In a market where clothing is often mass-produced, Houghton resident Rashida Suleman creates individually customised children’s garments through her crochet and sewing venture, Creation by Wisdom.

What started as a lifelong passion for working with her hands has become an outlet for her creativity, allowing her to develop original designs and produce garments that reflect her attention to detail.

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Although Suleman does not work in garment-making full-time, she continues to crochet and sew as a hobby, with each creation driven by an idea she develops herself.

Rather than following ready-made patterns, she relies on her own initiative and imagination to bring her designs to life.

“For the designs, I create my own. This is where I apply my own initiative and work through each idea that develops in my mind,” she said.

Her process begins with selecting yarn and crocheting cotton in colours that appeal to her, while ensuring the materials are soft and suitable for children’s comfort.

Each garment is individually crafted, with the upper-body sections crocheted and tailored separately. She pays particular attention to the stitching, carefully interweaving the yarn and securing loose ends to ensure the finished garment holds together.

Even the labels are considered, with Suleman opting for soft fabric rather than ribbons to avoid irritating children’s skin.

Her approach to creating garments has also shaped the identity of her business. She describes each piece as a creation rather than a product of mass manufacturing, with no two designs needing to follow the same formula.

Suleman’s knowledge has been built through years of practice as well as teaching herself new techniques, including turning to YouTube tutorials for additional guidance.

She says the satisfaction comes from seeing an idea take shape through her own creativity and completing a garment that she can be proud of.

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Although she does not operate as a full-time business, she has received positive feedback from customers who have purchased her work, as well as compliments from cotton suppliers. The encouragement has motivated her to continue developing her craft.

For Suleman, the purpose of Creation by Wisdom extends beyond making and selling children’s clothing. She hopes her journey will encourage others, young and old, to dedicate time to activities that allow them to explore their creativity and become more self-sufficient.

She believes a personal passion or hobby can become an opportunity to create something meaningful, and potentially even the foundation of a small home-based business.

Her message is simple: people do not have to wait for opportunities to come their way when they can begin creating their own.

Through Creation by Wisdom, Suleman continues to demonstrate how a simple hobby, nurtured with patience and imagination, can become a rewarding personal venture.

For enquiries about Creation by Wisdom and its handcrafted garments, Rashida Suleman can be contacted on 011 648 6240 or via WhatsApp on 063 782 6059 or 082 952 6001.

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