Cricket’s great stitch up ahead of Australia V South Africa Test at Bellerive Oval in Hobart

FOR cricket-mad Hobart shop owner Katinka Challen, there’s nothing like the sound of wool on willow.

Members of the Hobart Social Stitchers who crocheted cricket themed items ahead of the Australia V South Africa Test in Hobart, from left, Sally Miller, Kate Mirowski, and Katinka Challen. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

FOR cricket-mad Hobart shop owner Katinka Challen, there’s nothing like the sound of wool on willow.

Ms Challen owns gift store Lily and Dot, which is the home of a learn-to-crochet group called the Hobart Social Stitchers.

With Australia set to take on South Africa in Hobart for the first time on Saturday, the stitchers decided to mark the occasion in a quirky way, attracting widespread attention.

“A few of us are cricket fans, so with the Test coming up we decided not to crochet any more nanna craft, we decided to crochet a cricket bat and some cricket balls,” she said.

“Cricket Australia thought that was pretty cool so they asked us to feature in their ... media campaign for the current Tests.”

Ms Challen has seen a huge rise in the popularity of her craft in recent years.

“We do it in a very social setting, so we normally do it with a glass of wine in hand, and younger women are the learning the traditional crafts that their grandmothers learnt as a rite of passage,” she said.

“We do the traditional crafts but with a modern twist.”

While Ms Challen will “absolutely” be attending the Test, she believes there is a key element missing from the Australian side at the moment.

“We’d go better if George Bailey was in the team,” she said.

The cricket items were made for the partners and children of the Hobart Social Stitchers, but crochet cricket balls can be purchased from Lily and Dot.

Originally published as Cricket’s great stitch up ahead of Australia V South Africa Test at Bellerive Oval in Hobart