Although I don’t write about it as often as I did earlier in the pandemic, I’m still knitting. I still only know one stitch and I haven’t progressed past knitting in a straight line. I still have to consult YouTube or video-call Fiver each time I start or finish a new scarf. But knitting continues to preserve my sanity.
I’m obsessed with Joburg’s East Rand and I’m obsessed with knitting. So when Gail invited me to visit a knitting shop in Edenvale, one of my favorite East Rand suburbs, I eagerly accepted.
Elli Mansfield, proprietress of Elli’s Needlework, immigrated to South Africa from Greece more than 50 years ago. Forty-five years ago, Elli was saving money to buy a car. She had R3000 saved up, but instead of getting a car she changed her mind and opened a knitting and haberdashery shop. Elli still runs the shop today in the same spot.
Elli’s shop is stuffed full of needles and thread, buttons and ribbons, knitting and embroidery patterns, clothes, yarn in a cacophony of colors, and lots of other bibs and bobs I couldn’t identify.
Elli is 81 (although she looks about 70) and seems to have no inclination to retire. I was thrilled to hear she has already received her first covid-19 vaccine shot. Elli loves to chat, knows everything there is to know about yarn, and is generally a joy to hang out with.
Please support Elli’s Needlework if you’re in the area. (Incidentally, Elli’s is right up the street from the best pancake house in Joburg.)
I will publish more knitting shop posts in the future.
Elli’s Needlework is at 22 Van Riebeek Avenue, Edenvale. Call 011-453-9986.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
In 2020, I published a blog post with tips for Americans living in South Africa who wanted to vote in the U.S. presidential election. I thought about simply resharing that post this year. But then I realized: 1) I want to write a U.S. election post that will be fun and informative for everyone, not just other Americans; and 2) Believe it or not, the U.S. presidential election stakes are even higher in 2024 than they were in 2020. So I’m introducing you to some really cool Americans in Joburg – one who I’ve known forever and two who I just met – and tell you a bit about who they are, why they live here, and why they vote.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.