News

Mar 01, 2024

8 Young Crochet Artists Taking Over Singapore

Hand’s up if you’ve carted out a crochet hat, bag or top in the past six months. You’re likely, not alone. Since the pandemic and our drive towards cosier and more comforting clothing, we’ve seen the

Hand’s up if you’ve carted out a crochet hat, bag or top in the past six months. You’re likely, not alone. Since the pandemic and our drive towards cosier and more comforting clothing, we’ve seen the popularity of crochet art skyrocket. Tom Daley was knitting it at the Olympics, Taylor Swift is lounging in a crochet top for her Midnights press images, and Jennie wore a crochet top just over a month ago while performing in Taiwan. Safe to say, crochet is staying for a bit.

Beyond its youthful appeal, perhaps one of the reasons crochet art has taken off is its handmade quality that makes these crochet pieces feel unique. In an age of throwaway culture and hyper-fast fashion, knowing that your looped bag or bucket hat was lovingly created over hours can feel incredibly special. Ahead we chat with seven Instagram-based homegrown crochet designers who have found a following among the young clientele about their work.

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How did you get started in crochet designing?

“I started crocheting when I was really young. I was still living in the Philippines and mostly spent my days at home. Typhoons were pretty common and we would often get blackouts in the province. Whenever I have nothing to do, I would copy what my mom does. My mom crochets as a hobby and I found it interesting whenever she creates random things to decorate our house with. She taught me the basics of crochet to keep me occupied and probably to keep me from disturbing her constantly. I eventually lost interest in the hobby growing up with other interests. I picked up the hobby again during circuit breaker in 2020. I also knit, and I started re-learning how to knit again last year in 2022.”

Any proud accomplishments in your journey so far that you can share with us?

“That would be releasing the Habagat spiral top. The pattern for it took almost two years to perfect. I had a lot of confidence issues, I was afraid of many things such as my skills in pattern making, the design being size inclusive, the interest in my design, and so much more. I kept the pattern to myself and only sold ready-made pieces for quite some time. After so much support from my followers, I was convinced that it was time to release a pattern. I ended up selling over 100 copies of the pattern.”

What’s been the biggest misconception about your craft?

“People often mistake crocheting and knitting as the same thing when it’s actually different crafts. Both crafts use yarn and create fabric with repetitive movements. There are many differences between the two crafts but the easiest way to differentiate is, you use a hook for crochet and two needles for knit. I also think people often underestimate the time and effort it takes to learn the craft and produce something. I would teach my friends who would start to get interested in what I do. They would often give up within 15 minutes despite only learning two basic stitches. I find it entertaining whenever they tell me that crocheting is actually quite difficult.”

Are there any future plans or projects that you’re working on right now?

“I have been focusing more on pattern making recently. After years of solely selling ready-to-wear pieces, my wrists have been slowly giving up on me. I still want to continue creating new designs but I would like to focus more on making patterns/tutorials. Currently, I have a few patterns in the making. I make sure that these designs are made-to-measure, promoting diversity in sizes.”

How did you get started in crochet designing?

“I first started crocheting when Covid-19 was at its peak here in Singapore. I had recently come to Singapore to study at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, but since most of my classes moved online and I never really got to explore this new country due to the restrictions, I took up crocheting as a hobby and a way to pass my time. I first became aware of fibre arts community through TikTok and was so amazed by how people were creating various unique items through just yarn and a hook. I have always been a creative person and looking back at it now, I think crocheting allows me to have a different kind of creative freedom that I thoroughly enjoy. I am able to create different things and express myself in a way that go beyond my trained discipline of illustration and animation design.”

Any proud accomplishments in your journey so far that you can share with us?

“I think my biggest accomplishment would be that people have been interested in my designs and I’ve been able to sell them not only in Singapore but also internationally! Sometimes, I get orders from countries like Germany and the United States. The fact that people from all around the world are interested and want to purchase what I create means everything to me.”

What’s been the biggest misconception about your craft?

“I personally believe that few people truly understand the time and effort that goes into each handmade crochet piece, and hence they don’t understand the prices of these unique items. Each piece is handmade from scratch, and can take several hours or days depending on the complexity and intricacy of the piece. Some people fail to take this into consideration and hence feel that crochet or knit is very expensive. I also think people in Singapore do not know that crochet cannot be done using a machine. Recently, I have seen several crochet pieces in huge fast fashion stores. As someone who knows how much time and effort it takes to make one piece, I believe that proper compensation for these items is never provided. I want everyone to know that crochet is always handmade, and they should never believe that there is an easier way to create these clothing items.”

Why do you love what you do?

“One of the main reasons I love this craft is because I feel it is extremely calming and relaxing. It all started off as something to keep my hands busy but through the process, I have learnt to enjoy not just the solitude but also the fact that I can create whatever I want just through a ball of yarn and inspire others along the way. I do also feel a stronger connection to my late grandmother who used to knit and crochet throughout my childhood. I was very close with my grandmom and when I picked up knitting, it became another way for me to remember her, and carry on what she was so passionate about.”

Why do you love crocheting?

“Crocheting my own clothes definitely is another level of satisfaction and wearing it makes me feel really good and confident. I appreciate the pieces more and I wear them very often. It’s very healing to go through the slow process of making every single stitch to create something tangible from just yarn. There are so many different types of yarns to play with, I love the textured feel and visual feast I get when I use them while crocheting or knitting. I also love that there’s so many techniques that I haven’t explored.”

Any proud accomplishments in your journey so far that you can share with us?

“I have sent my items to an independent Italian fashion platform 5WAY, and their support has gotten me some press features in several indie publications. As someone who has always been taking photos in random spots of my home, having them professionally taken and styled is really so new to me. I’m also honoured to be stocked at a popular United States-based marketplace called Ap0cene, which holds other small and independent designers whom I love as well.”

What’s been the biggest misconception about your craft?

“I would say that the public is accustomed to fast fashion prices, so it is rather tricky to price my items in a way that remains affordable to my customers and justifies the amount of time I spend on each piece. It is trickier when materials like yarns are also getting more expensive.”

Are there any future plans or projects that you’re working on right now?

“I’m currently working on a collection, which will be sent to a marketplace based in Los Angeles called Basic.space and will debut there on June 13.”

How did you get started in crochet designing?

“I started my crochet journey as a way of dealing with stress at work and in my personal life. It was a vicious cycle of ‘wake up – work – go home – watch videos – sleep – repeat’. Previously, I watched my friend make pencil boxes and pouches out of a ball of yarn and I thought to myself, ‘How does this ball of string turn into something so useful? Wouldn’t it be cool if I make my own things too?’ So I headed over to YouTube to learn the basics and bought some supplies. I then followed the tutorials and started crocheting pouches and amigurumis (little plush/stuffed toys). One day I decided to make an Instagram account solely for crochet content. This broadened my perspective on the craft and I met so many fellow crafters along the way. One thing led to another and here I am, making my own clothes from balls of yarn.”

Why do you love crocheting?

“Crocheting calms me down. I can shut my brain off from my worries and relax while I crochet, especially after a hectic day at work. I also love interacting with the crafting community, exploring different techniques and skills. Everyone I met in this crafting community is so friendly and helpful. I got to know so many crafters from all over the world.”

What’s been the biggest misconception about your craft?

“Honestly speaking, there’s a long list for this and it will be never-ending if I were to name it all. One thing that I commonly hear is that it’s very easy to start a crochet business and earn a lot from it. Even though I do not own a crochet business, the truth is that many people have the misconception that crafters can easily sell their projects, but what they forget to consider about is the time and money spent behind the scenes. Do appreciate the crafters who are putting in so much time and effort for their works. The other misconstrued notion is that crochet is for grannies. Crocheting is actually very popular in the younger generation. There are many crochet communities in Singapore and overseas – both offline and online – where crafters come together to share their projects, ideas and techniques. It’s very interesting to see how the art style and techniques differ among the various age groups.”

Where can people purchase your designs?

“Unfortunately, I do not sell my crochet makes or accept any form of commission currently. However if you’re still interested in what I do and my content, do check out my page on Instagram!”

How did you get started in crochet designing?

“I was already picking up arts and crafts since primary school. I used to create handmade gifts such as pun-laden cards and hand-sewn plush toys for my fellow friends and teachers on special occasions. When I graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2020, as the a pandemic hit, I found myself in the midst of a quarter life crisis. While I was scrolling through Instagram and passing time, I chanced about a fibre art account called @artbykaraleez. Her projects included crochet graphic sweaters of Snoopy and Winnie the Pooh and I was in awe! Who knew that all it took was a hook and a ball of yarn to make magic. I started to learn basic crochet from my godmother’s mother by mimicry for a day and followed by YouTube tutorials. That eventually led to the creation of my very first sweater design – Burning Elmo. Since then, I’ve been able to sell my wares – such as my Rainbow Gummy Bear Sweater or my Axolotl Jumper to customers from Singapore and internationally.”

Why do you love crocheting?

“There is a huge satisfaction of crocheting something freehand all by myself. That, and the fibre community worldwide is an incredibly supportive and wholesome bunch of people.”

What’s been the biggest misconception about your craft?

In the fibre community and amongst shoppers in general, people think that all yarns are created equal. For example, there are many types of cotton yarns such as 100 per cent cotton, recycled cotton, acrylic cotton, linen cotton, cashmere cotton, and so on. The quality and comfort of yarns plays an important part of my products, especially when I am creating wearables that can withstand and be worn in Singapore’s humid weather. In doing so, I have to opt for weather-friendly yarns, but there’s also the issue of their higher cost price which leads to higher selling prices. Without knowing this beforehand, customers can sometimes feel like I am overpricing my designs.”

Are there any future plans or projects that you’re working on right now?

“Locohands is working towards bringing more unisex apparels and products to our customers. We’re looking at creating new pieces such as shorts, tops and even pillows!”

How did you get started in crochet designing?

Rachel Wan (RW): “I started when I was nine years old after watching my mum’s friend crochet in my house. I got curious, and she taught me how the basics of crochet. I started to fall in love with being able to create things with my hands and playing with different coloured yarns. “

Edwin Goh (EG): “I was first introduced to crochet by Rachel but I couldn’t get the hang of it. The month after my first lessons, it was her birthday so I decided to crochet a couple of scarfs to surprise her. In the process, I realised the calming and meditative feeling crochet gave me while allowing me to stretch my creativity. To sum it up, crochet is an activity that activates my left and right brain because you need to be able to keep count and also frequently do multiplications while my right brain is able to explore different stitches, colours, and combining elements together.”

What does ‘Unravel &’ mean?

EG: “We wanted to come up with a name that wasn’t just memorable, but also personal. Crochet cannot be made by machine, so it’s unrelenting in its need for attention and patience. Yet, it’s also a forgiving artform, especially when it comes to mistakes. You just have to pull and unravel it. When we crochet and unravel mistakes, it also feels like we are unravelling the noise in our heads. We added the “&” at the back because we believe that we as humans are never just defined by one thing. We wanted our brand to represent how open-ended the possibilities are when it comes to crochet and in life.”

Any proud accomplishments in your journey so far that you can share with us?

EG: “There are a few moments that are close to my heart. I first started out teaching and seeing how my students progress with crochet and improving along the way, it made me feel really proud. As for Unravel &, seeing how the products sold so quickly felt surreal. Being able to see how many people are logging into our website from different parts of the world was pretty mind blowing too.”

What’s been the biggest misconception about your craft?

EG: “A lot of people in Singapore would still think the hobby of crocheting is something that only women would do, which a part of me can understand why. In Singapore, the exposure to the crochet community is still not as widespread as other countries, but I think we are seeing a growth of male crocheters for sure.”

Are there any future plans or projects that you’re working on right now that you can share with us for the story?

EG: “Our goal is to expand Unravel &, and collaborate with more crocheters. We aim to be able to provide a source of income, especially to crocheters who aren’t able to work outside or need to work from home. We are currently working on a new collection where we connected with a group of cancer survivors who are also talented crocheters. We worked with them to create a collection together, and it’s still in the works. We are also in the midst of Unravel &’s second collection.”

How did you get started in crochet designing?

“It started as a simple way to pass time during circuit breaker, and to make simple gifts for friends and family members. But as I crocheted more, I soon discovered great potential in knitting and crochet as a medium for art. I’ve been knitting since last September and crocheting since July 2020, but it wasn’t until early 2021 when I started attempting bigger projects.”

Why do you love crocheting?

“I think what I love most about the medium is its ability to create unique forms and textures with simple materials. In some other design forms, it is a common assumption that to create interesting textures and forms, extensive software or materials are required. With knitting and crochet, the sky’s the limit. By experimenting with different stitch patterns, techniques and alternative materials, the crochet medium can give birth to so many amazing creations that are not just limited to garments and accessories.”

Any proud accomplishments in your journey so far that you can share with us?

“My proudest achievement in my journey thus far has to be the completion of my Chubby Organism piece that I did for a Wearable Technology module in school. I think it perfectly encompasses my personal style and design ethos, which is anchored in the emphasis of form and the tactility of objects.”

What’s been the biggest misconception?

“This isn’t limited to knitting, but it seems like every crafter tends to fall prey to the pressure of having to turn their work into some form of small business – perhaps because of the hustle culture that is ever-present in Singapore. I think the value of engaging in a hobby or craft for the sole purpose of recreation is not often appreciated here. Honestly, that was me at one point in time. While some crafters find running a small business beneficial and rewarding, I personally found that once I attach a monetary value to my work, I start to perceive it as a chore. It felt cheap to constantly remake designs that I had long fallen out of love with. This is not to say I am ungrateful for all the opportunities I have had in the time that I did regard Koinijothreads as a business. Nowadays, I function mostly based on a custom order basis where I am provided with a brief, and will make the piece according to mine and the commissioner’s vision.”

This article was originally published in Female.

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