Shweshwe Fabric

The first time I saw shweshwe fabric I couldn't believe anyone would use it as it was so stiff. The native South Africans make "native" dresses with the more traditional prints, but there are some lovely modern styles. I learned from some of the other missionary sisters that the trick to make the fabric softer was by soaking it in water and removing the heavy glue that was used in the manufacturing process. I am going to make a couple of lap size quilts when I get home. We went to Edenvale to buy the fabric on the 21st and found some lovely blue and greens. After coming home with it and 1 piece of pink (of course I love pink!) I decided we needed to go back and get some pink which we did yesterday - October 28th. Interestingly, in going back there were only a couple of blue green fabrics and some of the pink I had like the week before was gone, but I still found some I liked. I have a photo of all the fabrics (the blue and greens have been laundered and are no longer stiff) and one each of closeups of each color range. Note that I have one pink standing up to show how stiff it is before soaking the glue off in the bathtub (also shown). I can hardly wait to get home and make some cute quilts!

Soaking some of the pink to remove glue

Chamdor, the store that sells fabric and other items. Sister Deamer says it is "Joann's on steroids!"

This is the shweshwe area. It was difficult to move the fabric to find what you want as it is heavy!

Sign about shweshwe

Modern or "Original" pattern shweshwe

Traditional patterns in foreground

Jo'burg Jacarandas

Another posting on the beautiful Jacaranda trees! They have been so beautiful around Jo'burg this last week I couldn't miss posting more of these lovely trees. I could have put a lot more photos in this post!

One of the earlier blooming Jacarandas with Dukes Court 

Driving from the Area Offices

Johannes burg Temple Angle Moroni with the Jacaranda Trees

Jo'burg Temple with Jacarandas.

Street behind Dukes Court

Jacaranda Trees in Pretoria

Yesterday, (21 October) Elder Chris & Sister Sue Johnson invited us to go with them to Pretoria to see the Jacaranda trees in bloom. While there are lots of Jacaranda in bloom around Jo'burg, the area near the Union Buildings has blocks and blocks of Jacaranda trees in full bloom They were not only beautiful, but a light fragrance permeated the area. It was fortunate we went yesterday, as a thunder storm came in the evening. There are still a lot of trees in bloom, but sometimes the storms tear the blossoms away.

The Union Buildings are on a high hill called Meintjieskop (kop means hill in Afrikaans) in the northern end of the city. They are the official seat of the South African government and also house the offices of the president.

Jacaranda Blossoms

Jacaranda with seed pods 

Sue Johnson & Cherrie

Cherrie

One of the streets with Jacaranda trees

Union Buildings

Pretoria from the Union Buildings. Note the Jacaranda throughout the city and even on the opposite hill,