Mohair lustre knits with new trend

‘M’ IS FORMOHAIR: This colourful ‘M’ popped up at Shark Rock Pier and will be one of six giant letters on display in Kirkwood next weekend IF Madonna, queen of pop, has taken up knitting, does it mean that 50-something Madge has succumbed to her age and embraced a matronly craft – or that knitting has become trendy?

Cape Mohair Spinners marketing coordinator Mandy Wait believes it is the latter because Madonna is in good company with celebrity models Cameron Diaz, Kate Moss, actresses Sarah-Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts and – the wild card in the bunch – butch Aussie actor Russell Crowe.

CMS makes an exclusive range of mohair and mohair blended fancy and fine-spun yarns, and recently added boucle knit to its colourful line-up.

“We are internationally renowned for our superior product ranges and cater for hand-knitting, machine knitting, weaving and hosiery markets,” said Wait, during a recent visit to the company’s Deal Party plant.

And she is not just spinning a yarn, because mohair processed by CMS ends up in garments around the world: “we export hand-knitting yarn to Scandinavia, Russia, the US – everywhere it gets cold, and people want to knit.”

Wait said natural fibres have extra lustre and warmth. “Even with only 15% mohair you can see the difference. But many people have had a bad experience with it because they were forced to wear Granny’s scratchy jersey.”

The old perception of mohair, she said, was due to “grucky” quality that should only have been used for carpets sold in the 1980s. Today, says Wait, mohair is not scratchy anymore – and the proof is the surge in demand for mohair yarns.

It has developed African Expressions, a hand-knitting range, specifically for the South African market.

“We have also doubled our pattern collection,” said Wait. ”Hand knitting is very personal. You must love the yarn or love the person you are knitting for.”

With jewel-rich colours and tactile textures, it is easy to love the new mohair.

MSA also sponsors NMMU fashion design students for a mohair range.

“They get to experience mohair, they work with it for the love of it and they will remember it in the future when they design,” Wait said. KNIT ONE, PURL ONE: Anle Marais (left) and Lindsay Humphreys knit at Design Indaba in Cape Town