Hand-dyed shawl with a conscience
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So I really set myself a challenge with this one… the pattern is only available in Russian! But it is so beautiful, I decided to give it a go, especially as the yarn is so lush and I know it will drape really well as a shawl. It’s my mother-in-law’s 70th this year, so what better excuse do I need to take on a project such as this?
The yarn is a yarn with a conscience: not only is it made from the very sustainable bamboo plant, but the company Be Sweet is based in South Africa and provides women who live in economically depressed regions of South Africa with a fair wage. The artisans who make and dye the yarn are primarily from the Xhosa tribe who live in the Cape Town area. Be Sweet also donate a portion of their profits to support educational development in South Africa. I reckon this makes the yarn a perfect choice for Liz (my mother-in-law) as she spent her working life as a schoolteacher.
The photo shows the work in progress, but as I was crocheting right up until Liz’s birthday party, I didn’t get a chance to take a photo of the finished product. I will have to ask Liz to model it sometime so I can post a pic here. Until then, you can see other pics of the same pattern on Ravelry.
UPDATE: Finally got some photos of my mother-in-la wearing the shawl, so here you go!
