Many people have questions about how, and why, I make these wearables by hand. Below, I've compiled some information about crafting, my process and my products.
First things first:
What the heck is all this? It's all knitting, right? (Wait, why is your eye twitching like that?!)
If you want a way to low-stakes prank a bunch of people at once, call all things made out of string or yarn "knitting" and watch heads explode. The hand-made craft community is used to people lumping a bunch of different disciplines all under the same idea of knitting; as much as we joke about it, we don't blame ya - on the outside, it can all look very similar! I have explored many techniques and different fields of art and craft over multiple years; I trained as a visual artist and first learned knitting when I came to the craft world. A decade and a half later, my personal style is mostly crochet for clothing or wearables, and mostly knit for art and sculpture.
Okay, so you do both knitting and crochet. What makes them different or cool?
The coolest thing about both these arts is realizing that this is how people have been making clothes and warmth for their bodies, since before we can even remember! Nowadays, knitting is still practiced by hand by millions across the globe, but it also has been automated on an incredible, mind-boggling scale to mass produce most of our clothes. This automation was only possible due to how knitting works, which is very similar to a 3-D printed item: you create a base row of live stitches, and you are essentially building the garment one row at a time in a predictable direction. For instance, if you knit a sock, you can start from the toes (called bottom up) or from the cuff (called top-down knitting). Since it progresses in a predictable direction, we have been able to make machines do this for us to create whole pieces of knit "fabric" that we then can cut and sew together to make everything from sweaters to t-shirts to socks. I wager it is 99% likely you, whomever you are, reading this right now, are wearing at least one item that is knit at its base level; but I'm 95% sure EVERY item you're wearing right now is knit on some level!
Crochet is, frankly, the black sheep, bullied younger sibling of knitting. It is generally slightly faster than knitting (but both are handicraft - let's face it, no one here is *saving* time); and depending on the stitches used, it produces a more stiff fabric than knitting (making crochet great for toys, sculptures or pieces that want support, like bras). The coolest thing about it, in my opinion, is this: it CANNOT be automated. This craft MUST be done by hand, and no computer can crack it. This is because unlike knitting, which works with entire (predictable) rows of live stitches all going the same direction, crochet only works with one live stitch at a time, and the crafter has total freedom for her next stitches: I can finish one stitch and continue in the predictable direction, OR I can turn the entire work around and continue back the direction I just came, OR I can finish off this stitch and start working on another stitch in a totally new area. No computer can keep up with this level of unpredictability; this craft is still uniquely, utterly, totally human. (This is why, if you see any mass-produced "crochet" items in Target etc... - Well, no, you don't! Meaning, the mass producers have figured out how to mock up machine knitting stitches to appear more like crochet to sell that style!!)
In this day and age of artificial intelligence and machine learning encroaching on so many spaces, it's refreshing, rejuvenating and just a bit rebellious to lean into art - like crochet - that simply CAN'T be faked. These pieces came from my heart and my hands, and I am thrilled to share these minor rebellions with you. Fight the power, and be cute and cozy while doing it!
OMG, so that means these are all really made by hand? How long do these take you?!
I'm a super fast and prolific crafter - one of my gifts! This enables me to produce these pieces fast enough to be able to share the surplus. I love to look at these finished pieces as representations of the time involved in making them. How wonderful to see someone try on a cardigan, knowing that they are wearing and deeply appreciating eight hours of my time.
That being said, it's still a labor intensive art that takes way longer than you'd think... Small pieces of clothing might be just an afternoon or a few hours, and cardigans can take a few days. Blankets, large scale items and highly specific commissions easily take ten times the amount of time of usual projects, hence why I am not available for custom commissions (but thank you to those who have asked!)
Where did you get these ideas? Did you make this all up? Can I do this myself?
I am a synthesizer of ideas, closer to an editor than an author. My process when creating a new product is to thoroughly test, combine and refine different patterns and approaches to arrive at my desired outcome. I have been inspired and guided by countless other artists, in particular patterns and in general approaches to creating shapes and effects. If you're a crafter looking to recreate some of these looks yourself, here's the primary sources I use and links to where you can get (others', legally permitted) patterns!
Sources about general techniques, shaping and construction:
Knitting Mochimochi by Anna Hrachovek: in addition to these super cute patterns, Anna has some of the best breakdowns I've ever seen explaining how to pull apart, plan and craft custom shapes. Truly in a league of her own!
Knitting From the Top by Barbara G. Walker: another legend who understands the entire construction and shaping process for wearables, in a way that many others never grasp. Incredible!
Specific patterns and products:
Hexagon Cardigan: this is my favorite tutorial for a basic cardigan pattern, provided for free by Craft and a Cuppa on Youtube. She's fantastic at showing the basic procedure, extra tips for customizing, and just the feeling of crocheting together, it's adorable. I have watched this at least a dozen times, and experimented a lot from it!
Bralette: Pentagram Bralette by CornCrochet (ALESSIA DEVALK)
Cropped Tank Top: Skylar Ribbed Crop Top by Grace For The Frills
Mesh Tank Top: Patons Mesh Top by Yarnspirations
Bulky Beanie: Bulky Waffle Hat by Linda Suda
Lace Skirt/Top/Dress: Colorful Crochet Lace by Mary Jane Hall
Hooded Shawl: Wild Oleander Hooded Shawl by WickedlyHandmade