With a crochet hook in hand and a heart full of determination, 33-year-old Natassja Erasmus is stitching her way into the world, one handmade piece at a time.

The Ballito resident started her brand, Heartfelt by Tassja, in 2022, offering custom beaded jewellery and crocheted goods. Her range includes bracelets, necklaces, wine holders, keychains and bathmats, priced between R25 and R420. She trades regularly at local markets including Salt Rock Farmers Market, Burnedale Night Market, The Homestead Market and The Vintage Barn.

But behind the products is a remarkable personal story.

Diagnosed with Lyme disease as a child, Natassja was introverted, nonverbal and cognitively delayed. She spent years in remedial education until, in 2002, a turning point came when she began osteopathic and naturopathic treatment. Within three months, she began to speak, read and write, a transformation her family calls nothing short of miraculous. By age 11, she returned to mainstream schooling and completed Grade 7 with a 93% average in open-book assessments.

Although cognitive challenges prevented her from completing high school, her family enrolled her in horse riding therapy and later at The Living Link College in Johannesburg, where she learned life and work skills. She moved to Ballito in 2012 and became a teacher’s assistant until retrenchment in 2020.

That setback sparked her journey into crochet, a craft she taught herself.

Despite having the cognitive age of a 12-year-old and challenges with numeracy, Natassja confidently runs her business with support from her mother and a Yoco card machine. Her pieces have travelled far: one featured in an Andrew Lloyd Webber production in London, and another has reached Israel.

“I am unequivocally her greatest fan. I am so proud of Natassja and her ability to bounce back despite adversity – a purer heart you could never find,” said her mother, Lesley Erasmus.
Natassja dreams of living independently and hopes to see her heartfelt creations cherished worldwide.

The Erasmus family thanked the Ballito community for their continued support, which is helping Natassja’s dream grow, stitch by stitch.

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