As crafters we often tend to be a little territorial, and prefer to hold onto whatever knowledge we've gleaned over the years - after all, we earned it through countless finger-prickings and getting all stuck together with glue time after time. But sometimes it's good to share. And when we do, usually the rewards are way beyond what we would have had if we'd kept it all to ourselves.


I've received a few emails and other bits of information in the last few weeks that have got me thinking about how we can and should be more generous with our gifts.

Firstly, I received some feedback from Angie Wiggett of Shamwari Crafts on their recent wire art and beading workshop. This is some of what Angie had to say:

Our BIGGEST dream is to actively promote skills development and training as part of our empowerment and entrepreneurship programme. We as crafters, and as a company, have recognised the importance of encouraging and training children and adults, particularly those stemming from disadvantaged sectors of communities around South Africa, to learn a skill in one or more of the crafting arenas I have mentioned and to be mentored and trained to realise their talent and turn it into a profitable and sustainable way of life!! Children, particularly, should be introduced to, and encouraged at all ages, and THROUGHOUT their schooling, to learn a crafting skill that could sustain them in the future, and adults regardless of their background or upbringing, are never too old to learn! There is a hidden talent in everyone of us dying to be discovered, all it needs is encouragement, basic knowledge and imagination and passion that can be turned into something beautiful!

That got me thinking about the ways in which crafters can give back to the community. Here are a few ideas:

• Knit or sew clothes for the children at a nearby children's home or community creche
• Hold a Big Knit, where each knitter is sponsored per row; use the squares knitted to make blankets
• Hold a charity auction of a few pieces of your art- or craftwork
• Sew bedlinen and tablecloths for a night-shelter, retirement home or hospital
• Donate your crafting leftovers to a children's home, creche or school
• Create a painting, drawing, cross-stitch picture or tapestry to brighten up a hospital
• Make items of beaded jewellery to brighten the lives of underprivileged young girls
• Host a Cuppa for Cansa scrapbooking or cardmaking afternoon
• If you teach a craft, bring at least one unskilled child or adult into each class and give them the opportunity of learning a skill that could change their lives
• When you buy craft supplies for yourself, buy another set for a charity organisation
• Knit or sew teddy-bears and other toys for children in homes and hospitals
• Offer to paint murals on hospital, hospice or children's home walls
• Organise a craft market to raise funds for your favourite local charity
• Start a charity quilting project to raise awareness of an important cause
• And there's one more... but I'll tell you about that next month. It's a novel concept that will allow every one of us the chance to become involved in giving. Watch this space.

Over to you: email us and tell us about projects you have been involved in or ideas you've had but have never been able to launch for whatever reason. Have you read about an interesting concept, perhaps overseas? Something we could learn from? Let us know and perhaps together we can make it happen!

This month we're giving away a copy of the enticingly-titled Sugar and Spice, written by Margie van Tonder. As the name suggests, Sugar and Spice is filled with heavenly recipes for both sweet and savoury treats, and it will arrive in our winner's postbox just in time for a bit of indulgent winter baking. See more about the book here. To stand a chance of winning this book, just click here to answer one easy question and provide us with your name and contact details. The winner will be contacted via email by the 6th of July. Congratulations to Val Hoy, who won a copy of the fabulous new Metz Press book, For My Baby, in our April competition.

Hobby-X Cape Town takes place from 2 to 5 June at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Hobby-X is South Africa’s leading exhibition of materials and supplies for hobbies and crafts, and I don't suggest you miss it! There are always great bargains to be had, many direct from the wholesalers, who don't sell to the public at any other time. In addition, a wide range of workshops are offered by accomplished teachers. Get further information from their web site, and perhaps I'll bump into you there! The Creative Knitters are holding their 10th Birthday Exhibition at the Gilles Botbyl Gallery in Hatfield, Pretoria from 18 to 28 May. Weekdays: 8.30am-5pm Saturdays: 8.30am-2pm For further information, call (012) 361 1466. When giving anything in a bottle as a gift, don't struggle with wrapping paper for hours - make a simple loose organza bag, pop the gift inside and tie up with ribbon. If you like, you can theme the bag according to the contents of the bottle: so, if you're giving whisky, use tartan fabric, and if you're giving something culinary, like flavoured vinegar, use checked dishcloths. The Good Hope Quilters Guild will meet on 14 May at Northlink College in Panorama, Western Cape from 09h30. There will be quilts on display, an illustrated lecture, guest speakers and quilt-related shops. Everyone is welcome. Call Marlene for further info on (021) 906 5955.

If you're a serious scrapper, then get to the Pick of the Crop Scrapathon, taking place at Greensleeves in Hillcrest, Durban on 5 June. The Scrapathon will run from 8am-5pm, and the cost for the day is R400 (this includes scrapbooking kits, tea, biscuits and a buffet lunch, but you will need to bring certain scrapbooking tools from home). There will be spot prizes and a lucky draw, and new scrapbooking products will be launched on the day. Get further information here, or call Desíre on 072 242 7231. In an effort to coax archtophiles out of hibernation, a Winter Bear Affair will take place in Cape Town on 2 July. If you'd like to book a table, contact Di on (021) 558 3436 or email her at bearsbydi@hotmail.co.za. Get all the details here. The Bernina Quilt and Craft Festival is taking place in Worcester from 23 to 27 May. There will be an exhibition by the Langeberg Quilters Guild at the Boland College, and a number of craft and quilting classes will be offered. Please contact Nellie on (023) 614 1242 for further information and to book. The book mentioned in last month's On the Bookshelf, For My Baby by Linette Maritz, is now available for purchase. Take a look at it here.