COME TO CRAFTY OLD FISH HOEK

OVER the years I’ve known many clubs and interest groups that have flourished for a while and then faded and died when the founders have left or lost interest.

Neighbours got together and formed a golf club in the dusty Karoo many years ago. The “greens” consisted of patches of river sand held together with old motor oil and it was the social centre of the area for a while until the owner of the property became a little tired of doing all the course maintenance for the others to enjoy.

An official committee was formed to share the work and the club died within months. There’s nothing like a committee to kill an organisation. It can be more efficient than a firing squad, but quieter. There are exceptions, of course.

The local tennis club, called the Hantam Club, has been the centre of social activity in that corner of the Karoo for almost a century. The players are now the grandchildren of the original members and still going strong.

When I arrived in Fish Hoek back in 1975, there was a small group of very enthusiastic handcrafters who called themselves the South Peninsula Craft Club.

It had 11 members who met once a week to share their skills and learn new crafts. They created beautiful and unique quilts, tapestries and beaded artwork which occasionally went on sale and were in great demand as gifts.

The club was then three years old. Today, 47 years later, the membership has grown to 170 and has more that 700 Facebook friends around the world.

Its weekly gathering now takes place in the Fish Hoek Civic Centre, which is barely big enough to contain the members. They are holding their annual craft exhibition, which is open to the public daily until Saturday afternoon.

The theme of this year’s exhibition is the “Glorious Cape and Beyond,” which should give crafters a pretty wide range of subjects.

I never miss one of these events and always come away amazed at the talents displayed. There’s always a well-stocked tea garden, too.

Baking is another of the club’s skills. If you’re in the south during the next couple of days, pop in to the Civic Centre.

Fish Hoek may be regarded as a sleepy little village by those who don’t know better, but there are many talented and creative hands busily at work behind those drawn curtains.

Muizenberg may be known for its decorative mosaics, but when it comes to needle art Fish Hoek is the best. We produce good tattoos too.

Last Laugh

A young man started a new job and on the first Wednesday he went to the accountant and said: “I’m short of money. May I have my week’s wages in advance, please?”

The accountant looked disapproving. “You’ve only been working for us for three days,” he said.

“Well, I trusted you for the first three days, so surely you can trust me for the next three.”