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05/12/2013

Mielie!

Goeiemore, Good morning, Bonjour, Assalamu Alaikum, Hej, Hei, Dumela, Selamat Pagi, Namaste! 


The Afrikaans word for mealie/corn/maize is mielie. "Mielie" is the brainchild of Adri Schutz who established the design project in 2002 and involve underprivileged township women to create the designs. Mielie handbags are made employing the time consuming but sturdy hooked rug technique using cotton off cut strips, a by product from local cotton mills. These strips are woven in such a way that the surface looks like a "mielie"!


My latest bag - a Mielie bag designed by:

                                                                                         Photo courtesy of Mielie.com


You definitely want to browse the web for "Mielie Crochet" to take a look at the other handcrafted items the women produce too.  The Mielie website itself is not mobile or tablet friendly, but fire up your laptop if you want to read more about the Mielie Family and confirm whether the products are available from stockists in your country. 

Drooling over my bag, I immediately decided to hook a scarf to go with my bag during the winter months! 




I created my own mealie like edging by once again using the fabulous Bobble Border by Dover and Madden. Thank you again Vicki!



Don't you just love my bag and scarf?  I used various Vinnis Nikkim scraps for the circles and Vinnis Bambi (150 gr in colourway Cloud) to square the circles.  The pattern is by Little Woollie and one that I used for a scarf before. I used a hook size 4 although Bambi is better suited to at least a 5mm hook.  Have a nice week, I am busy hooking a few ornaments for the Baobab Christmas Tree. The cat can also not leave the tree alone and steals an ornament whenever I am not looking at him!


10 comments:

  1. En hier zakt mijn mond helemaal open van verbazing! Zoooooooooo moooooi.
    Doeme toch dat ik jouw sjaal niet heb gewonnen bij Woolhogs
    Ik ben en blijf fan van jou!!!!!

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  2. Baie dankie, ek sou so bly gewees het as jy my sjaal kon wen!

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  3. I love that scarf! Beautiful colors and texture. The bag is also beautiful, but the scarf is my favorite! :)

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  4. Bom dia (good morning in Portuguese)!!
    Lovely scarf ;) Have a nice day, from Porto, Portugal!

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  5. That's just amazing, Magda! Wow..... The scarf is a simple design but the outcome is absolutely gorgeous!

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  6. Dit is great. Dankie dat jy dit met ons gedeel het. Ek het nog nooit van die projek gehoor nie en ek gaan dit beslis probeer. I love your scarf it is beautiful, but oh my that bag is to die for! Beautiful! xoxo

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  7. Fantastic, lucky you to have such nice accessories!

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  8. Thank you for sharing the beautiful handcrafts from your part of the world. I don't think I have ever seen a bag (in my locality) finished in the hooked rug technique and the use of cotton strips to create the mielie effect is so unique. You have shown me something new, and I love how you have creatively used the bag as inspiration for your scarf. Good idea!

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  9. Welcome to Mielie World!
    It's a beautiful bag. I've had my rainbow stripe for 4 yrs and still love it - it goes with everything.

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