12-day ~ Mohair Safari (February 2015)

Stephen West & StevenBe 12-day Mohair Safari hosted by Be Sweet & Mohair South Africa

 

Stephen West from Westknits, Steven Berg from StevenBe Minneapolis and Nadine Curtis from BeSweet have come together to show their support for Mohair South Africa by bringing a small group of knitters to South Africa to immerse themselves in the local mohair industry.  Mohair South Africa began in Port Elizabeth in 1838 and today is producing the majority of the world's mohair.  Mohair South Africa's mission is to help this valuable South African industry maintain its reputation of having the highest quality mohair in the world.  It is only through sustainable practices, continuous improvement, progressive attitudes and financial discipline that companies like Mohair South Africa can help eradicate poverty through sustainable economic development by involving and continually educating small rural farmers and craftspeople working in the creation process.

 

This enriching 12-day experience should change your outlook and inspire you.  Attend Design Indaba, the premier design show in Cape Town, see some sights then head up the Eastern Cape on a fiber safari with the Step"v"hens giving workshops along the way.  Visit a working angora goat ranch in the heart of the Karoo, go to an angora museum while enjoying the scenery of the Karoo, make new friends and sample culinary delights in a region known for its fine wines, good food and rich culture.  In Port Alfred experience the magic native artists in full dress and make-up as they dance and entertain the group.  End your adventure with fabulous shopping in Port Elizabeth.  

 

If gorgeous scenery, interesting history, rich culture, incredible food, abundant yarn shopping, learning new skills and making new friends are things you enjoy then this trip will knock your socks off.  We invite you to join in on this South African Mohair Safari. 

 

South African Mohair Safari Highlights

• Meet in Amsterdam for classes & yarn shopping with the Step"v"hens or fly straight to Cape Town
• Be inspired and entertained by Stephen West & StevenBe throughout this trip
• Gala Welcome dinner in Cape Town at the Grand Beach Cafe
• Visit the Old Bisquit Mill in Cape Town, a dynamic village of talented artists, innovative designers and connoisseurs of refined living
• Cruise to Seal Island at Haut Bay, take the Chapman's Peak Drive and photograph penguins at Boulders Beach
• Enjoy incredible views atop the funicular at Cape Point 
• Take an optional Township tour and meet local knitters
• Attend Design Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa's premier design show featuring Mohair South Africa
• Visit a working angora goat ranch in the Karoo and learn about the South African Mohair industry
• Dinner on the farm with wine and cheese hosted by Mohair South Africa
• Mohair Museum and Wheatlands homestead for lunch hosted by Mohair South Africa
• Magic of Adele and Native Lady with lunch hosted by Mohair South Africa
• Take optional classes with the Step"v"hens
• For those with the time break up your long journey home with a 2-day Paris yarn crawl hosted by StevenBe

 

Although this isn’t an official Craft Cruises sponsored trip, when Steven Berg approached Craft Cruises to help arrange a trip with Stephen West, Be Sweet and Mohair SA it sounded like a great trip and we were thrilled to help organize the itinerary. South Africa is the mohair capital of the world producing over 50% of the world’s highest quality luxury mohair fiber.

 

This trip has been designed by Craft Cruises, Mohair SA, BeSweet and StephenBe to enable participants to attend Design Indaba, a popular design show held annually in Cape Town, learn about fiber production by visiting ranches, museums and mills while meeting a few of the key players in the mohair industry and being hosted by some of the nicest knitters, designers and women anywhere in the world.  Enjoy the company of other knitters, be inspired by the Step"v"hens while learning new skills and shopping for lovely South African yarn. 

 

Learn how Mohair SA helps rural communities by supporting farmers and workers through jobs and education. For an up close and personal experience this trip was designed to be small based on a minimum of 9 passengers and a maximum of 18 with three escorts and the services of local guides, when appropriate, along the way.  We invite you to pack up your needles and sense of adventure and join Stephen West, StephenBe and Nadine Curtis from BeSweet on this South African Mohair Safari.

 

Steven Berg

Known around the globe as StevenBe or ‘The Glitter Knitter’ Steven is so full of enthusiasm, its infectious and he's excited about sharing many of the key highlights he experienced during his first trip to South Africa when he went to learn about the outreach programs of BeSweet and Mohair South Africa.  

 

Although Steven has worked in many fashion capitals as a creative designer today you’ll find him in his 6,000 square foot restored 1800's Firehouse in downtown Minneapolis adorned with chandeliers, animal prints, and his eclectic collection of objets d'art from his international travels.

 

Steven has a very loyal following and customer base because he is encouraging and lively to be around while pushing knitters to the limit by reminding them: 'The possibilities are endless.' 'There are no mistakes, only variations.' And always remember to 'Glam it up!'

 

Stephen West

 

Stephen West is based in Amsterdam but loves spending time in Reykjavik and touring the world on various fiber adventures while leaving popular photo trails on Instagram and his blog. Stephen's shawl designs and innovative color-work have helped him become a widely recognized and respected designer around the world.  Stephen creates his own series of popular self-published pattern collections and also designs for Malabrigo Yarns and knitty.com. 

 

Stephen enjoys traveling with knitters to experience life with like-minded individuals while helping inspire them to think outside the box, let their creativity in color flow and to simply make knitting more enjoyable.  For those who have traveled with Stephen before, and those who have not, alike, this opportunity will create memories that will last a lifetime.  

 

Nadine Curtis

 

Nadine Curtis created BeSweet in 2003 while living in Cape Town, South Africa. She founded BeSweet on the simple principle of being kind to others with the mission of supporting community development around the world by bringing socially and environmentally friendly products to fashion-minded consumers with individual style.

 

BeSweet works with job creation programs to give artisans the confidence and the means to support themselves and their families in otherwise economically depressed regions. BeSweet also gives back by donating a portion of its profits to educational development programs in South Africa believing that together, we can make a difference!

 

How to register

 

Please review the online itinerary for this highly customized private mohair safari and "Contact Us" using the form on our website and we'll send you everything you need to know to help you make the decision to join in on this fabulous adventure.  We look forward to hearing from you!