Quickpix from yesterday’s market at Somerset West:
Hands need to be busy if I’m not occupied with customers or friends. Crochet is still too uncomfortable with my gammy right hand but I can manage a bit of knitting. This is a long length of garter stitch which will eventually be joined to other long lengths of garter stitch and turned into a blanket for someone who needs one.
Extremely desirable cotton patchwork pants worn by someone strolling along – she told me where she bought them (Langebaan) and how much they cost (R250), and how often people commented on them. She said, You should make some, they’d sell like hot cakes. I said I wouldn’t put so much work into something that I couldn’t sell for a really decent price, so she should just take them off and let me have them immediately. Oddly, she didn’t go for that but at least I have a pic to remember them.
I had a brief text chat with Martli: she’s making amigurami unicorns and sent me this pic of the little darlings lined up on her windowsill. Aren’t they divine?!
And then, my second greatest pleasure of the morning: seeing what leather straps look like on my patchwork tote. It’s a prototype, of course, I’m still working on getting the right size and how best to put the zip in at the top, but in the meantime I’d asked Faranaaz to come up with leather straps so I could keep going with the idea. Faranaaz is the “bag lady” next to me at the market, she and her aunt make beautiful simply-designed leather bags and purses that sell very well (I have a few myself, of course….)
My biggest pleasure of the morning turned out to be a loooooong conversation with someone I’d met a couple of years ago at the same market, a lovely lady called Lisa. We talked about children and divorce and men and work and didn’t realise that time was even passing. Thanks for the coffee and the chat, Lisa, hope to see you when you’re next in the southern suburbs :)
Nice piece of work 
Oooh, those pants are divine. I feel a scrappy pair coming on…. sometime. Something comfy with very wide legs. The only downside is that I’d have to overlock all the seam allowances, or otherwise they’d need lining….
Kate, I hope you don’t mind me jumping in here, but you sparked a thought . . . an easy solution would be to make two pairs and stitch one inside the other to create a pair that is reversible! No overlocking or lining necessary. :-) As a matter of fact, I’ve been thinking of what to do with some of my own rather thin cotton fabrics and may have to try this myself. Possibly not until next autumn, though. Take care. ~ Linne
That sounds like a really good solution, but sadly my climate is a bit too hot and humid for double-sided, even in the winter, which is another reason I’m not mad keen on lining them :-( I do thank you for thinking of an answer for me, though!
Indeed. I have a scrappy patchwork kimono from Thailand, no overlocking….lots of loose bits….;)
I suppose if the patches are very large there won’t be too many seams to deal with…
Sorry you can’t crochet must be frustrating. Like the ‘pants’ maybe you should make some just for yourself. See you are still coming up with new ideas. Sounds great!
I’m used to it, been doing a bit of knitting instead so I can live with not crocheting for a while.
Ah it was lovely chatting to you too! And I’ll definitely be seeing you in the Southern Suburbs :)
Good. Coffee on me next time :)
Glad to hear you are enjoying some of the time at the market with good conversation and old acquaintances. Loved the pants but they are not an easy job to make, especially to fit to a wide variety of sizes. Not sure I would like that much attention to my lower ample half. ;) Sorry about the hands. Hope it gets better.
Oh yes, there IS NO WAY ON EARTH I would ever make those pants. I’m a-sticking to bags and cushions – the easy stuff :)
I love going to that particular market. It’s like having your own little place to slot into :)
Sorry to hear you can’t crochet… that would be a real downer for me.
I’m happy to knit for a while, and don’t even get the time to do much of that anyway. If I REALLY have time on my hands, I’ll do some hand-stitching. I go through phases, this is clearly a non-crochet phase ;)
I love those pants! I am considering making some (see my note to Kate above). I would stitch the squares together, then cut out the pants pieces; not sure how those ones were made. So just a thought. The leather handles for the totes sound great, too. And the unicorns are too cute! I’ve made a few small things over the years, but never really got into amigurumi. At least, not yet . . . Glad things are going well with you. Big hugs. ~ Linne
That’s exactly how I would make them. Hers also had a separate pocket on the front of each thigh with a little ribbon, really cute. I’ll just keep my eyes open for a pair – and in the meantime stick to wearing my jeans. I’m very happy with the straps – on my to-do list for the week is patchwork totes, hopefully at least 10, so I can get a bundle to Faranaaz. But I’m often too impulsive – what I really need to do is find out if people would be interested in buying them before I make too many… I’m so good at jumping in with things without the proper planning necessary for success :(
Patchwork pants to die for, doll. Sounds as if you had a good day. xxx
Not good sales, as it happened, but otherwise wonderful !!! – if that makes sense :)
Lovely blog, Jill. Love the pants!
Thanks, Kimbo. Wish they were mine :) x
Hi Jill! I just love seeing all of your creations and the bag with the leather handles is so cool. Thanks for sharing. Love and Hugs, Tamara
Thanks, Tamara, lovely to hear from you xxx
I think you should make some patchwork trousers for yourself then sell kits.
Oh you do, do you….?!? ;)
Such a busy bee.
Those trousers are very hippy. Very you! Why not buy some and add pom-poms to the bottoms? How about one on each knee also?
Did you think I hadn’t already thought of that? ;)
I love the pants too and would wear them. I predict that Rachel is going to tease me about it now!!!
Of course. She’ll start off by suggesting pom-poms, too.