T-Shirt Magic

When we introduced our T-Shirt yarn back in January, it caused quite a splash. With nothing else like it on the market, we heard comments like “I’ve been waiting for a yarn like this!” and “Wow, what a concept!” Here at Be Sweet we love it, too!

Our super cool T-Shirt yarn is made in South Africa, by two gentlemen by the name of Richard and George. Richard is 29 years old and married with two children aged 6 and 8. He and his large family have lived in a handmade bungalow in Capricorn, an informal settlement on the Atlantic ocean side of Cape Town close to the beach for the past 4 years. George is 23 years old, single and has lived with his cousin Richard for 7 months. George spends a great deal of his time at the home affairs office trying to attain permits to continue to stay in South Africa. Their weekends are spent going to church, taking the children to the beach and watching TV at their friend’s house as they cannot afford a TV of their own. They moved To Capricorn because as Richard put it “we were too hungry in Malawi”. They use the Mielie money they receive from making the skeins of yarn to buy food, clothes and to educate their children and family. They also send home money to Malawi so that their extended family can eat.

Our friend, Tambira recently knit our adorable Honeycomb Clutch. The pattern comes free on the label of our T-Shirt yarn and 2 clutches can be knit up from one hank! Having purchased her yarn at Knit New Haven in Connecticut, she says “…I saw the T-Shirt yarn and the sample clutch and my imagination was sparked.  I envisioned the perfect ‘across-the-shoulder’ clutch to wear with a maxi dress to summer cocktail parties, backyard BBQs, out on dates and the added bonus of using up stuff in my other stashes. I modified the patterned a teensy wee bit by increasing the cast on by 2 stitches.  I needed a bigger clutch to fit the essentials in. I also added some glass Indian beads that I bought in San Francisco and a button from my favorite button store in New York.” Brava, Tambria! We love making our customers happy and watching them adapt a pattern to suit their needs. We also love that you knit the Shrine Road Shawl (seen behind the clutch).

T-Shirt is great for year-round knitting. Make a beach tote, a sun hat, a throw rug or a bag for your knitting! The possibilities are endless.