abraham Kriel Childrenʼs Home ‒ akknyl.co.za; hoof@akknyl.co.za. 3 ACVV ‒ programme for older people with special needs ‒ acvv.org.za. 3 POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse) ‒ powa.co.za; 011 642 4345.

stitchcraft

Craft with heart MOST OF US HAVE A BAG OF LEFTOVER YARNS OR A SHELF FULL OF FABRIC REMNANTS. AND THEN THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN NEED OF SOMETHING WARM, SOMETHING SOFT TO HOLD OR SIMPLY A BAG TO CARRY THEIR POSSESSIONS IN. SEE WHAT YOU HAVE AND USE THIS INSPIRATION TO DO YOUR BIT TO HELP MAKE THE WORLD A FRIENDLIER, WARMER PLACE.

st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O'RILEY unless stated other wise

Blankets from Inspired, Doornboom Farm on the N2, Heidelberg. Contact Sally 076 972 0701

56 IDEAS May/June 2022

3 Roll your leftover yarns into balls and store them in egg boxes. It's a good way to keep them neat and tidy.

58 IDEAS May/June 2022

stitchcraft

Three new blocks With these three innovative designs you can use your creativity to crochet a blanket, beanie or jersey that you can donate to a charity or to help out someone in need. projec t GINA ROSS

DIFFICULTY

BLOCK 1

BLOCK 2

Advanced beginner

Make a magic circle.

Rnd 1: Work in magic circle ch3 and 11dc, sl st into 3rd ch to join. Break yarn. Rnd 2: Start rnd by working into a ch-sp from rnd 1, join in new colour and ch4, (sc into next ch-sp, ch1) x 3, ch2, (sc into next ch-sp, ch1) x 3, ch2, (sc into next chsp, ch1) x 3, ch2, (sc into next ch-sp, ch1) x 2, sl st to 2nd ch of ch4 to close rnd. Rnd 3: Start rnd by working into a ch3-sp from rnd 2, ch3, 2dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1, (into next ch3 work 3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1) x 3, sl st into the top of the ﬁrst ch3 to join. Break yarn. Rnd 4: Start rnd by working into a ch2-sp

Rnd 1: Work in magic circle ch3 and 7dc, sl st into top of ch3 to join. Rnd 2: ch 7, (sc into 2nd available crochet sp, ch6) x 3, sl st to 2nd ch of ch7 to close rnd. Break yarn. Rnd 3: Start rnd by working into the ch7-sp from rnd 2, join in new colour, ch3, 2dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1, (into next ch3 work 3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1) x 3, sl st into the top of the ﬁrst ch3 to join. Break yarn. Rnd 4: Start rnd by working into a ch2-sp from rnd 3, join in new colour, ch3, 2dc, ch2, 3dc, (3dc into next ch1 from rnd 3, then into next ch2-sp work 3dc, ch2, 3dc)

from rnd 3, join in new colour, ch3, 2dc, ch2, 3dc, (dc into next ch1 from rnd 3, dc into next ch-sp from rnd 2, dc into next ch1 from rnd 3, then into next ch2-sp, 3dc, ch2, 3dc) x 3, dc into next ch1 from rnd 3, dc into ch-sp from rnd 2, dc into next ch1 from rnd 3, sl st into the top of the ﬁrst ch3 to join. Break yarn. Rnd 5: Start rnd by working into a ch2-sp from rnd 4, join in new colour, ch3, hdc, ch2, 2hdc, (hdc into next 8 dc, into the next ch2-sp work 2hdc, ch2, 2hdc) x 3, hdc into next 8 dc, sl st into the top of the ﬁrst ch3 to join. Break yarn.

x 3, 3dc into next ch1 from rnd 3, sl st into the top of the ﬁrst ch3 to join. Break yarn. Rnd 5: Start rnd by working into a ch2-sp from rnd 4, join in new colour, ch3, hdc, ch2, 2hdc, (hdc into next 8 dc, into the next ch2-sp work 2hdc, ch2, 2hdc) x 3, hdc into next 8 dc, sl st into the top of the ﬁrst ch3 to join. Break yarn.

SIZE Approximately 9 x 9cm blocked YOU WILL NEED ♥ African Expressions Harmony, approximately 8g of yarn per square (colours used for samples: 2552, 2281, 2052, 2127, 2131, 2011, 2126, 2119) ♥ 4,5mm crochet hook ♥ scissors ♥ darning needle or thinner crochet hook for joining and working ends away ABBREVIATIONS (American crochet terms) ch ‒ chain dc ‒ double crochet hdc ‒ half double crochet rnd ‒ round sc ‒ single crochet sl st ‒ slip stitch sp ‒ space NOTE Break yarn = cut yarn and pull the end through the current slip knot to secure.

stitchcraft

BLOCK 1

BLOCK 3 Make a magic circle. Rnd 1: Work in magic circle ch3, 2dc, (ch1, 3dc) x 3, sl st into top of ch3 to join. Break yarn. Rnd 2: Start rnd by working into any sp from rnd 1, join in new colour, in ﬁrst sp work ch3, 2dc, ch2, 3dc, (ch1, into next 2ch from rnd 1 work 3dc, ch2, 3dc) x 3, sl st to top of ch3 to close rnd. Break yarn. Rnd 3: Start rnd by working into a ch2-sp from rnd 2, join in new colour, ch3, 6dc, (ch2, dc into next ch1 from rnd 2, ch2,

BLOCK 2

then into next 2ch-sp from rnd 2 work 7dc) x 3, sl st into the top of the ﬁrst ch3 to join. Break yarn. Rnd 4: Start rnd by working into the ch2-sp from rnd 3 at the top left of the square, join in new colour, in the same ch2-sp work ch3, 2dc, (dc into next 3 dc, ch3, dc into the next 3 dc, 3dc into next ch2-sp, 3dc into the next ch2-sp) x 3, 3dc into the last 2ch-sp, sl st into the top of the ﬁrst ch3 to join. Break yarn. FINISHING Work in loose yarn ends at back of work and block lightly. Join the blocks together by sewing or working sc.

BLOCK 3 Chain (ch) Single crochet (sc) Half double crochet (hd) Double crochet (dc) Join new colour Joining bar (slip stitch)

60 IDEAS May/June 2022

Knit some squares We show you ﬁve diﬀerent ways of knitting a square, and also how to put them together to make a cross pattern blanket. projec t GINA ROSS

May/June 2022 IDEAS 61

stitchcraft

DIFFICULTY: easy

BLOCK 1 GARTER STITCH

SIZE

Cast on 14 sts. Rows 1‒24: k all sts. Cast oﬀ loosely.

Approximately 7 x 7cm YOU WILL NEED ♥ African Expressions Harmony, 8 or more colours of your choice, approximately 5g of yarn per square (colours used for samples: 2552, 2281, 2052, 2127, 2131, 2011, 2126, 2119) ♥ 4,5mm knitting needles ♥ scissors ♥ darning needle for joining and working ends away ABBREVIATIONS k ‒ knit p ‒ purl rep ‒ repeat RS ‒ right side st(s) ‒ stitch(es) WS ‒ wrong side TO KNIT Knit one of each of the following block patterns in each colour (that is, 5 blocks per colour). When ﬁnishing each block, leave at least a 20cm tail to sew the blocks together.

62 IDEAS May/June 2022

BLOCK 2 STOCKING STITCH Cast on 14 sts. Row 1: k all sts. Row 2: p all sts. Rows 3‒20: rep rows 1 and 2. Cast off loosely. BLOCK 3 SEED STITCH Cast on 14 sts. Row 1: (k1, p1) to the end of the row. Row 2: (p1, k1) to the end of the row. Rows 3‒20: rep rows 1 and 2. Cast off loosely. BLOCK 4 MODIFIED SPACING SEED STITCH Cast on 14 sts. Row 1: (p1, k3) x 3, p1, k1. Row 2: p all sts. Row 3: k2, (p1, k3) x 3. Rows 4‒21: rep rows 1‒3 six more times. Cast off loosely. BLOCK 5 GARTER CHECKERBOARD Cast on 14 sts.

Row 1: k1, (k3, p3) x 2, k1. Row 2: p1, (p3, k3) x 2, p1. Row 3: k1, (k3, p3) x 2, k1. Row 4: p1, (k3, p3) x 2, p1. Row 5: k1, (p3, k3) x 2, k1. Row 6: p1, (k3, p3) x 2, p1. Rows 7‒24: rep rows 1‒6 three more times. Cast off loosely. FINISHING Sew 5 blocks of the same colour (one in each stitch pattern) together to form a ʻplusʼ shape ‒ one block in the middle and one on each square side of the middle block. It doesnʼt matter if the blocks are joined with the stitch patterns up straight, sideways or upside down. But do take care that all the blocks have their right sides facing when you are stitching them together. Arrange the ʻplusʼ shapes so that they fit together in a colour scheme that is pleasing, and sew the blocks together. Make as many blocks as you need to achieve the desired size. Knit extra blocks in different colours to sew onto the plus pattern, to square off the final piece. Work all loose yarn ends away with the darning needle.

Wrap up against the cold The brighter the better, as you can see from this mixture of knitting and crochet. May/June 2022 IDEAS 63

Grannies galore Let the grannies give you, or someone who needs it, a warm snuggly hug. All those lovely leftover yarns in your stash can be used in this fun, colourful project. projec t ELSBE TH EK STEEN

DIFFICULTY: easy (medium if you are not familiar with 'join as you go' technique) TIME: week and a half SIZE Crochet squares scarf: 22cm x 150cm

64 IDEAS May/June 2022

YOU WILL NEED ♥ mix of yarns, but the main ones are: ‒ Scheepjes Ombré, Murderous Mint (hold inside and outside ends together for a lovely variegated green) ‒ African Expressions Soul, Neon Coral to use in the 'join as you go'

‒ Greta 45 ‒ Loopy #6 Chloe, Mint Green ‒ Scheepjes Colour Cake, Wild Strawberry (start from outside yarn end) ‒ African Expressions, Freedom 5024 x 2 ♥ The others are: ‒ Nurturing Fibres, Durable,

stitchcraft

ch2) 3 times into the magic circle, 2tr and

to see how it is done if you are a visual

sl st into the ch-sp to close the rnd. Bind oﬀ if you are doing a colour change or

learner. Join all the squares.

‒ African Expressions Soul, Neon Yellow ‒ Our Tribe, Old Bewick

just cont with next rnd. Rnd 2: ch4 (count as 1 tr and 2 ch), 3tr

EDGING Rnd 1: Using Scheepjes, Wild Strawberry,

‒ Scheepjes Cotton, Sapling ♥ 10 tassels made from Cowgirl Blues

into the corner-sp, make (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in

unwind 20m and wind a ball of yarn. Use 2 strands together and crochet a granny

Scheepjes and Vinnis mini balls ‒ African Expressions, Desire and Vinnis black held together

Aran, Ruby Grapefruit ♥ 3,5mm or 4mm crochet hook, depending on your tension ♥ tapestry needle ♥ scissors ♥ blocking mat ♥ T-pins to block scarf with ABBREVIATIONS ch ‒ chain cont ‒ continue dc ‒ double crochet rep ‒ repeat rnd ‒ round sl st ‒ slip stitch sp ‒ space st(s) ‒ stitch(es) tr ‒ treble NOTES The granny squares are joined as you go for a delicate lace-like detail between the squares. Make all your granny squares, join them together, add the row of granny stitches on one side, and make the border. 4 : This is the symbol for the block you are crocheting. 2 : This is the symbol for a ﬁnished block that you are joining to the 4 block. The crochet squares scarf measures 22cm x 150cm. You can adjust the length and width to your own liking by making more or fewer granny squares. TO CROCHET Make 32 granny squares consisting of 4 rows. Make a few in one colour and others with multiple colour changes. Have fun with your colour combinations. HOW TO CROCHET A GRANNY SQUARE With crochet hook and yarn, make a magic circle. Rnd 1: ch4 (count as 1 tr and 2 ch), (3tr,

all the corners (in last rep, end with 2tr), sl st to close the rnd. Bind oﬀ if you are doing a colour change or just cont with next rnd.

st border all around. Join yarn into corner of scarf, ch4 and 3tr into same corner, 3 tr into next ch-sp of

Rnd 3: ch4 (count as 1 tr and 2 ch), 3tr into the same corner-sp, *3 tr in between

the join as you go. *In the corners of the join as you go squares that are next to

the previous granny clusters, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) into corner-sp;* rep from * to * 3 times, into last corner-sp work 1 tr less, sl st to close the rnd. Bind oﬀ or cont.

each other you can make a tr into cornerch, a tr into the sp between the squares

Rnd 4: ch4 (count as 1 tr and 2 ch), 3tr into same corner-sp, *make 3tr in

4ch-sps;* rep from * to * until the next corner of the scarf, 3tr, ch2, 3tr into the

between the granny clusters of rnd 3, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) into corner;* rep from * to *

corner and cont around the whole scarf.

3 times, into last corner-sp work 1 tr less, sl st to close rnd. Bind off. JOIN AS YOU GO LACE METHOD Set up square: Join Neon Coral yarn to any corner of the granny square, ch5 and dc into the same corner, ch3 and dc in between the next granny-cluster; rep to the next corner, (dc, ch5, dc) into the corner, cont until you reach the end, sl st into the starting ch-sp. JOINING SQUARES TOGETHER Crochet one side of the (4) square with the join as you go lace method and stopping after the first dc into the 2nd corner. Place the first finished square (2) behind the square you are currently working on (4), making sure the right sides of your squares are facing outwards, ch3 and sl st around the corner sts of (2), ch3 and dc into the (4) square in front of you, ch2, sl st around the ch3 on the (2) square so that the squares are joined, ch2 and dc into the next sp in the (4) square in front of you, cont to join until the next corner. After making a dc into the corner of the (4) square, ch3 and sl st around the corner ch of the (2) square, ch3 and dc into the (4) square, cont working all around. Please watch some join as you go lace method videos

and a tr into the adjoining squares corner. Cont with the 3tr into the next

Rnd 2: Scheepjes, Bright Ocean and Murderous Mint held together, rep rnd 1. Rnd 3: Scheepjes, Ocean Blue, rep another rnd. GRANNY STITCH EDGE One edge of the scarf has 10 rows of granny sts and crocheted with the following colours: Durable, Bright Green and Scheepjes, Murderous Mint held together, Durable Mini, Indigo Scheepjes, Catona, Vintage Peach Bright Acrylic Pink African Expressions, Neon Coral and Scheepjes, Wild Strawberry held together. Row 1: Join yarn into corner of scarf and ch2, 2tr into same sp, *skip 2 sts, 3tr into next st;* rep from * to * until end of row, ﬁnish the row by making 3tr into last st. Row 2: ch3, *3 tr in between next granny sts, skip 2 sts;* rep from * to * until last sp is ﬁlled with 3tr, tr into top of last st. Rows 3‒10: rep rows 1 and 2, changing colours every second row. FINISHING With Cowgirl Blues Aran, Ruby Grapefruit, make 10 tassels and sew 5 onto the granny stitch edging. Work away all the loose yarn ends and wet block the scarf. This will enhance the beautiful lacy look in between the blocks. Finish the other edge with tassels.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 65

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My favourite things Combine some knitting, crochet and a vintage embroidered tray cloth to create a unique and playful scarf. Mix and match colours from your yarn stash to the tray cloth, and make a few scarves to donate to a charity. projec t ELSBE TH EK STEEN

DIFFICULTY: easy ‒ basic knitting and

ABBREVIATIONS

Rows 3‒11: rep rows 1 and 2 with these

crochet stitches are used; medium if you are not used to 'join as you go' technique

ch ‒ chain

colour changes: 3 and 4: Nurturing Fibres, Lavender

TIME: a week SIZE Scarf measures 145cm x 30cm

dc ‒ double crochet rep ‒ repeat rnd ‒ round sp ‒ space st(s) ‒ stitch(es)

5 and 6: Loopy #3, Adventure 7, 8 and 9: Catona, Blue 10: Wild Strawberry held double 11: Catona, Green

tr ‒ treble YOU WILL NEED ♥ vintage tray cloth of 30cm x 43cm ♥ yarns used:

NOTES • We coloured our tray cloth by giving it

‒ Be Inspired, Flooﬁe, Lilac ‒ Our Tribe, Old Bewick

a bath in diluted Annie Sloan chalk paint, Scandinavian pink. Hang up the cloth

‒ Loopy #6 ‒ Eris: Vanilla with Neon

in the sun. When dry, rinse it under cold

‒ ‒

‒

‒ ‒ ‒

Speckles and Chloe: Mint Green and Adventure #3 Miss La Motte ‒ Twist Sock, Frosted Plum The Alpaca Yarn Co ‒ Mariquita Handdyed: Baby Alpaca & Tencel Yarn, Spring Peepers # 554 Loopy #6 ‒ Blended Delight: Merino, Silk, Mohair & Polyamide Sock Yarn, Experiment 101 Scheepjes, Organic Cotton, Sapling Assortment colours of mini yarn balls from Scheepjes and Durable Cowgirlblues, Aran, Lilac

‒ Scheepjes, Colour Cake, Wild Strawberry, held double ‒ Scheepjes, Murderous Mint, held double ‒ Nurturing Fibres, Sock, Lavender ‒ Catona, Blue, Green ‒ Malabrigo, Hollyhock ♥ 3,5mm or 4mm crochet hook ♥ 6mm knitting needles ♥ tapestry needle ♥ embroidery needle ♥ sewing thread ♥ scissors ♥ blocking mat ♥ T-pins

66 IDEAS May/June 2022

water to get rid of the chalk. Hang it up to dry again. • The scarf is made in sections that you join as you work. Knit and crochet the sections to make the scarf and add the cloth. If your cloth is wider, you can fold it in the middle so that it is as wide as the scarf ‒ do this after you have wet blocked your work because it will stretch. TO MAKE SECTION 1 Rnds 1‒7: Follow the granny square pattern and make 2 grannies of 7 rnds. Join the 2 squares. Rnds 8 and 9: Crochet 2 rnds of granny stitch around. Bind oﬀ. Join Loopy #6, Neon Speckles into a

SECTION 3 With 6mm knitting needles and Cowgirlblues, Aran, Lilac, pick up sts along the last crochet border ‒ 2 sts per cluster. Rows 1‒14: Knit all sts and cast oﬀ. Join in Malabrigo, Hollyhock into corner and using crochet hook, make granny clusters. Rows 15‒20: Follow instructions for section 2, row 3 and bind oﬀ. SECTION 4 Crochet a granny square of 15 rnds and various colour changes. Crochet 2 granny squares of 8 rnds each. You can join them as you go, or sew them together. Sew the big granny and the other panel together with the tapestry needle. Join all the sections together if you did not use the join as you go method.

SECTION 2 Join yarn into a corner of section 1 with crochet hook and Scheepjes, Sapling.

CROCHET EDGING The edging is crocheted in between the granny clusters into the knitted edges. With Old Bewick and the crochet hook, join in yarn into a corner, skip granny stitch cluster and work 8tr in between the clusters, dc in between the next cluster; rep all around.

Row 1: ch2, 2tr into same st, 3tr in between granny sts of section 1. Over the length of the knitted part, crochet 6 granny clusters. Row 2: ch3, 3tr in between the sps of the previous row, 1tr into the last st, bind oﬀ.

FINISHING Wet block and pin to a blocking mat. Sew your vintage cloth to the edge of the scarf with the embroidery needle and thread of your choice.

corner and pick up sts along the wide section using the knitting needles. Rows 10‒23: Knit all the sts. Cast oﬀ.

stitchcraft

Knit a warm cuddle This winter knit a chunky cardigan to donate to someone who needs a bit of warmth. This is a lovely, functional project. Use the sketches to play with colour combinations ‒ great to do while you watch your favourite shows. projec t ELSBE TH EK STEEN photo HENK VENTER

DIFFICULTY: easy to medium

♥ ChiaoGoo ‒ Twist Lace Knitting Needle

the diagram on the page overleaf, so they

TIME: three weeks

Tips 7mm ♥ ChiaoGoo ‒ Twist Red Cable

are all diﬀerent sizes. • To knit blocks of colour you will be

SIZE Small (medium, large). Medium size

[Large] x 1 ♥ 5mm knitting needles

knitting intarsia. Please watch some video tutorials to get familiar with the

measures 50cm wide and 40cm long.

♥ tapestry needle ♥ knitting needle point protectors ♥ scissors ♥ blocking mat ♥ T-pins for blocking ♥ quilting clips ‒ keep the panels nicely in place while sewing them together

technique. • The knitting is quite stretchy, so keep this in mind when you plan your size. The panels can stretch up to 10cm lengthwise after blocking. This is quite important when you decide on the length of the sleeves. This is only relevant if your yarns are mostly animal and plant based. Acrylic yarn wonʼt stretch so much after blocking.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ yarns and colours used are: ‒ African Expressions in Desire ‒ Vinnis in Black ‒ Scheepjes in Sapling, Cake, Wild Strawberry and Murderous Mint ‒ African Expressions Neon in Coral, Yellow and Pink ‒ Loopy #6 ‒ The 170 DK: 100% Superﬁne Merino: Goddess Collection x 1 ‒ Eris: Vanilla with Neon Speckles, ‒ Adventure #3 ‒ Chloe: Mint Green ‒ Malabrigo ‒ Rios DK: 100% Superwash ‒ Merino Yarn x 1 Hollyhock ‒ Nurturing Fibres ‒ SuperTwist Sock Yarn: Merino Wool x 1 Lavender ‒ Miss La Motte ‒ Twist Sock: 100% ‒ Superwash Merino x 1 Frosted Plum ‒ Adeleʼs Mohair ‒ Magic Ball: Upcycled Yarns x 1 Strawberry Shortcake ‒ The Alpaca Yarn Co ‒ Mariquita Handdyed: Baby Alpaca & Tencyl Yarn x 1 Spring Peepers #554 ‒ Loopy #6 ‒ Blended Delight: Merino, Silk, Mohair & Polyamide Sock Yarn x 1 ‒ Experiment 101 ‒ Flooﬁes, Lilac

NOTES • Make your own Aran weight yarn by knitting with 2 strands of double knitting yarn together. Use any other combination of yarns to get from Aran weight to chunky weight yarns. Even though some combination yarns will be thicker or thinner, keep knitting with the same size needles. • The simplicity of the blocks is upped with a wow factor when you use diﬀerent textured yarns, some mohair and unusual colour combinations in the balls that you make and by the way the colours next to each other interact. • The cardigan is knitted in panels and sewn together. The medium size measures 50cm wide by 40cm long (you can make your cardigan as wide or long as you want, even a long coat). • The blocks of colour can be knitted so that they are all perfect squares or, like

ABBREVIATIONS beg ‒ begin(ning) cont ‒ continue dec ‒ decrease(ing) inc ‒ increase(ing) k ‒ knit p ‒ purl rep ‒ repeat rib ‒ ribbing RS ‒ right side st(s) ‒ stitch(es) st st ‒ stocking stitch TO KNIT BACK Knitted as a square from the bottom up. Shape the neckline over the last 7 rows. With 5mm knitting needles and African Expressions Desire and Vinnis Black held

May/June 2022 IDEAS 69

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together, cast on 52 (60, 68) sts for the

the back and work until you reach the st

ribbing. Row 1: k 2, p 2. Row 2: k all the sts. Rows 3-6: rep rows 1 and 2. Change to 7mm needles. Using 4 balls of yarn, cont in st st (one k row, one p row). Row 7: Start working the blocks. Join in first colour and k 13 (15, 17) sts per colour to complete the row. Row 8 up to beg of neckline: Work in st st, changing colours depending on your preference. Neckline shaping: Find the centre of the back, count 7 (7, 9) sts from the centre back to both sides, place st markers there. Complete each half separately. Dec 1 st at neck edge in every row 7 (7, 9) times. Cast off remaining sts for shoulder. Complete second half as first, reversing shaping.

markers. With 5mm knitting needles and African Expressions Desire and Vinnis Black held together, cast on 26 (30, 34) sts and follow pattern for back. Work in st st until you reach the st markers on the back. Dec 1 st at neck edge in every 2nd row 7 (7, 9) times by working the ﬁrst 2 sts together. Cont working in st st until the front measures the same as the back. Cast oﬀ the remaining sts for shoulder.

FRONT MAKE 2 Dec for the neckline on the right-hand side of one panel and the left-hand side of the other panel. Count from the top of the back 25 (25, 27) rows down and mark with st markers on the side. This will be the guide you can use to beg dec for the front neckline. Measure the front against

70 IDEAS May/June 2022

SLEEVES MAKE 2 The sleeves are puﬀy, with a tighter cuﬀ, and have 4 blocks of colour. With 5mm knitting needles and African Expressions Desire and Vinnis Black held together, cast on 28 (32, 36) sts. Work 6 rows of k 2, p 2 rib as for the front and back panels. Change to 7mm needles. Row 7: k 7 (8, 9) sts per colour. Row 8: p 7 (8, 9) sts per colour. Row 9: inc into every 2nd st. Row 10 to desired length: Cont working in st st and changing colours whenever you want.

Cast off with a stretchy cast-off method. TO MAKE UP Using the quilting clips, secure the front shoulder edges to the back shoulder edges and sew together with double knitting yarn and the tapestry needle. Fold the sleeve top in half, place the fold on the shoulder seam and secure the sleeve to the side edges of the front and back with clips. Sew in position. Do the same with the other sleeve. Sew up the side and sleeve seams in one continuous seam. FRONT BORDERS With RS of work facing, using 5mm needles and African Expressions Desire and Vinnis Black held together, pick up and k about 74 sts along one front edge to centre back. Work 6 rows of k 2, p 2 rib, cast off loosely rib wise. Do the same along the other front edge and back neck. Sew the two short ribbing ends together in centre back. Work away all loose yarn ends at back of work. Wet block your cardigan.

Model: Mila Venter

HERE ARE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT BLOCK COMBINATIONS THAT YOU CAN USE TO PUT YOUR JERSEY TOGETHER. GET SOME COLOURED PENCILS AND TRY OUT A FEW COLOUR COMBINATIONS BEFORE STARTING.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 71

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Keep snug Crochet granny squares and make a pretty cover for a hot water bottle. projec t ELIZABE TH FESTER

DIFFICULTY: easy, beginner friendly

TO CROCHET

comfortably inside your cover and that

TIME: couple of days

BASIC GRANNY SQUARE Ch 3 at the beg, count as a st. Make a

the opening at the neck is not too wide or too narrow.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1 ball each Vinnis cotton in Lime 509,

magic ring. Rnd 1: Into magic ring work ch 3, 2 tr,

Raspberry 559, Violet 585, Turquoise 564, Lavender 551, Sunshine 535 ♥ 3,5mm crochet hook ♥ darning needle ♥ 4‒6 buttons ♥ stitch markers ABBREVIATIONS beg ‒ begin(ning) ch ‒ chain dc ‒ double crochet rep ‒ repeat rnd ‒ round sl st ‒ slip stitch sp ‒ space st(s) ‒ stitch(es) tr ‒ treble NOTE We used a 3,5mm crochet hook so our blocks are a bit smaller; that way the panels fit nicely over the hot water bottle. If you feel your panels are too big when you have sewn them together, only crochet 1 rnd in dc around and then check your size before finishing off.

72 IDEAS May/June 2022

ch 2, (3 tr, ch 2) 3 times, sl st to beg ch 3, fasten oﬀ. Rnd 2: Join a new colour into your 2 chcorner-sp, ch 3, 2 tr, ch 2, 3 tr, ch 1, [(3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr), ch 1] 3 times, fasten oﬀ. Rnd 3: Join a new colour into your 2 chcorner-sp, (ch 3, 2 tr, ch 2, 3 tr), ch 1, 3 tr into ch 1-sp, *[ch 1, (3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr), ch 1, 3 tr into ch 1-sp]*; rep from * to * all around, ch 1, sl st to ch 3 from beg.

CROCHET THE NECK Start at one of the side seams, ch 1, dc all

FOR THE HOT WATER BOTTLE Crochet 24 granny squares (12 per side). Lay your squares out as you prefer and then sew together. Crochet a border around one of your panels using dc. Add 1 more rnd and fasten oﬀ (2 rnds of dc). For your second panel, do the same as the ﬁrst one, except on your 2nd rnd you will make four to six crochet loops at the bottom of your panel for your buttons. Take the 2 panels and place them over your hot water bottle. Use st markers and determine how wide the opening must be at the top for the neck of your bottle. Make sure you can comfortably put your

around, sl st into 1st ch from beg, ch 1. Rep 3 more rnds. Increase: Lay the cover flat and mark with st markers more or less where the ʻsidesʼ are, 2 dc into 1st 2 sts from previous rnd, 1 dc into next sts, then 2 dc into last 2 sts before you get to the halfway st marker, 2 dc into 1st 2 sts after the st marker, 1 dc into next few sts, 2 dc into last 2 sts before you get to the beg st marker on the other side. If your bottle neck is not that wide, you can increase by working 2 dc into the 1st st only at the beg and end where you placed your st markers. Work 1 dc into each st all around. Rep for 3 rows. Check the width of the neck again (place on bottle). If it is wide enough, just add a few more dc rnds until your length is correct. If you want it wider, increase as above. When the neck opening length is correct, finish off with a sl st, or you could make a pretty little border (ours is a ch 2 every 3rd sl st).

bottle into your cover. Sew the two panels together on the sides, from your st markers down to the bottom. Before you crochet the neck part, check to make sure your bottle ﬁts

FINISHING Sew on the buttons to correspond with the button loops. Weave in all loose yarn ends at back of work.

stitchcraft

Pretty handy Keep your hands warm with these attractive embroidered mittens. Get a team together and knit a few more pairs to distribute to the elderly or people in need this winter. projec t LOUISA HOLST

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: about eight hours

TENSION 19 sts x 24 rows = 10 x 10cm using 4mm needles and working in stocking stitch

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Width: 12cm Length: 23cm YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1 x 100g ball of double knitting yarn in each colour (we used Elle Gold Double Knit, colour Blossom, for the main colour, Silver for the second colour and Glamour for the embroidery) ♥ 3,5mm and 4mm knitting needles ♥ embroidery template on page overleaf ♥ darning needle ♥ scissors

ABBREVIATIONS k ‒ knit p ‒ purl rep ‒ repeat RS ‒ right side st(s) ‒ stitch(es) WS ‒ wrong side TO KNIT Using 3,5mm needles and second colour, cast on 42 sts. Row 1: Work in double rib st (k 2, p 2) to end of row. Row 2: p 2, k 2 to end of row. Rows 3-7: Rep rows 1 and 2. Row 8: Change to 4mm needles and p to end of row.

Row 9: Change to main colour, k to end of row. Row 10: p to end of row. Row 11: Change to second colour and k to end of row. Row 12: p to end of row. Rows 13-32: Change back to main colour and k one row, p one row until work measures 18cm. Row 33: Change to second colour and k to end of row. Row 34: p to end of row. Row 35: change to main colour and k to end of row. Row 36: p to end of row. Row 37: change to second colour and k to end of row. Row 38: p 2, k 2 to end of row. Row 39: k 2, p 2 to end of row. Rows 40-45: rep rows 38 and 39. Cast oﬀ all the sts. The best way to do

May/June 2022 IDEAS 75

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this is to cast oﬀ in the same sts you have been knitting the double rib (k 2, p 2) in.

1 Starting from the back, insert the needle through the base of the knitted

Move the yarn to the back of the needle before casting the st oﬀ when you have

st you are going to cover. Pull the thread through.

done a p st.

2 Insert the needle sideways through the knitted st above the st you will be

base to the back of the knitting again. Rep this process and follow the graph to cover the sts that you need to create the pattern. The petals of the ﬂower should be embroidered using the third colour that you have chosen.

EMBROIDERY The embroidery is done using Swiss

covering and pull the thread through. 3 Insert the needle back into the base of

5 Work away the loose yarn ends on the WS with the darning needle.

darning st. Follow the template on the page alongside. Use the second colour to

the st and pull through to complete the embroidery st.

FINISHING

embroider the stem of the ﬂower. Secure the thread onto the WS of the upper side.

4 Bring the needle through from the

You will start working in the row after the coloured stripe on the mitten and work

back to the front of the base of the next st that you want to cover. Insert the

upwards. Begin 10 sts inwards from the

needle sideways through the knitted st above the one you want to cover, pull

edge of the thumb side of the mitten.

through and then down through the

76 IDEAS May/June 2022

Sew the side edges together, leaving a 6-7cm gap open for the thumb to go through. The gap should be 6cm below the top edge of the mitten. Work any loose yarn ends away with the darning needle.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 77

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Quick and cosy This cute beanie pattern is easy to follow and quick to make, even if youʼre just a beginner. Itʼs an ideal project to knit and donate to a charity to spread some love and warmth during the cold months ahead. projec t LOUISA HOLST photo HENK VENTER

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: about six hours

Row 4: Keeping the sts in the same colours as the previous row, p to end.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Row 5-17: Rep k and p rows in the two colours until the work measures 11cm, ending on a p row.

Width: 54cm circumference Length: 24cm YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1 x 100g balls of chunky yarn in each colour (we used Elle Gold Chunky, colour Mist, as the main colour, and Elle Gold Chunky, colour Ivory, as the second colour) ♥ a pair of 5,5mm knitting needles ♥ darning needle ♥ cardboard to make the pom-pom TENSION 13 sts x 17 rows = 10 x 10cm using 5,5mm needles and working in stocking stitch ABBREVIATIONS k ‒ knit k2tog ‒ knit two stitches together knitwise p ‒ purl rep ‒ repeat RS ‒ right side st(s) ‒ stitch(es) WS ‒ wrong side TO KNIT Cast on 80 sts using the main colour yarn. Row 1: k to end. Row 2: p to end. Row 3: Join the second colour yarn to the beginning of the row, k 1 st using the main colour, and then 1 st using the second colour, rep to end of row.

The remaining rows will be knitted in stocking stitch using your main colour. Rows 18-45: Use the main colour yarn and k 1 row, p 1 row until the work measures 25cm. Row 46: k1, k2tog, rep to end of row. Row 47: p to end of row. Row 48: k2tog, rep to end of row. Row 49: p to end of row. Row 50: k2tog, rep to end of row. Row 51: p to end of row. Row 52: You should have 14 sts remaining. Cut the yarn, leaving a 20cm length. Thread a darning needle with the length of yarn and thread through the remaining sts. Remove the knitting needle. Pull the yarn up tight and tie in a knot. FINISHING Sew the edges together. With the WS facing outwards, fold the bottom edge of the beanie over to form a 6cm border. Pin in place. Use the main colour yarn to sew the edge of the beanie to the inside, being careful not to work the sts through to the RS of the knitting. Using the darning needle, sew any loose yarn ends away on the WS. STRIPED BEANIE If you are a beginner and not comfortable with using two diﬀerent colours at the same time (stranded knitting) you can knit an option with simple stripes. To do

this, simply begin the beanie by knitting one row in one colour, the next row in another colour, and a third row in a third colour (work one row k, one row p). Rep these 3 rows 8 times and then change to the colour that you will be using as the main colour to knit the remainder of the beanie. Fold over and sew in the same way as described in the main pattern. POM-POM 1 Cut two 9cm circles out of cardboard to use as your template. Cut a slit to get to the centre of the circle and cut a hole of the same size out of each one. Hold the two circles together, use the second colour yarn and wrap the yarn around the cardboard ring. Work your way around the entire ring, until it is full and you have ﬁlled the smaller circle in the middle. 2 Use sharp scissors to cut through the yarn along the outer edge of the circle all around, placing the scissors between the two circles of cardboard. Tie a piece of yarn around the middle of the pompom between the two cardboard circles. Pull tight and tie a knot to secure the pieces of yarn in place. Leave the ends of the piece of yarn longish so you can use these to attach the pom-pom to your beanie. 3 Remove the cardboard template. Use the scissors to neaten and trim the pompom into an even, round shape. 4 Insert the long yarn ends through the small hole at the top of the beanie. Turn the beanie inside out and sew the yarn ends into the top of the inside of the hat to hold the pom-pom in place. Sew any loose yarn ends away.

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Ole! Everybody loves a doll, and Rosa, our little Spanish dancer, is so pretty and quirky, she will dance her way into your heart. projec t LIESL KLEU

DIFFICULTY: adventurous beginner/ intermediate TIME: 12-15 hours YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1 ball African Expressions Harmony in each of the following colours: A ‒ 2029 (Sand), B ‒ 2281 (Watermelon), C ‒ 2126 (Teal Blue), D ‒ 2131 (Cherry Red), E ‒ 2132 (Plum), F ‒ 2011 (Fresh) ♥ Nurturing Fibres Eco Lush in Lime ♥ Fibra Natura Papyrus ‒ 229-26 (Black) ♥ scissors ♥ darning needle for sewing and working yarn ends away ♥ crochet hooks in the following sizes: 3mm, 3,5mm and 4mm ♥ 2 x 9mm safety eyes ♥ polyester toy stuﬃng ♥ stitch marker ♥ bamboo skewer, about 15cm TENSION Tension is not important for this project, but the tighter the crochet fabric of Rosaʼs body, the better. So if you tend to crochet loosely, rather drop down a hook size. ABBREVIATIONS (US crochet terms) beg ‒ begin(ning) bl ‒ back loop ch ‒ chain dc ‒ double crochet hdc ‒ half double crochet

80 IDEAS May/June 2022

MR ‒ magic ring rep ‒ repeat

after the end of rnd 2 and pull it forwards or backwards between your sts.

rnd ‒ round RS ‒ right side

Start with your MR, do not join the rnd with a sl st. Do not start the second

sc ‒ single crochet

rnd with a ch, instead insert your

sl st ‒ slip stitch st(s) ‒ stitch(es)

hook straight through the ﬁrst st and work the required number of sts.

tog ‒ together SPECIAL STITCHES STACKED DC When you reach the end of the row, turn and work a sc in the first st. Turn your work slightly, and you will see the strands of yarn on the side of the sc forming a ʻVʼ. Insert the hook under the two strands of yarn that are forming the ʻVʼ to make another sc st. JOGLESS STRIPES Step 1 Before finishing last st of the rnd, pull new colour through the last 2 loops on your hook instead of the old colour. Step 2 Make a sl st instead of a sc in the first st of the rnd in the new colour, and complete the rnd as normal. Rep steps 1 and 2 whenever you need to change colour. PICOT ch 2, sl st back into base of first st CROCHETING IN A SPIRAL Crocheting in a spiral creates a nice, even fabric without a seam where the rnd ends. To keep track of the beg and end of your rnd, position a piece of waste yarn

2SC TOG Insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next st, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all sts. 3SC TOG Insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next st, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next st, yarn over and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all sts. 4SC TOG Insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next st, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next st, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next st, yarn over and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all sts. TO CROCHET HEAD AND BODY Using 3,5mm crochet hook and colour A, beg by making a MR. Work 6sc into MR. Rnd 1: (2sc into next st) 6 times (12sc). Rnd 2: (1sc, 2sc into next st) 6 times (18). Rnd 3: (2sc, 2sc into next st) 6 times (24).

Rnd 4: (3sc, 2sc into next st) 6 times (30). Rnd 5: sc into each st (30). Rnd 6: (4sc, 2sc into next st) 6 times (36). Rnds 7‒9: sc into each st. Rnd 10: (5sc, 2sc into next st) 6 times (42). Rnd 11: 8sc, (3sc into next st) twice, 17sc, (3sc into next st) twice, 13sc (50). Rnd 12: 9sc, (2sc into next st) twice, 23sc, (2sc into next st) twice, 14sc (54). Rnd 13: 9sc, (2sc tog) twice, 23sc, (2sc tog twice, sc14 (50). Rnd 14: 8sc, 4sc tog, 21sc, 4sc tog, sc13 (44). Rnd 15: 18sc, 2sc into next st, 2sc, 2sc into next st, 22sc (46). Rnds 16‒17: sc into each st. Rnd 18: 19sc, (3sc tog) twice, 21sc (42). Rnd 19: sc into each st. Rnd 20: (5sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (36). Rnd 21: (4sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (30). Rnd 22: (3sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (24). Place eyes and stuff. We placed the eyes between rnds 12 and 13, 5 sts apart. Rnd 23: (2sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (18). Rnd 24: (1sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (12). Change to 3mm hook. Rnds 25 ‒ 28: sc into each st. Rnd 29: (1sc, 2sc into next st) 6 times (18). Change to 3,5mm hook. Rnd 30: 6sc, 2sc into next st, 8sc, 2sc into next st, 2sc (20). Rnd 31: 6sc, (2sc into next st) twice, 8sc, (2sc into next st) twice, 2sc (24). Rnd 32: 8sc, (2sc into next st) twice, 10sc, (2sc into next st) twice, 2sc (28). Rnds 33‒34: sc into each st. Rnd 35: 10sc, 2sc into next st, 12sc, 2sc into next st, 4sc (30). Change to colour B. Rnd 36: Working into bl, sc into each st. Finish stuffing head and neck. Make sure you stuff the neck as solidly as possible. Insert your skewer so that about half is in the head portion, and the rest in the body. Rosa is very top heavy thanks to her wonderful bun, and needs a little bit of help to stay looking sober. Rnds 37‒38: sc into each st. Rnd 39: (4sc, 2sc into next st) 6 times (36). Rnd 40: (5sc, 2sc into next st) 6 times (42). Rnd 41: sc into each st.

stitchcraft Rnd 42: Working into bl only, sc into each st. Rnd 43: sc into each st. Fasten oﬀ colour B, and join in colour C. Rnds 44‒49: sc into each st.

Make sure you are happy with the stuﬃng, weave yarn end through sts and

excess yarn from the ends to neaten, and twist hair into a bun on the top of the

pull tight to close. Weave in ends.

head. Secure with a few sts, if necessary,

Put a st marker into the last st of rnd 49.

LEGS (Make 2)

This is just to secure the st while you work the skirt.

Using 3,5mm hook and colour A, beg by making a MR. Work 3sc into MR.

Change to 4mm hook and colour B, ﬁnd rnd 42 on the body where you did your second rnd of bl sts and hold the doll upside down. It is much easier to work the ﬁrst rows of the skirt if the body has

but you use the roses and leaves to hold the bun in place as you sew them on. ROSE BUDS

Rnd 1: (2sc into next st) 3 times (6sc).

Make 2 in each of the following colours: B, D, E.

Rnd 2: (1sc, 2sc into next st) 3 times (9). Join in colour F, and work in jogless

Using 4mm hook, ch7, 5dc into 3rd ch from hook, 5dc into each ch, ch2, sl st

stripes. Rnd 3: colour F.

into same ch as last dc. Fasten oﬀ. Weave

Rnd 4: colour F. Rnd 5: colour C.

in one end, and leave one for sewing.

Work rnds 3-6 ﬁve times.

LEAVES (Make 3) Using 4mm hook and colour F, ch5 and

Lightly stuﬀ legs, sew open end closed. Sew legs to the middle of the underside

join rnd with sl st into ﬁrst ch. Ch1, (2sc, 2hdc, 2dc, picot, 2dc, 2hdc, 2sc) into

of the body.

the ch5-sp. Join with a sl st. Fasten oﬀ, weave in one end, rolling and securing

each st. Break yarn, fasten oﬀ colour B and work away ends (126).

ARMS (Make 2)

the base of the rose at the same time. Leave one end for sewing the rose to the

Row 4: With colour D and RS of skirt facing, work into the bl only, standing dc into first st, 1dc into same st, 2dc into each st to end, turn (252). Row 5: Stacked dc into first st, 1dc into each st to end. Fasten off colour D and work away ends (252). Row 6: With colour E and RS facing, standing sc into first st, (ch2 picot, 2sc) 125 times, ch2 picot, sc into last st. Fasten off and work away ends. Return to row 4, and working in the front loops using colour C, standing sc into first st, (ch2 picot, 2sc) 62 times, 2ch picot, sc into last st. Fasten off and work away ends. Sew ends of skirt together.

Using 3,5mm hook and colour A, beg by

hair. Arrange leaves and roses around the

making a MR. Work 3sc into MR. Rnd 1: (2sc into next st) 3 times (6sc). Rnds 2‒25: sc into each st. Sew open end closed, and sew arms to the body at rnd 33.

base of the bun, and sew to the head and bun to anchor.

not yet been stuffed. Row 1: Standing dc into first front loop of rnd 42, 2dc into same st, (3dc into each st) 41 times, turn (126). Row 2: Stacked dc into first st, 1dc into each st, turn (126).

Rnd 6: colour C.

Row 3: Stacked dc into ﬁrst st, 1dc into

Continue with body, removing the st marker holding the last st on rnd 49 in place. Rnd 50: (5sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (36). Rnd 51: (4sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (30). Finish stuffing Rosa, ensuring that the stuffing is even and smooth and the neck still firm, and that the skewer has not moved out of place. Rnd 52: (3sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (24). Rnd 53: (2sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (18). Rnd 54: (1sc, 2sc tog) 6 times (12). Rnd 55: 2sc tog 6 times.

HAIR Using Papyrus, wrap yarn around a book at least 25cm in height. Cut through one side so you end up with pieces of yarn at least 50cm in length. Beg in rnd 6 of the head, add hair to frame the face, by working one st towards the ear on each row until you have an inverted ʻVʼ, using the method described below. Work around the ear, creating a framework that pleases you. Once you are happy with the shape of the hairline, work a second row of hair on the inside. Turn Rosa upside down occasionally to make sure you are ﬁlling in any gaps. Step 1: Insert hook through crochet fabric around a st. Step 2: Yarn over with the middle of a single strand of yarn and pull through. Step 3: Pull ends through the loop and tighten to crochet fabric. Once both rows are completed, trim oﬀ

SHAWL Using 3mm hook and Eco Lush, make a MR. Into MR work 3ch, 3dc, ch2, 4dc, turn. Row 1: (stacked dc, 3dc) into 1st st, dc into each st to ch2-sp, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into ch2-sp, dc to last st, 4dc into last st. Rep row 1 five more times. Fasten off and weave in ends. Cut a number of 10cm lengths of the Eco Lush, insert hook into the top of the first st on the last row of the shawl, yarn over with the middle of a single strand of yarn and pull through, pull ends through the loop and tighten to crochet fabric to create a fringe. Trim to desired length. Drape the shawl around Rosaʼs shoulders and fasten the front ends, using the small rose. SMALL ROSE Using 4mm hook and colour E, ch7, 5sc into 2nd ch from hook, 5hdc into each ch, ch2, sl st into same ch as last hdc. Fasten off and weave in ends, rolling and securing the base of the rose at the same time.

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Hop along This is such an easy little bunny to make and the beautiful embroidery adds a special touch. projec t ELIZABE TH FESTER

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: two days YOU WILL NEED ♥ pattern on page overleaf ♥ fabric ‒ calico or cotton works well ♥ dressmakerʼs pen ♥ embroidery hoop ♥ embroidery cotton in pink 602, 347; green 906, 905; blue 334; yellow 743; black 310 ♥ embroidery needle ♥ matching sewing thread ♥ polyester toy stuﬃng

84 IDEAS May/June 2022

TO MAKE 1 Using the dressmakerʼs pen, trace the pattern and the flower design onto your fabric for the front panel and cut out ‒ remember to add 1cm seam allowances all around. If your fabric is very sheer, you can iron interfacing to the back to stabilise it. Stretch your fabric in the embroidery hoop. 2 Embroider with 6 strands of embroidery cotton, using the following stitches: For the large flower a straight stitch to fill up the petals; for the rose and the mouth stem stitch; for the green leaves chain stitch; for the eyes and nose satin stitch. 3 Trace and cut out the rest of your pattern pieces: 4 ears, 4 legs and 1 body (back), adding 1cm seam allowances all

around. Stitch the ears in pairs by putting 2 pieces together with right sides facing, leaving the lower edges open, and turning right side out. Do the same with the legs, leaving the top edges open, and stuff the legs with the toy stuffing. 4 Pin the ears and legs in position onto the embroidered piece. Stitch in place. Now pin the back panel to the front panel with right sides facing. Make sure that the legs and ears are tucked to the inside before you stitch all around, leaving an opening on the side to turn the work right side out. Iron the whole piece. 5 Turn out to the right side. Stuff the body of the toy with the polyester toy stuffing and sew the side opening neatly closed by hand.

stitchcraft

TOP OF LEGS

CUT 4

TOES

BUNNY'S BODY CUT 2

TOP OF EARS

CUT 4

86 IDEAS May/June 2022

Blankets from JAARN, www.jaarn.co.za

Carry it It is the ideal backpack for everyday use. Make it special with pretty embroidery.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 87

♥

projec t ANELLE BRITZ

Backpack DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: eight hours YOU WILL NEED ♥ pattern on following pages ♥ fabric of your choice (see notes alongside) ♥ matching machine thread ♥ 164cm strap for backpack ♥ 2 D-rings ♥ 8 eyelets ♥ eyelet tool ♥ 1m cord to close backpack with ♥ button ♥ sharp scissors

88 IDEAS May/June 2022

NOTES ¶§We used three types of fabric with diﬀerent colours and textures. The width of the fabric you buy will determine how much you need. Our fabric was 150cm wide, thus half a metre of each did it. ¶§Embroidery is done on panels B and F. ¶§The pattern pieces all include a 1cm seam allowance. ¶§Follow the pattern instructions to see how many of each panel you need. TO MAKE 1 Stitch together 1 each of panels B and C, to form the front of your backpack. (Do the embroidery before stitching. See instructions on the facing page.) 2 Repeat the above step for the back part

of the backpack, without embroidery. 3 Place the front and back panels together with right sides facing and stitch the side seams together. 4 Now the front and back panels must be joined to the base (panel A). Follow the pattern markings so the panels match. The D-rings are stitched in between the base and back panel with a 6cm band. Place it 5cm in from the side seams. 5 The linings (panels A and D) are made exactly the same as in steps 3 and 4 (minus the D-rings). 6 Panel F forms the ﬂap of the backpack. Do the embroidery before stitching. Stitch the two panels (right sides facing) together. Turn out to the right side and make a buttonhole.

stitchcraft 7 Stitch the side seams of panel E together. 8 Find the centre of the back panel and place it on the centre of the ﬂap. Cut 2 straps of 76cm each and insert them between the ﬂap and back panel. Now place the band you stitched together in

Embroidered flowers & leaves DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 18 hours YOU WILL NEED

E) forms the top edge of the backpack. 9 Now fold panel E in half with a 1cm seam allowance to the inside and stitch

overleaf ♥ panel inserts (B and F) of backpack to

10 Determine the position of the button and sew it to the front panel. 11 Link the straps of the backpack you have just sewn at the top to the D-rings at the bottom. If you want straps that you can adjust, you can insert adjustable D-rings. 12 The cord for closing the backpack can be threaded through the top edge (panel E) by inserting eyelets or alternatively

A plus to this method is that you donʼt have to worry about any unwanted lines left on your fabric that didnʼt get covered with the embroidery. 2 You can now transfer your fabric to the embroidery hoop, ensuring that both

the previous step on top of the ﬂap and straps and pin it down. The band (panel

to the backpack or sew it down with a blind stitch.

around the design to keep it in place.

layers (fabric and water-soluble paper) are pulled taut and are ready to be

♥ designs below and on the page

embroider on ♥ tracing method of choice (we used

embroidered. 3 The stitch used for the inside of the flower petals is a satin stitch, finished off with a back stitch along the edges of each petal. The ʻseedsʼ inside the flowers

water-soluble paper and a pen) ♥ embroidery thread

were created with French knots and the leaves for both the ﬂower design and the

♥ embroidery needle ♥ embroidery hoop ♥ sharp scissors

flap were done with a fishbone stitch. The branches connecting the floral and leaf elements can be done with either

TO EMBROIDER 1 Due to the porous nature of the fabric

back stitch or stem stitch. 4 Once your embroidery is complete you

(cotton linen) weʼve used, which poses a challenge for the tracing process,

can remove your loose running stitch

making buttonholes. The spacing for the

we transferred our design onto watersoluble paper and secured that on top

holes is indicated on the pattern.

of our fabric with a loose running stitch

that kept the water-soluble paper in place on your fabric. Dip the fabric into water and the water-soluble paper will disintegrate within seconds.

Embroidery design for ﬂap (panel F)

A 31 x 18,5cm Base of bag Cut 2 1 x dark fabric 1 x lining

May/June 2022 IDEAS 89

B 43 x 26,5cm Lighter fabric Cut 2 1 x panel for front ‒ add embroidery 1 x panel for back

C 43 x 14cm Bottom section of bag Cut 2 Dark fabric

E 43 x 13cm Band around top edge of bag Cut 2 Dark fabric

90 IDEAS May/June 2022

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D 43 x 38cm Lining of bag Cut 2

Embroidery design for panel B (front section)

F 32,5 x 18,5cm Flap of bag Cut 2 1 x darker fabric ‒ add embroidery 1 x lining

May/June 2022 IDEAS 91

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Quilt a sleeping bag With a variety of blocks and fabric remnants you can make this lovely quilted sleeping bag. projec t MARIE TJIE VAN W YK of MERAKI SEWING STUDIO photo HENK VENTER

DIFFICULTY: medium (a lot of time and patience) TIME: at least a week YOU WILL NEED ♥ paper patterns (according to diagram

patchwork project, you can just enjoy playing around. 2 Remember to add seam allowances, about 1cm extra. Cut out all your blocks and lay them out on a work

with the binding (gingham strip in photo). Cut 6 strips (2m altogether) binding of 6cm wide on the bias, join 4 together for the sides and bottom edge of the sleeping bag and 2 for the top edge, and iron ﬂat. Round oﬀ the two

you choose and enlarging and

surface. When you are happy with the arrangement, start stitching the larger

measuring out to scale; remember seam allowances)

blocks together. Make sure your seams are perfectly square. Iron each seam

binding with right sides together to the back panel of the sleeping bag, 1,5cm

open separately before further ﬁtting it

from the edge. 7 Fold your sleeping bag lengthwise

♥ quilt fabrics in chosen colours, patterns and shades ♥ 4m unbleached linen (calico) for inner lining ♥ 2m plain fabric for outer back (eg bull denim or suede) ♥ cotton thread in a neutral colour to stitch blocks and sleeping bag together ♥ 4m batting (the thick type) ♥ fabric scissors or roller cutter ♥ long quilting pins ♥ marker pen ♥ sewing needle with large eye and sharp point for hand quilting ♥ thick upholstery thread in contrasting colour ♥ 3m zip fastener ♥ double sliders ♥ 1,5m cotton fabric in contrasting colour for binding and carry-bag ♥ 1,2m cord ♥ 1 stopper TO MAKE 1 Choose the colours/shades/patterns you are using together, preferably 8‒10 diﬀerent colours minimum. Lay the fabric out to create an attractive uniform image and play around to get the best results. Count how many blocks in each size you need and measure out your fabric for each block. As this is a random

in place and stitching it together. When your whole quilt is stitched together, measure the ﬁnal size. 3 Cut two pieces of calico according to this size. Cut one back panel the same size. Cut 2 pieces of batting this size. With a good marking pen, mark on the back panel the blocks you are going to quilt through by hand. 4 Place batting between 2 layers of calico and wrong sides of front and back panels to right sides of calico, so that the calico inner is sandwiched between the front and back panels. Pin down securely all around along the edges, through all the layers. Also pin down your marked blocks, so that the fabric cannot move (thus at each corner of each block). Quilt with long, loose stitches and thick upholstery thread along your lines. 5 When the quilt is done, the outer edges of the front and back panels are stitched closed. Stitch the front and back panels of the sleeping bag together at the lefthand side seam: If the sleeping bag is lying ﬂat in front of you, the pattern runs upwards, with the right side facing you. The seam is thus at your left-hand side. Stitch through all the seams ‒ taking care to catch all the layers ‒ with 1cm seam allowances. 6 Now you are going to cover the seams

bottom corners slightly and stitch the

in half and measure your zip fastener to fit along the side and bottom edge. Reinforce the end with a piece of cotton. Leave open the top edge. Insert double sliders. Open the zip fastener, start on both sides at the top edge and pin the wrong side of the zip fastener carefully to the back panel. Leave the seam open at the bottom corner. Now your sleeping bag can zip open completely and can also be used as a picnic blanket. Stitch down the zip fastener at 1cm using a special zipper foot. 8 Fold over the binding to the front, fold in the raw edge and stitch down with topstitching. Bind the top edge of sleeping bag in the same way using the binding. Fold in the ends to finish off. 9 Cut a bag of 85cm x 65cm and round base of 27cm diameter. Stitch the side seam with right sides facing and leaving the seam a few centimeters open at the top. Mark four equal parts and stitch the base and bag sides together. Leave the top edge open. Use French seams to reinforce seams. Fold over top edge to the wrong side to form a casing for the cord and stitch down. Thread the cord through the opening in the side seam and tie the cord ends together. Thread the cord through the stopper.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 93

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Pack your lunch Use your old denims to make this cute lunch bag. It is very easy and you can make two from one pair of jeans! projec t DAL A WAT TS

4 Now fold your denim leg lengthwise

your band is now about 1cm wide, pin

♥ fabric pen ♥ machine thread

in half and press down ﬂat, so the side seams are now in the centre. Fold the bottom section to form a triangle (see

down with pins and stitch along the edges of the strip on both sides, so

♥ dressmakerʼs pins ♥ embroidery thread

diagram below). Press the fabric ﬂat. Mark 3cm vertically along the sharp

Neaten the ends with zig-zag stitching or overlock them and sew away the threads

♥ embroidery needle

corners and draw a line using the fabric pen. Pin with dressmakerʼs pins then

neatly with a needle. 9 Measure the positions of your tie bands

TO MAKE

stitch with your sewing machine along the lines. Cut oﬀ the corners and zig-zag

‒ 2 on the front and 2 on the back; we worked on about 14cm from the top and

or overlock the cut edges to neaten. This

10cm from the sides. 10 Pin the tie bands in place so they are facing in a downward position, sew down securely by hand, fold upwards and sew a small stitch by hand on both sides to hold it in the upwards position. 11 You can now embroider a word on the bag or use the bag as is. Put your sandwich, fruit and water for lunch in your bag, roll down the top section and tie the bands to close it.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ denim jeans (wide straight leg is best)

1 Lay the denim jeans down ﬂat and measure 40cm from the bottom upwards, or the height you want your bag. Cut oﬀ this section of the leg using sewing scissors (itʼs about knee height). 2 Use your sewing machine or overlocker to neaten the cut edge with zig-zag stitching or by overlocking it. This will prevent the fabric from fraying. This edge will be at the bottom of your bag and the original hem of the leg will form the top edge of the bag. 3 Turn the denim so it is inside out. Pin the two cut edges of the leg together and stitch them closed with a 1cm seam allowance.

94 IDEAS May/June 2022

section will now be the ʻboxʼ of your bag. 5 Turn your bag through again and iron the seams ﬂat. 6 For the top edge you can use Velcro to close the bag, but we have made tie bands from the leftover denim for closing the bag. 7 On what is left of the leg you cut, mark 4 strips of 5cm width each and cut out. 8 Turn the strips over so the inside is facing upwards. Now fold both long sides to the inside so that the two edges meet, pin down with pins and iron ﬂat. Remove pins, fold the fabric strip again so that

that your tie bands are neatly ﬁnished.

Denims from MRP at R99, or use an old pair of jeans from your cupboard. Water bottle from MRP Home.

projec ts and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED OʼRILEY

We gathered an eclectic mix of tea towels from our local charity shops to do these projects, which show how these humble cloths can step away from the kitchen to become décor accessories. FROM DISHCLOTH TO TABLECLOTH DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: half a day From drying dishes to hosting dinners this tablecloth is the perfect conversation piece. Youʼll need an existing tablecloth for size and a selection of new and vintage tea towels. Lay out the tea towels on top of the existing tablecloth so you can work out your design and see where you might need to trim them here and there. Once you are happy with your design, pin them together, overlapping them to create a seam allowance as you go. Sew them together to create your unique new tablecloth.

96 IDEAS May/June 2022

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PILLOWCASES DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: a few hours Mix and match quirky tea towels in interesting patterns and designs to make these pillowcases. Youʼll need two extra-large tea towels to make each pillowcase, one for the front and one cut into two pieces, large enough for one to overlap the other by at least 5cm, for the back. It's a good idea to have an extra tea towel handy in case you need extra fabric for the back overlap.

Tea towels sourced from St Lukeʼs Hospice shop, Ons Winkel hospice shop, Milnerton Market, H&M, PnP, Spar, Crazy Store, Woolworths. Heading embroidery by JEM Designs.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 99

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SEAT COVERS

frill ‒ double the length of the

DIFFICULTY: challenging

allowance to the width and 3cm to the length). 4 Pin the ends of the circumference

TIME: a few hours You will need ♥ 2 tea towels per stool ♥ white cotton thread ♥ sewing machine ♥ fabric scissors ♥ compressed 50mm foam, cut into a circle to ﬁt the top of your stool ♥ measuring tape ♥ dressmakerʼs pins ♥ Genkem polystyrene foam adhesive (available at most hardware stores) TO MAKE 1 Start by measuring your stool and add 1,5cm seam allowances all around. Measure the diameter as well as the circumference of the seat of your stool. 2 Now cut your tea towels accordingly. You can use two in the same colour with diﬀerent patterns, or keep them in the same pattern, but play with the colour. 3 Cut your tea towels as follows: a circle for the seat ‒ the size of the seat plus 1,5cm seam allowance; circumference ‒ a long piece of 5cm (plus 3cm seam allowance) wide and the length of the circumference of the seat (add 3cm seam allowance to the length);

circumference and double the width of the previous long piece (add 3cm seam

piece together with right sides facing and stitch with 1,5cm seam allowance. Pin the circle and one long side of the circumference piece together with right sides facing and stitch with 1,5cm seam allowance. Overlock the raw edges or neaten with zigzag stitching. 5 Fold in one long raw edge of frill piece by 7mm, fold in again to form a narrow double hem and stitch down. Do the same on both ends of the frill piece. 6 Now pleat the other long raw edge of the frill piece by folding and pinning pleats all around until you have the correct length. When pleated, make sure that itʼs 3cm longer than the unstitched long side of the circumference piece. The ends of the frill piece should overlap by 1,5cm and are not stitched together. 7 Now pin the pleated edge of the frill to the unstitched edge of the circumference piece of the seat cover with right sides facing and stitch. Overlock the raw edges or neaten with zigzag stitching to complete your seatʼs skirt. 8 Secure the foam to the seat of the stool with the foam adhesive and pull your seat cover over.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 101

They say, ʻDonʼt judge a book by its cover.ʼ But we decided to prove them wrong by upcycling damaged books and their covers into everyday usable items. projec ts and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED OʼRILEY

Heading embossed at Typo.

craft

BOOK EMBROIDERY BOX We found a lovely vintage embroidery book and decided that its next lease of life should be to house embroidery items. DIFFICULTY: challenging TIME: two hours We started by carefully removing the pages of the book (called the book block) and cutting the back cover from the spine with a sharp craft knife. Keep the front cover and spine joined together. Find a ready-made box roughly the same size as the book and glue the spine of the book to the side of the box with hot glue, to create a lid with the front cover. Use some of the pages from the book to line the box. Cut the back cover into 4 lengths, slightly narrower than the depth of the box, to create partitions. Cut 2 for the length and 2 for the width. Trim the strips so they ﬁt snuggly into the box. Cut slits in the strips so you can slot them over each other to create partitions. Secure with a drop of hot glue to the inside of the box. To complete your box, add a wooden ruler to the outside and ﬁll with all your embroidery goodies. May/June 2022 IDEAS 103

BOOK FILE DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: an hour, plus time for the glue to set Most vintage books have beautifully marbled or decorated endpapers (the sheet of paper glued to the inside of the cover). Why not convert the cover into a file to highlight this gorgeous element? All you need to do is stick the clasp mechanism from an old file to the inside of the spine of a hardcover book using heavy-duty glue ‒ perfect for filing your handwritten recipes. TIP: To separate the book block carefully from the cover, try using a hairdryer on its highest setting. Focus the heat on the spine for a few minutes until the block starts separating from the cover.

104 IDEAS May/June 2022

craft

SKETCHBOOK COVER DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 30 minutes Make over a regular sketchbook with a beautiful cover upcycled from an old art book. We attached it to the sketchbook by punching eyelet holes at the top and matching holes through the sketch paper. Thread gold ribbon through them to join everything together. This will make a lovely gift to yourself or for someone special ‑ add a label below the picture for the person's name if you wish.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 105

craft

PHOTO BOOK DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: ﬁve minutes (Below, left) All you need to create some unique photobooks are a few family photos and a pack of photo corners. Try to ﬁnd books that depict an interest or a connection to the photos for an added personal touch. We found an old schoolbook that used to belong to the boy in the photo with his name written in the front.

BOOK SPINE BOOKMARK DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 30 minutes (Above, right) Cut the book spine carefully from the front and back covers with a sharp craft knife and a cutting mat. Punch an eyelet hole at the top edge and thread gold ribbon through, ready for its new use as a bookmark.

106 IDEAS May/June 2022

food & entertaining

Bake todonate Donating to a good cause doesn’t always have to be in the form of money. You can give some of your time and bake delicious biscuits and rusks to drop off at a care facility or organisation close to your heart. a small treat to show people a little love and appreciation will go a long way. by TANI KIRSTEN photos ED OʼRILEY

May/June 2022 IDEAS 107

food & entertaining

CRUNCHIES THAT CARE

CONDENSED MILK BISCUITS

BRAN AND COCONUT RUSKS

These biscuits are perfectly balanced to

A delicious, soft-eating biscuit that is

Everyone's favourite with their morning

curb any craving for something sweet,

perfect as is, or you can add your own ﬂavours, if you prefer.

tea or coﬀee!

without tons of sugar. And perfect to drop oﬀ or hand out as an unexpected gift.

Makes: about 80

Makes: about 80 Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus

Preparation time: 30 minutes Oven temperature: 160 oC

drying time Oven temperature: 180 oC

Baking time: 10-12 minutes

Baking time: 1 hour

♥ 500g baking margarine or butter ♥ 135ml (150g) castor sugar

♥ 500g baking margarine ♥ 375ml (315g) brown sugar

♥ 1 x 385g tin condensed milk

♥ 500ml buttermilk

♥ 5ml vanilla essence ♥ 5 x 250ml (700g) self-raising ﬂour

♥ 3 large eggs ♥ 1kg self-raising ﬂour

♥ 250ml (350g) golden syrup ♥ 250ml (140g) cake ﬂour

FLAVOURS TO ADD

♥ 15ml baking powder ♥ 4 x 250ml (300g) bran ﬂakes breakfast

♥ 10ml baking powder ♥ 10ml vanilla essence ♥ 1ml salt ♥ 80g milk chocolate, chopped

♥ 100g choc chips ♥ 100g slivered almonds ♥ 120g chopped dried fruit ♥ 120g chopped soft toﬀee

Makes: about 80 Preparation time: 30 minutes Oven temperature: 180 oC Baking time: 8-10 minutes ♥ 4 x 250ml (400g) rolled oats ♥ 180ml (60g) desiccated coconut ♥ 250ml (230g) baking margarine or butter, softened

1 Combine all the ingredients except the chocolate in a food processor. Pulse to combine. For ﬁner oats, pulse a few more times. If you donʼt have a food processor, simply mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. 2 Roll a teaspoonful of the mixture into a ball. Place onto a lined baking sheet and ﬂatten with the palm of your hand. Do this with all the mixture. The dough doesnʼt spread, but it is best to leave a 1,5-2cm space between biscuits for even baking. 3 Bake in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack. 4 Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until melted, stirring between each 10-second burst. Spread a little chocolate onto the bottom of each biscuit and allow to set. Store in an airtight container.

cereal, crushed ♥ 250ml (50g) coconut ﬂakes ♥ 250ml (150g) sunﬂower seeds

1 Beat the margarine or butter and castor sugar until creamy. 2 Add the condensed milk and vanilla essence and beat slowly to combine. 3 Add half the ﬂour and stir slowly to

1 Melt the margarine and sugar together. Set aside to cool slightly, then mix in the buttermilk and eggs. 2 Mix the remaining ingredients together and stir to combine well. 3 Make a well in the middle of the ﬂour

combine. Add the remaining ﬂour and stir until just combined. 4 Add the ﬂavour of your choice, or

mixture and add the buttermilk mixture. Stir the dry ingredients in from the sides until just combined.

divide the dough into two or more parts and add a different flavour to each one, reducing the amount of flavourant accordingly. Stir through and put the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. 5 Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls and flatten with the palm of your hand. Alternatively, roll the dough into a log with a 4-5cm diameter using wax paper. Freeze for at least 2 hours then cut into 0,5cm slices. 6 Place on a lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until just browning around the edges. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before cooling on a wire rack.

4 Roll into golf ball size balls and place in 2 greased oven roasting dishes or large rectangular baking tins. Bake for 1 hour in a preheated oven. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 100 oC. 5 Remove from the baking dishes. Use two forks to pull the pieces apart, place onto 2 large baking sheets and dry, with the oven door slightly ajar, for 6 hours or overnight. Store in an airtight container.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 109

A cardboard box looks very unassuming but ﬁlled with special goodies it can make anyoneʼs day. projec ts and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED OʼRILEY

craft

FEEL-BETTER BOX Kids are very resilient and brave, but no one likes a stay in hospital, especially if your mom and dad canʼt be with you. Here are a few things you can include in your donation box for a child in need in hospital: 3 A soft blanket that gives them something safe and comforting to cling to. 3 A stuﬀed toy, something to snuggle up with when they feel vulnerable and alone. 3 Things to draw or colour with. Keep them occupied and distracted by appealing to their creative side. 3 Games to play with other kids in the ward. 3 Things to build. 3 Books to read. 3 Snacks to eat. 3 Colouring-in books. 3 Bubbles (make sure these are non-toxic). IDEA: Transform a plain cardboard box into a house by cutting two house shapes from cardboard according to the size of the box. Glue one to the front of the box and the other to the back. Fold a piece of cardboard in the shape of a roof and glue it to the top of the house. Paint the front and back with chalkboard paint, and your box becomes part of the entertainment and an extra thing for the child to draw on. May/June 2022 IDEAS 111

FOR A WOMAN IN NEED For whatever reason a woman (or teenage girl) needs help, she will appreciate a gift box like this. Here are a few suggestions for things you can pack in the box: 3 Make-up and make-up brushes: It might seem frivolous but itʼs a nice spoil and she might need make-up when she goes for a job interview. 3 Bras and panties. 3 Toiletries (haircare products, shower gel or soap, deodorant, body lotion) 3 Nail ﬁle. 3 Tissues. 3 Wet wipes. 3 Feminine hygiene products. 3 Slippers. 3 Facecloth. 3 Comb. 3 Fragrant candle. 3 Journal or notebook and pen. IDEA: Turn your box into a personalised mobile dressing table by adding a mirror to the inside of the lid.

112 IDEAS May/June 2022

craft

CARE KIT FOR THE HOMELESS When gathering items for the less fortunate, think of things that wonʼt perish easily, are prepacked, and can have multiple uses. 3 Sugar, coffee, tea, coffee creamer. 3 Toiletries: toothpaste, pack of toothbrushes, soap and a container, cloth, small towel, deodorant, shampoo, comb, wet wipes. 3 Rice, flour, maize meal, pasta. 3 Snacks like nuts and raisins. 3 Easy-open canned goods. 3 Candles, matches, batteries. 3 Resealable plastic bags to keep things fresh in. 3 Socks. 3 Gift card for a grocery store. 3 First aid kit with plasters and antiseptic cream. IDEA: Package your items in a reusable cardboard box or in a watertight plastic container with a lid. May/June 2022 IDEAS 113

craft

Charity Chart A charity chart in board form displayed in your home is a great way to involve the whole family in giving and sharing. It makes it interactive and part of your daily routine. projec t and st yling CARIN SMITH photo ED OʼRILEY DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: two hours

make sandwiches, reading to the elderly, or donating clothes or toys. Write these prompts on separate tags as well.

To make the board, paint a piece of wood with blackboard paint so you can write notes on it with chalk, and you can use movable tags as well. The idea is to list your family members, charity organisations, what you can do to help, days of the week and months of the year. The board should be designed in such a way that it is interactive and adjustable. It works like this:

STEP 3 SCHEDULE A DAY: Once youʼve decided on the organisations and donations, the next step is to set aside days in the month that you can allocate to them. A regular day, for example Saturday afternoon every second week, is a good way to start ‒ this way you can schedule it in your diary.

STEP 1 ORGANISATIONS: Decide which organisations you would like to donate to and write these on separate tags. A good idea is to contact the organisations to ﬁnd out what they need most.

STEP 4 WHO DOES WHAT: It is important to get the whole family involved so ask which causes they are keen to support and link each family member with the organisation of their choice.

STEP 2 DONATIONS: Remember that a ʻdonationʼ can include time and skills. So, it could be walking dogs at a shelter, volunteering to

TIP: When it comes to toys and clothes, have a bin or basket in each bedroom so the family can donate as they go. The items collected can be donated monthly or quarterly.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 115

MAKE YOUR WORLD BEAUTIFUL

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CRAFT WITH HEART Stitchcraft bonanza: Easy projects to make and donate New life for charity-shop finds

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116 IDEAS May/June 2022

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your life

Wire art Albert Kamupíra not only creates and sells his works of art in Kalk Bay but also shares his knowledge far and wide.

by MARGUERITE VAN W YK

is first wire creation was a bicycle, followed by a VW Beetle, then a motorbike Albert Kamupíraʼs thoughts turn back to his hometown, Harare, where his brother taught him to do wire work. ʻWe picked up scrap wire wherever we could,ʼ he says. Today his ʻofficeʼ is the harbour. He listens to the waves breaking, smells the ocean, feels the sun on his back, watches the seals play in the water. His art, there in the open air, attracts local and international tourists. An American friend and I recently meandered through Kalk Bay. She left with a large bag full of Albertʼs creations. I bought one of his fish. ʻPeople like buying my penguins. And theyʼre so easy to make,ʼ he laughs. But the lion, oh no, that one is difficult. ʻItʼs the face. But you just have to keep going and then it works out nicely,ʼ he says. At the age of 14, when he started, he found wire art very challenging. In fact, he would hide away each time after he had made something. ʻI was afraid that I hadnʼt done it right and then my brother and his friends would laugh at me.ʼ These day you can ask him for anything. People sometimes bring him photos. He likes trying to find solutions. Albert uses good-quality wire that he buys from the

hardware shop and he picks out beads by hand at bead shops. His three daughters, Delia, Linda and Precious, are still at school. Yes, they have their fatherʼs artistic genes, but prefer to do beadwork. Or they draw. And Chipo, his wife, works in the pharmacy in Fish Hoek, near their flat. He works seven days a week at his stall at the harbour. But back at the flat, in the evening quietness, he sits on the balcony. Then his creativity starts to work overtime. Just him and his pliers and beads and wire. Sometimes he tinkers until midnight. ʻIt makes me feel good when I look at a wire face, a lampshade, a flower, tree or animal anything that I have created.ʼ He has trained five other wire artists from the area through to Hout Bay, he says. If you are artistic, share your talents, he believes. Covid-19 hit the street artists hard. There was a time when he felt hopeless, very afraid that the tourists would never return. In the hard lockdown months he had little desire to do his wire art, but after a few months he started working enthusiastically again. Albert looks at the two seals lying in front of us, basking in the sun. A few tourists wander past, take photos. Later another group come along and buy souvenirs from him. He laughs again, he has new courage.

3 To order, send a WhatsApp to Albert at 073 377 6358.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 117

craft

A story of wire Make lovely decorative items from wire to give a corner in your house new life. projec ts ALBERT K AMUPÍRA copy and st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED OʼRILEY

CHURCH DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: half a day YOU WILL NEED ♥ wire (it must be strong, but still easy enough to work with) ♥ long-nose pliers ♥ side cutter of diagonal pliers ♥ black spray paint ♥ paper ♥ masking tape ♥ small bell

TO MAKE 1 Draw a basic church shape on a piece of paper and bend your wire according to the design ‒ stick it onto the paper with masking tape as you go along. Bend two outlines ‒ one for the front and one for the back of the church. 2 Cut nine pieces of wire in equal lengths to make the roof of the church. Use these wires to fasten the two church shapes to each other ‒ one for the peak of the roof and four evenly spaced for the two side roof panels. Cut another two lengths of wire and join the church shapes together on the left- and right-hand sides of the bottom as well. 3 Bend a piece of wire in the shape of a door and attach it in its place at the bottom of the front of the church. Strengthen the door with another piece of wire between the top of the door and the peak of the roof.

4 Now for the church tower. Draw a square for the bottom part of the tower and bend a piece of wire accordingly, but keep the base open. Bend two such shapes ‒ one for the front and one for the back of the tower. Attach the two shapes to the roof and then attach another two wire pieces at the sides. 5 Draw a triangle for the top section of the church tower and bend a length of wire according to the drawing ‒ again, leave the base open. Bend a second shape and attach the two shapes to the bottom part of the tower. Join the two top points with another piece of wire. 6 Bend a piece of wire in the shape of a cross and attach it to the church tower. 7 To complete, spray paint the church black and hang a little bell inside the tower when the paint is completely dry. Place a candle inside the church and let your light shine.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 119

craft

KEY HOUSE DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: half a day YOU WILL NEED ♥ wire ♥ long-nose pliers ♥ side cutter of diagonal pliers ♥ black spray paint ♥ paper ♥ masking tape TO MAKE 1 Draw a house shape on a piece of paper and bend your wire to match the drawing ‒ stick the pieces to the paper with

120 IDEAS May/June 2022

masking tape as you go along. Make two such shapes ‒ one for the front and one for the back of the house. 2 Cut 11 pieces of wire of equal lengths to make the roof of the house. Use the wire pieces to join the two house shapes together ‒ one for the peak of the roof and ﬁve evenly spaced for the two side roof panels. Cut another two lengths of wire and join the house shapes together on the left- and right-hand sides at the bottom edge. 3 Strengthen the sides of the house by attaching two lengths of wire in an X-shape on each side. 4 Strengthen the ﬂoor with a length of wire attached across the middle.

5 Bend a length of wire to form two hooks and attach it to the back part of the house. 6 Draw a chimney to go on the roof of the house and bend a piece of wire accordingly, but keep the base open. Bend two such shapes ‒ one for the front and one for the back of the chimney. Attach the two shapes to the roof and then join them together at the sides with another two pieces of wire. 7 Bend a piece of thinner wire to form the smoke from the chimney and then attach it to the chimney. 8 Spray paint the house black and leave it to dry completely before you hang it up ‑ and hang up your keys.

LAMPSHADE DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: half a day Bend a length of wire in a large circle with evenly spaced scallops for the bottom edge of the lampshade. For the top of the lampshade, bend a small circle that the light bulbʼs lamp holder will ﬁt through easily. Count the scallops in the bottom circle and cut a matching number of equal lengths of wire to attach the bottom circle to the top one. Curve each length slightly before you attach it. Bend a good number of wire hooks and join them together to form a chain. Attach the wire chain to the top of the lampshade. Spray paint the lampshade black and leave it to dry completely before you add the lamp holder and electric cord to the lampshade.

your life

Throw off your leaves Perhaps this winter we can learn from the trees which, stripped of their leaves, feed the earth.

copy and illustrations JANI AUGUST YN- GOUSSARD photos ED OʼRILEY

tʼs winter and time for clearing out and giving away. This may sound like a contradiction, but itʼs a powerful tonic against the cold. The icy wind and rain keeps us indoors, encourages us to conserve and cocoon under cosy blankets. . . But I become anxious at the thought of being shut inside, of shorter days and longer nights between the walls of my house. Each year, winter takes my tangled heart on a journey of self-discovery. I am an outdoor person and long for summer days filled with activity, for walks in the early morning light and the eveningʼs colour show. Yes, there is the pleasure of snuggly jerseys, fires in the hearth and simmering bredies on the stove. Itʼs romantic, but there is also something different about this time of year, when it feels as if everything is being stripped away. The feeling of nature emptying itself, cleaning house as it were, to make place for something new. The arrival of winter is an invitation to join nature in turning over a new leaf. Almost like swimming in ice-cold water, yes, even in the winter, there is something healing about unpacking, clearing, reducing and taking delight in the change and eventual renewal.

122 IDEAS May/June 2022

As I sit here and write, around me there I can see stacks of books, pictures leaning against the wall that havenʼt been hung up yet, in the kitchen piles of teacups balancing on one another. I pull a colourful blanket, one of many, closer to soothe my soul. There is so much love and comfort in this room, in this house, with each item telling a story, but with winter peeping in through my window, I realise I have accumulated too many things over the years. Just thinking about giving away my treasures brings a lump to my throat, and I try to convince myself that they are all an inherent part of who I am. But then the tree in the garden catches my eye: She has already thrown oﬀ all her leaves, laid them down in a carpet of giving away, but actually of giving back. Giving back to the earth through which her roots are deeply plaited, to be fed again with the fruits of her generosity. Perhaps I ought to empty out and reduce, just like the tree and her leaves leaves that become a new beginning, become compost to feed other plants and the tree itself. If we think we are giving other people a chance to ﬁnd new happiness with our donations, that we may even be a life changer in someoneʼs world, then this is a powerful,

nurturing vitamin for the mind. I really donʼt need to keep every book I have ever read on my bookshelves; to tell the truth, now that I look closely, I can see there are quite a few that Iʼve never read ‒ and my taste has changed so much I will no longer get the same enjoyment from them. My love for collectables and vintage teacups is staring me in the face I could sponsor the crockery for an entire party! And what a wonderful thought this is! Tea in someone elseʼs garden, a cup warming someone elseʼs hands. I pull a box closer, fill the table with things and make edible gifts to give away, dish and all, healing gifts. I want to feel the joy of giving with all my senses. I make chocolate treats with candied orange and nuts that remind me of winter trees and sunshine, to give away so others can share in the happiness. We donʼt need to collect objects to affirm our existence or fully experience who we are; this takes time and mindfulness. There are so many people out there who could benefit from your generosity. Along with donating, you free yourself from being possessed by your possessions. Itʼs time to reduce, so you can grow and create space for a lighter, more defined self.

your life

Acurly crown Anyone with curly hair will know all about the hours that are spent trying to straighten it. But these days more people are making peace with their curls. Elsa Krüger shares advice on how to make this ʻnegotiationʼ a bit easier.

st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED OʼRILEY

There was a little girl, Who had a little curl, Right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, She was very, very good, But when she was bad she was horrid.

‒ Nursery rhyme attributed to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

126 IDEAS May/June 2022

ow many times have these words ﬂitted through my head as I have stood, hands in hair, tussling with my curly locks that have a will of their own? When my hair is ʻbadʼ, I feel ʻhorridʼ. When I lived in Johannesburg, the curls and frizz were restricted to rainy weather and humidity. Otherwise my hair was blow-dried straight. But now that I live at the coast, I have had to make peace with my curls. It remains a struggle. After a lifetime of trying everything to straighten my hair ‒

from a hot iron on an ironing board to Brazilian keratin treatments ‒ I am now learning to love my curls again. Fortunately the timing is good. In recent years, there has been a worldwide shift towards natural hair, a giant ʻcurl-naissanceʼ movement so to say. Natural and especially curly hair is stepping up into the spotlight. And have you noticed how much shelf space is being given over to new haircare products formulated speciﬁcally for curls? Curly hair has unique require-

your life

ments, and at last cosmetic houses and hairstylists have seen the light. And very timeously, I came across Lorraine Masseyʼs book Curly Girl: The Handbook to educate me and give me insight into how incorrectly I handle/mishandle my curls. In addition, South African entrepreneur Simonne Solarsh made it her lifeʼs work to formulate a product for curly hair after a hair stylist told her as a teenager that she should accept that she would never have soft, shiny hair, because curly hair is by nature dry and dull. Press the fast-forward button and the IntrinsiCurly Me salon range, made for wavy, curly and coily hair, takes a bow ‒ fully embracing the Curly Girl Method (more about this later) that was Simonneʼs inspiration. She tried out and tested formulas until she had perfected the recipe for shiny, bouncy curls. Simonne says waves, curls and coils should be celebrated, instead of being ironed flat and damaged by chemical products and heat. ʻIf you constantly fight against your natural hair, you suppress your beautiful wild side and who you really are. If you are born with curls, that is who you are intrinsically.ʼ But before you can manage your crowning glory correctly, you need to know what type of curls you have. Your curl type is determined by the shape of the hair follicles in your scalp, out of which your hair grows. The flatter and more oval-shaped

128 IDEAS May/June 2022

the follicle, the curlier the hair; the rounder the follicle, the straighter the hair. The curl pattern is then determined by what the hair itself does ‒ does it kink, curve or wind around itself in spirals? Most of us with curly hair know that you can have all three patterns on one head!

Here is a simple guideline: Hair types are classified from straight to coily from 1 to 4 and then sub-classified from A to C, depending on the width (circumference) of the curls. Type A is wider or looser, B is medium and C is tighter. TYPE 1 IS STRAIGHT. It never curls. It is super-easy to care for and to style. TYPE 2 IS WAVY WITH A LOOSE ʻSʼ PATTERN. Type 2A hair lies close to the scalp, with little volume at the roots. It is fine, curls sometimes and the waves donʼt hold their shape, while too much product can make it dull and ʻweighed downʼ. Type 2B has more volume at the roots. It can be fine or coarse. 2C waves are thick and predisposed to curliness. The ʻSʼ curves are well defined and start at the roots. TYPE 3 IS CURLY, BUT CAN ALSO BE A BIT FRIZZY. The curls are not well defined. The scalp and hair are dry. Type 3 can vary from loose, bouncy curls to tight, springy corkscrews. Type 3A is shiny, with large,

loose curls, about the diameter of a swimming pool noodle. 3B has small, springy ringlets, about the size of a marking pen. The texture can be quite dry. Type 3C is tighter corkscrew spirals, about the circumference of a straw or pencil. The hair is thick, which gives it volume. It also frizzes easily. TYPE 4 IS KINKY OR COILY. It is usually described as Afro-textured and is naturally very dry and spongy in texture. These curls are constantly thirsty. The hair can be soft or coarse or wiry. It forms tight, small curls or zigzags right from the scalp. Type 4A is dense S-pattern curls with the circumference of a crochet hook. 4B and 4C are very similar, with tight curls that are brittle and dry.

Breakthroughs in natural hair management Over the past few years, the ʻnatural hairʼ movement has been picking up steam. Natural hair means hair that is not chemically treated or straightened to change its texture or curl pattern. Nowadays increasing numbers of women worldwide are embracing their natural hair. You can see on Pinterest how popular ʻcurly girlʼ posts are. Myriad women ﬁnd themselves in a transition phase between chemical styling and natural hair. It takes work

‘If you constantly fight against your natural hair, you suppress your beautiful wild side and who you really are.’ ‑ Simonne Solarsh

and dedication to keep natural hair in a good condition, much more so than other hairstyles or types. The breakthrough with the Curly Girl Method is that it provides a foolproof step-by-step way to care for your curly hair so that the natural texture and curl pattern is shown to best effect. The method was developed by Lorraine Massey after she realised as a hairstylist with curly hair herself that regular haircare practices didnʼt work for curls. For example: Drying your curls with an ordinary towel will damage and break the hair. Wavy, curly and coily hair is much drier than straight hair. The natural oils from the scalp canʼt flow over the length of the kinks and spirals of textured hair. The hair needs to be handled gently to ensure that it holds and retains enough moisture. Frizz is a curl waiting to happen, says Lorraine. If you pay attention to the needs of your inherently curly hair, the frizzes will turn into curls. It is therefore clear that natural hair needs much more TLC than other hair types. You must put time and energy into the cleaning and moisturising, detangle knots carefully and use specific styling methods. The ʻco-washʼ method has made life easier for curly haired people. It means that you wash your hair with conditioner rather than shampoo. It retains the moisture in the hair that would otherwise be lost through the soapiness of shampoo.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 129

your life

Do’s and don’ts 3 Avoid sulphates. They make the shampoo foam, but they strip vital moisture from curly hair. 3 Avoid any products that need sulphates to remove them, like silicone, mineral oils and wax. 3 Avoid anything that will dry out the hair, like direct heat, chemical treatments or products that contain drying alcohols. These are very diﬀerent from moisturising alcohols which are great ingredients. 3 Avoid any rubbing, for instance with rough towels. Without the protection of natural oils, the cuticles (or sheaths) of curly hair are very susceptible to damage. Things that have no impact on straight hair can damage curly hair, cause it to frizz or break. 3 Moisturise the hair regularly. Use moisturising ingredients such as shea butter, or oils such as jojoba, argan, avocado or coconut. 3 For stubborn frizz, use a leave-in conditioner followed by a mousse to seal in the hairʼs natural curl pattern and to provide extra moisture. 3 Keep your hands away from your hair while it is drying, otherwise you

will end up with a halo of frizz. 3 Use a moisture-rich curl cream or gel that attracts moisture to your curls. Apply it while the hair is still sopping wet. 3 Buy haircare products that are specifically formulated for curls. There are plenty of co-wash cleansers for curls on the market. The correct cleanser reveals your curl pattern, and a styling product captures it. 3 Type 4 hair ʻshrinksʼ the most when it dries. Use moisturisers generously. Shea butter, coconut oil and castor oil work well to seal in the moisture. 3 As far as possible, avoid styling with heat. If it canʼt be avoided, use a hairdryer with a diffuser set on the lowest heat. The best (if you have the time) is to let your hair air-dry. 3 Detangle your hair while it is wet. A wide-toothed comb works best. Start at the ends and work up to the roots gradually as the hair becomes smoother. If you start at the roots, it pulls and breaks the hair. 3 The only time you should brush curly hair is before you wash it, to loosen any dirt and spread the oils over the length of the hair. 3 If your hair looks dry and bushy, rub a handful of hair treatment oil over it, especially at the tips. 3 Sleep on a silk or satin pillowslip. It prevents friction that could break the hair. 3 Never rub wet curly hair with an ordinary towel. It disturbs the hair sheath and frizz is your destiny. Gently press the hair dry with a microfibre towel or an old T-shirt. Look on Pinterest to see how ʻploppingʼ with a T-shirt works to create a glorious crown of curls. 3 Curly hair requires an expert hand when it comes to cutting. Look for a stylist who literally cuts each curl individually. Reneé Potgieter (support@ gentleapproach.co.za) in Cape Town

is a curl expert. Karen van Wyngaard from Johannesburg (072 264 9714) studied with Lorraine Massey. She runs courses for hairdressers teaching them to dry cut. Marion Magee from @Runningwithscissorshairdressing is also a curl expert. She studied with Karen.

Keep the bounce Curly hair that has been correctly washed and styled is at its best the day it is washed and the next day. Curly haired people complain that by day three they need to wash again to get back the bounce and definition. But this isnʼt always necessary. You can refresh your curls without the whole washday routine. Shake up a teaspoon of conditioner or curl cream with water in a spray bottle. Spray it on your hair until almost wet through and scrunch it into the hair ‒ donʼt use a comb or brush, your hands and fingers must do the work. Then leave your hair alone and donʼt touch it again until it is 100% dry. If your hair feels a bit hard when it is dry, break the crunch by gently scrunching your curls between your fingers. Another way you can keep the curls bouncy for longer is to apply gel (make sure it doesnʼt contain alcohol) on day one and then on day two, dampen the hair and pull your fingers through the curls, from the roots to the tips.

Tips and tools Treat your scalp like your face: Cleanse, exfoliate and moisturise. Scrubs for the scalp are widely available and help to remove the product deposits from the skin. Over time these deposits can block the

hair follicles and inhibit healthy hair growth. They can also cause the scalp to itch, make it oily and result in hair nourishment not penetrating. You donʼt need to spend a fortune on products. Some of the most eﬀective scalp cleansers and hair nutrition are in your pantry: apple cider vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, salt and rice water. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: A regular rinse with cider vinegar maintains the ideal pH balance for scalp and hair (4,5-5,5). It prevents fungal or bacterial growth. Rinse your hair monthly with a solution of one part vinegar to four parts of water. Make sure you use a proper deep conditioner afterwards, otherwise the vinegar could make the hair dry. The vinegar also helps to close the cuticles, so the hair is shiny. Buy the raw vinegar that indicates ʻMotherʼ on the label ‒ it contains more enzymes, good bacteria, pectin and trace elements that feed the scalp. BICARBONATE OF SODA OR SALT: Emulsify the bicarb with water and rub it into your scalp. It lifts product deposits and scrubs the scalp clean. Mix salt with a bit of coconut oil and use as a scrub before you wash your hair. Do it monthly or when you feel it is necessary. RICE WATER: Fermented rice water is a tried-and-trusted recipe used by Eastern women to make their hair shiny, strong and thick and help it to grow long. To make it: Rinse half a cup dry rice with water, drain and add 2-3 cups hot water. Stir until the water looks milky. Seal the mixture for 24 hours so it can ferment, which raises the antioxidant content. Drain the water into a clean bowl and pour it into a spray bottle. Saturate the hair

with it. Leave it in for a good while ‒ like a hair mask ‒ before you rinse it oﬀ. Look on Pinterest for more variations of the recipe.

Products Read labels with care. Use products that do not contain any silicone, sulphates, parabens, wax or mineral oils. TRY From Dis-Chem, Clicks or supermarkets: The Perfect Hair Mango & Marula Luscious Leave-In Moisturizing Butter; Cantu Avocado Leave-In Conditioning Cream; Crème of Nature Pure Honey Moisture Replenish & Strength Hair Mask; Crème of Nature Argan Oil Creamy Oil Hair Moisturizing Hair Lotion; Crème of Nature Argan Oil Leave-In Conditioner; Crème of Nature Pure Honey Knot Away Leave-In Detangler; OGX Coconut Miracle Oil range; Two Oceans Island Coconut Oil + Argan Curl Quench range; Marc Anthony Strictly Curls range; HASK Curl Care range. From salons or online: IntrinsiCurly Me (intrinsicurlyme. co.za); Davines LOVE/ range; Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Scalp Genesis Root Activating Serum; Indola Innova Glamorous Oil Detangler; INOAR Afro Vegan range.

Sources: Curly Girl: The Handbook by Lorraine Massey (Workman Publishing Company, 2010); allure.com; intrinsicurlyme.co.za; Reneé Potgieter at support@gentleapproach.co.za. Curlies of SA on Facebook and @supernaturalhair on Instagram

3 For beauty advice from Elsa Krüger

visit mooipraatjies.com

May/June 2022 IDEAS 131

Books to read in May/June compiled by DIANA PROC TER diana@ideasfac tor y.co. za

FOOD FERMENT FROM SCRATCH

BY MARK DIACONO (HARDIE GRANT, R270)

In this new title from the ʻFrom Scratchʼ series, designed to inpire you to slow down and create, food writer Mark Diacono tells the story of fermentation alongside recipes that maximise the transformative power of this amazing process. He Includes sections on fermentation basics, ingredients and equipment, methods and core recipes (including krauts, kimchis, kombuchas and keﬁrs). Ferment from Scratch oﬀers a gentle guiding hand on this natural process, which encourages the largely invisible activity of bacteria to work to your advantage. These skills take little of your time, they are particular yet simple, and the results are extraordinary.

THE WHOLE VEGETABLE BY SOPHIE GORDON (PENGUIN UK, R555)

Have you ever wondered how to make your diet more eco-conscious? Sophie Gordon shows the way: Cook with every part of every vegetable, reduce waste, reinvent your leftovers and eat seasonally. In this beautiful book, over 130 delicious, planet-friendly recipes put vegetables at the very centre of the table, making them the star of the show and embracing oftendiscarded parts such as leaves, stalks, tops, ﬂowers, seeds and even peelings. Think cauliﬂower carbonara, broccoli pesto and chunky pumpkin tacos, cherry breakfast crumble, maple-roasted pears and apple and walnut Danish buns. The Whole Vegetable will ensure that nothing goes to waste.

132 IDEAS May/June 2022

UPPER CRUST: HOMEMADE BREAD THE FRENCH WAY BY MARIE-LAURE FRÉCHET (THAMES & HUDSON, R885)

This book details the techniques and fundamentals of bread making, from feeding the starter and preparing the dough to baking, with more than 100 recipes. Eighteen bakers, pastry makers and chefs share the sweet and savoury recipes that have forged the French bakeryʼs enviable reputation for pain

de campagne and regional breads like fougasse or the Basque talos. Original creations include a black baguette, buckwheat and seaweed galets, and honey, ﬁg and hazelnut rye. A chapter is devoted to traditional breads from all around the world, such as pita, focaccia, bagels, Georgian khachapuri and Norwegian polar bread.

FICTION THE MILK TART MURDERS BY SALLY ANDREW (UMUZI, R290)

When Oom Frik of Oom Frikʼs Fantastiques dies during a vintage movie screening in Ladismith, Tannie Maria and her policeman boyfriend Henk are on the scene. Ja, the old thrift-shop owner had a heart condition, but was there more to his demise? Itʼs rumoured that among Frikʼs junk are valuable treasures, and the grumpy, paranoid old guy frequently altered his will. When a second body turns up, thereʼs a clue: a letter addressed to Tannie Maria asking for advice ‒ and a milk tart recipe. Fifty-plus agony-aunt Maria and feisty young journalist Jessie conduct their own treasure hunt and murder investigation. The police are looking for the perpetrator too, but the amateur detectives have unique skills, and Tannie Mariaʼs food is a powerful incentive to get people to talk.

SERPENT CRESCENT

SOMETHING TO HIDE

THE LITTLE WARTIME LIBRARY

BY VIVIAN DE KLERK (PICADOR AFRICA, R310)

BY ELIZABETH GEORGE (HODDER & STOUGHTON, R335)

BY KATE THOMPSON (HODDER & STOUGHTON, R355)

In the small rural town of Qonda, South Africa, the power and water supplies are unreliable, and property prices are down. Recently retired English teacher Megan Merton has lived here all her life, most of it at No. 8 Serpent Crescent. So who better than this self-styled pillar of society to shine a spotlight on the decline and dysfunction, not to mention the dubious activities of many of her neighbours. Nefarious deeds and bad behaviour deserve harsh treatment and appropriate retribution. At least thatʼs what Megan believes ‒ in fact sheʼs been taking matters into her own hands, unnoticed, for years

When a police detective is taken oﬀ

This story of librarian Clara Button and her friend and library assistant Ruby Munroe tells how an underground library, built over the tracks of a disused tube station at Bethnal Green in East London, kept the community reading and dreaming of better times while thousands of them slept on the platform to stay safe from the bombing of London during WW2. Woven around Claraʼs meeting with ambulance man Billy and GI Eddie pursuing Ruby, the reader experiences the realities of life in wartime London, the alcohol, abuse, shattered families and peopleʼs ability to survive more than just the bombs that fall from above. And importantly, it reminds us of the amazing power of books.

life support after falling into a coma, an autopsy reveals that an assault had led to her death. Sheʼd been working on a special task force within North Londonʼs Nigerian community. Acting DS Thomas Lynley is assigned to the case, which has far-reaching cultural associations that have nothing to do with life as he knows it. In his pursuit of a killer determined to remain hidden, he is assisted by detective sergeants Barbara Havers and Winston Nkata. They must sort through the lies and the secret lives of people whose superﬁcial cooperation masks the damage they do to one another.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 133

NON-FICTION

WHY HAS NOBODY TOLD ME THIS BEFORE? BY DR JULIE SMITH (MICHAEL JOSEPH, R290)

Drawing on her years of experience as a clinical psychologist, Julie Smithʼs first book is a must-have handbook for instantly better mental health. She offers simple advice, effective strategies and coping techniques to help readers stay positive and resilient no matter what life throws their way. The reader can turn straight to the appropriate section depending on the challenge being faced ‒ and immediately find tools to help. From managing anxiety, dealing with criticism or battling a low mood, to building selfconfidence, finding motivation or learning to forgive yourself, this book tackles everyday issues that affect us all and offers easy, practical solutions that might just change your life.

THE NEW CROCHET STITCH DICTIONARY BY NELE BRAAS, EVELINE HETTY-BURKART (STACKPOLE BOOKS, R250) This is a very useful collection of crochet stitch inspiration. A total of 440 stitches are presented in colour, each with a sample swatch so you can see what the ﬁnished stitch looks like, and charted instructions with notes and detailed chart keys. Divided into 10 chapters by the type of stitch, such as shells, waves and chevrons, openwork, cables and textures, and even borders and granny squares, this resource is well organised and presented in an easyto-use fashion. Youʼll reference this collection again and again.

RAG RUG TECHNIQUES FOR BEGINNERS BY ELSPETH JACKSON (CICO, R380)

Learn the art of making rag rugs, and inspire your craft creativity. There are 10 diﬀerent techniques given, from shaggy to shuttle hooking, loopy to Amish knots ‒ and more. Elspeth shows you the skills, tools and equipment youʼll need for each one, as well as providing advice on choices of fabrics and design. She will help you to identify common mistakes that you might run into. Each chapter includes step-bystep instructions for a traditional rug plus two other projects for yourself or your home, such as placemats, bowls, baskets or toys. Using upcycled fabrics makes the projects planet-friendly too.

EDITOR’S CHOICE THE LANGUAGE OF FOOD BY ANNABEL ABBS (SIMON & SCHUSTER UK, R330) When a London publisher sent away a passionate young poet, who has never cooked, with the demand for an elegant cookery book, he not only ignited a spark in her, but also unwittingly ensured that this novel ﬁlled with beautiful prose about delectable dishes would make it into our hands in 2022. The story of Eliza Acton, who wrote the ﬁrst modern cookbook for households 200 years ago, and her kitchen maid, Ann Kirby, brings together two unlikely characters in the kitchen of Bordyke House, where Eliza and her mother have to make a living boarding and feeding the rich after losing their own family fortune. The unmarried poet, with her 'unacceptable appetites' and a secret her poems threaten to reveal, and her destitute young helper Ann discover a passion and talent for cooking and writing recipes. Over the next 10 years they share an emotional and culinary journey that changes both of their lives. For the reader this is a sumptuous feast to be enjoyed with all your senses and a peek into the complex lives that brought the world Eliza Actonʼs Modern Cookery for Private Families (1845), which changed the way we eat, cook and write cookbooks.

134 IDEAS May/June 2022

Gorgeous

compiled by HANNES KOEGELENBERG (@hanneskoegelenberg)

on instagram @tinydollhouse_za

Johannesburg

The talented Karen Kelly makes the loveliest dollʼs houses ﬁlled with miniature furniture and accessories that will win any childʼs heart. She shares her latest creations ‒ which you can buy from her online shop ‒ on her pretty Instagram page.

@daisiejo Karoo

When it comes to clothing that is also art, Daisie Joʼs outﬁts are top of the list. Each piece is unique, and painstakingly hand-painted and embroidered. Take a look at her amazing designs on her Instagram page ‒ you are sure to love them as much as we do.

@chiaraturilli Cape Town

Few people in this world have as much passion for life and delicious food as Chiara Turilli. Her Instagram page shows her love for her Italian family and for cooking. She and her family recently opened a deli, Lelloʼs, in De Waterkant, Cape Town. Pop in if youʼre in town!

May/June 2022 IDEAS 135

you said it We love hearing from you. Please let us know what youʼre up to.

winning letter

eCRAFT FROM THE HEART

My reason for writing to you is to express an idea for a

I know that some of the items have already been in

theme for your magazine that came to mind recently, along

previous issues, but not perhaps packaged in a ʻcraft from

the lines of ʻhandicraft that caresʼ, inspiring readers to

the heartʼ format.

make things that can be donated to people in need.

I became involved in a small community-based charity

Many of us are already on a tight budget, so being

as I faced an early retirement and started oﬀ sewing

able to use cheap or recycled materials ‒ for example,

together knitted squares, making pots and pots of soup,

knitting squares with wool unwound from old jerseys,

knitting trauma teddies for children and even a couple

buying mixed bags of wool from charity shops, cutting

of pairs of boobs for mastectomy patients

up strips from plastic shopping bags to crochet into mats

then become a director of the NGO and am very involved

for animal shelters ‒ would be helpful.

in welfare coordination for desperate families in our area,

I have since

Some other suggestions for possible projects are: easy

which is where the idea came from. People have asked me

beanies to crochet, ﬁngerless gloves, knitted or crocheted

how can they become involved when they have limited

blankets, crocheted wash cloths, quilts made from old

funds to donate, but have time and craft expertise at their

cotton shirts, backpacks from old jeans, and crocheted

disposal. Every item made from the heart is always greatly

octopuses for premature babies. Perhaps you could also

appreciated by the people in need.

cover budget meals to make in bulk and freeze for later

many, many years, and think I have only missed two copies

distribution. Your teams are the experts, not me, so Iʼm sure there are many more exciting things to be explored!

I love your magazine! I have been a loyal reader for in about 30 years.

Sharon Reynolds (Beacon of Hope)

WRITE TO US &

WIN!

The writer of this monthʼs winning letter will receive Nurturing Fibres Eco-Cotton yarn with a pattern to crochet a Casablanca blanket. Nurturing Fibres yarn is very versatile and can be used for everything from cardigans to blankets. For more information about Nurturing Fibres, from their yarn to their stockists, go to nurturingﬁbres.com

136 IDEAS May/June 2022

HOLIDAY ON PAPER

One big picture book Not only could I enjoy reading your birthday issue (March/April 2022), I could also make my world beautiful with it! I had been looking for something that could fill the sad gap between my JH Lynch paintings, and immediately found inspiration when I opened Ideas and saw the gorgeous illustrations and photos. The floral theme fits perfectly with my style. My student flat is going to become brighter and more colourful with each new issue and will be transformed into one big picture book! There are still a few open spaces and little gaps that are begging to be decorated with Ideas pages. (We are going on to the ceiling once the walls are full.) Thanks for a wonderful magazine, and may you celebrate many more birthdays. Thanks to Ideas, I can continue to make my world, small though it may be, more beautiful with every new page.

Karla Koster

A PLAN WITH JAN How could a person not feel cheerful when their laptop is so beautifully decorated? Thanks, Ideas!

Life races past at such a high speed. Somewhere along the line, humanity seems to have decided that the faster the tempo, the more successful you are, and someone like me, who has ants in her pants, falls happily into this high-speed trap. I jump right in and race away ‒ until the day I wake up with an aching body and flu symptoms, not because I am ill but because my system can no longer take the pace. This morning was typical. Things happened so fast I didnʼt even have time for coffee. Halfway to my destination (60km from my home and still only 7.30am) came the message that the plans for the day had been cancelled. I was immediately angry, especially with the price of petrol these days. Back home again, I went to wrestle with the garden to get rid of my frustration. Tired and hot, I stomped back into the house and wondered what I would do next, seeing as I had an empty day. And there in the kitchen lay my Ideas, winking at me. I decided in an instant that this was the day I was going to absorb every word and picture, from the front cover to the back, in one sitting. I made a big mug of coffee, put on some peaceful music and planted myself on the couch with my holiday on my lap. Every page was like travelling to a new destination; the words danced in front of my eyes and transported me to places I had only ever imagined before. From a young age I have made this and that, baked and grown things. And every article that opened in front of me took me back to where I was a young girl again, dressing her dolls and designing new clothes for them. The journey took me from the fynbos of the Cape through the Karoo and back to my childhood home where I picked flowers in the garden for my mother. With a happy sigh, I closed my magazine. I was inspired to do things differently and to look after myself better. I treated myself to a bath with olive and lavender oils, scrubbed my face and applied some or other type of mask. Refreshed, I took the clay out of the cupboard and tried to make a bowl. Whether it worked, we will still have to see! Thatʼs when I realised with a smile that I donʼt have a magazine house, but magazine moments in my house. They make me happy. My heart is singing, my soul is satisfied, I have been creative. Tonight I will sleep well, with a head full of ideas. Thank you. Ella Smith

Annemarie McGovan

*Send your letter by email to terena@ideasfactory.co.za with ʻIdeas/You said itʼ in the subject line. *

Remember to include your full name and address. If your letter contains questions, please provide your telephone number as well so we can get back to you.

May/June 2022 IDEAS 137

’n Tydskrif vir gelowige vroue wat die mooi in die lewe vier!

HERFS 2022

RSA R85 (R10,43 BTW ingesluit) NAMIBIË N$85

Raak kreatief! Die kuns van KINDERBOEKE skryf en illustreer

Handwerk, hartswerk Dié vroue woeker met naald en gare Handvlyt se helende krag

HOE GAAN DIT RÉGTIG MET JOU? Wenke vir ’n gelukkiger jy Van Elohim tot El Shaddai Wat beteken God se name? Ontdek só jou SENSORIESE PROFIEL

‘Ons stryd om swanger te raak’ VERHALE VAN HOOP JOU GESIN

06156

Minder tegnologie, meer tyd sáám

9 771815 399009

1 PETRUS 4:10

‘God het aan elkeen van julle uitsonderlike talente gegee’

FEAST YOUR EYES AND FEED YOUR SOUL! Make sure you buy this printed Autumn 2022 edition of ‘Lééf met hart & siel’. On sale now.

ideas_south_africa_322022

Articles inside

Strip away accumulated clutter and live lighter

Creative maker: Wire artist from Kalk Bay shares his knowledge far and wide

Instagram inspiration

Advice for managing curly hair, from waves to coils

Create a charity donation board for the family

Convert old books into useful everyday items

Fill a box with special things to make someone's day

Sew and embroider a soft bunny cushion

Biscuits and rusks to bake and donate

Upcycle old jeans into a cute lunch bag

Quilt a patchwork sleeping bag from fabric remnants

Décor: Old classroom now a lovely retro apartment

Crochet a granny-square scarf from your yarn stash

Crochet a Spanish dancer doll for a little girl

Knit a pom-pom beanie, easy enough for a beginner

Knit a jersey as warm and comforting as a hug

Crochet a block: Three innovative designs

Knit a square: Five different patterns

Combine knitting and crochet with an embroidered vintage cloth to create a unique scarf for charity