A Long Overdue Update

I never did get to mention that August 3rd (the day after my birthday) marked 10 years since I started this blog!  Thanks to everybody who stayed along for the ride, and the new folks who stopped by.

I did put up a new listing on Etsy recently.  Since Summer is winding down here in Los Angeles, I need to work on some Autumn stuff...long as it ain't pumpkin spice (It's your fault, Starbucks).

And here's that new item I listed.

The "Odds and Quirks" Patchwork Snood

Man, I need to learn consistency so I can get noticed around these parts.  Other than that, I got some crocheting to do.  Y'all be easy!

We Need More Crocheters & Yarn Stores In The Hood

Just needed to throw in this quick mini-gallery above this sentence to make a point.

I'm a crocheter from one of the worst neigborhoods in South Central Los Angeles, an area called Hyde Park.  Yes, I come from what is known as the hood.  And I'm quite certain that other folks who crochet like I do and come from the trenches would say the same thing.

You see, the art and the skill of crochet isn't just relegated to the suburbs.  I've seen some of the most beautiful pieces of handiwork come from the hood; in my neck of the woods, that would be places like Leimert Park and Watts, Inglewood, and Long Beach.  And these fiber artists don't get enough shine, whatsoever.

What I suggest is that we showcase crochet artists and designers from every hood throughout the United States who can just go ballistic with a hook and yarn.  And if they want, they can even set up a weekly marketplace where they can sell their handmade pieces locally.  I would even encourage them to sell their wares online on platforms like Etsy, Payhip and Shopify!

And another thing that was on my mind is that there are no local yarn or upcycling spots in the hood.  The closest thing to a yarn store we had here in LA was Walmart at the Crenshaw Mall, but they shut that one down in January 2016.  Yeah, we've got Michaels in Inglewood and Mid-City (Midtown to us local folk) and Joann Fabric & Crafts nearby (La Cienega & Pico Blvds), but I still have to travel out to buy material and supplies.  Even the nearest Hobby Lobby from me is not that far, but it's still a couple of cities over in Hawthorne (ironically across the street from another Michaels store), and that even takes a cool minute to get there by bus.

This is to all my crocheters from the hood: Y'all know how that goes, right?  Having to burn gas or pay bus fare just to travel out to buy your yarn, hooks, and whatever else you need, only to come home exhausted after the long trip.  This is why I say that there should be more yarn stores in the hood.  If not that, then we should have some local upcycling stores that do sell yarn, fabrics, and other things needed to create.  That way, we can travel only if we want to buy that good-quality, high-end yarn.

Now I want y'all to show them skills off!  It doesn't matter if you come from Brooklyn, Chicago, Philly or South Central LA.  And it certainly doesn't matter if you live in Marcy, Soundview, Pork 'N Beans or even the Nickerson Gardens.  If you come from those spots and you can crochet your ass off, then show off your talents!  Y'all got this!!!

Check Out Cookiey's on Instagram

I met a fellow crocheter here in South Central LA last week while delivering some handmade goods myself.  And let me just say that her work is some of the dopest I've seen!

You can check out her work on Instagram if you want to order some custom-made clothes from this lovely woman.  In fact, let me give you guys the link to her page.

Cookiey's On Instagram

So give her a holler some time.  I highly recommend it!

And don't forget to support your local Black crocheters, wherever you may be in the world!

Àse 🙏🏾👑

And lastly, support your local Black crocheters, wherever you may be in the world!  😊🙏🏾👑

Experimenting With Handmade Bucket Hats

A few days ago, I took my prototype bucket hat to a friend of mine who is also a local vendor.  Let's just say that it was a hit with some of the other vendors and folks in the area.  So now, I've been commissioned to design a number of these hats with various different color combinations and schemes.  That'll give me a chance to bust that big ol' stash of yarn so I can free up a little space.

Right now I'm working on an ocean-inspired piece since it's summer here in Los Angeles.  I've got plenty of ideas up my sleeve for these bucket hats.  This reminds me of the times when I was crocheting fedoras like crazy and they were selling like clockwork.  Now I'm seeing people rocking bucket hats like it's no tomorrow as if their names were LL Cool J or EPMD.  But hey, there's nothing wrong with it.

Àse 🙏🏾👑

Fresh On Etsy

I just listed this mellow tam a few days ago in the shop.  The wonders of the ocean inspired me to make it.

The "Aurora Waves" Slouchy Hat

There'll be more listings to come, so be on the lookout!  😉

Juneteenth 2023 at Leimert Park - The Finale

Just like I called it, the last day of the annual Juneteenth festival at Leimert Park had a massive turnout, so much so that it took me 20 minutes to walk from the K Line station to a bench so I could relax.  As some of you can tell, this is probably the biggest event in all of South Central Los Angeles, maybe even bigger than the Taste Of Soul.

LA Metro K Line, Leimert Park Station

I couldn't even get any decent photos because the whole area was packed, from Vernon Avenue to MLK Boulevard.  Even the local buses (Lines 40, 105, 210, and DASH) had to detour because there were thousands of folks everywhere.  So far, this was the only other picture I was able to snap up.

DJ playing some old-school classics on the 1s & 2s

I got to communicate with some longtime buddies again and score some free Pocky sticks (I love that snack) while at the park, but that huge crowd had me feeling uneasy.  So I jumped right back on the K Line and got outta Dodge.  Big crowds leave me mentally overwhelmed.

So that ends this little miniseries on our yearly Juneteenth event here in Los Angeles, CA.  At least I don't have to worry for another year about the streets blocked off to where it's standing room only.

Y'all be good now!

Juneteenth 2023 at Leimert Park - Day 2

I thought Sunday was going to be the most lively of the Juneteenth weekend, considering that we have our weekly African drum circle in the area, but it was the same turnout as Saturday.  I can't lie and say that I didn't enjoy myself, because I certainly did.

Our weekly drum circle on Degnan Blvd

Local vendor selling Beautiful African garments

I did have a great conversation with another local crocheter who had her booth set up.  She had some of the dopest handmade pieces that I've ever seen in knowing a lot of Sistas who can throw down with a hook and yarn.  This is something one would hardly see in places such as South Central Los Angeles; coincidentally, the woman and I touched base on that topic as well.  Too much talent is often overlooked in the hood, especially when it comes to crochet, so we as the crafters of the hood need to bring it to the forefront.

Today is the final day of our Juneteenth festival in Leimert Park, so there's a good chance that we may have a spectacular jubilee of sorts.  That also means I gotta slap that infamous 3-word phrase on this post since this celebration of our enslaved ancestors isn't over yet.  So yeah, to be continued and all that rah-rah.

Many thanks to TMH and the Ancestors for guiding our people out of the darkness.  May Your glorious Light shine upon those who have not yet been reached.  Àse 🙏🏾👑❤️🖤💚

Juneteenth 2023 at Leimert Park - Day 1

Yesterday was the kickoff to our yearly Juneteenth festival in Leimert Park.  As you can see from the photos, everything was rather mellow; there was a decent-sized crowd, but Saturday was more of a warm-up.

Degnan Boulevard, a Leimert Park staple

The only sucky part about yesterday was that I didn't have the cash to buy lunch from the Shabazz tent.  At the same time, it's probably a good thing because I don't need to be eating a bunch of fried food anyway; I had a nasty 3-week bout with gastritis from Kwanzaa 2021 to mid-January 2022, so I'm trying to lay low on anything fried.  But one day I'll have some Shabazz after all these years, maybe during the Taste Of Soul festival.

Shabazz Good Foods

I mostly spent my time in the park working on a custom order and chatting it up with some longtime friends, then left to go buy groceries for dinner on a tiny budget.  When you can't always eat what you want, then a struggle meal will make for some of the best comfort food.

A Beautiful Sista taking the stage

Well, this is the part where I throw in that infamous "to be continued" line, because today's the second day of the Juneteenth festival.  And because it's Sunday, considering that it's in Leimert Park, the event is going to be much livelier than yesterday.  While I'm at it, let me praise TMH for allowing me to wake up this fine morning to experience something as wonderful as celebrating my ancestors.

Àse 🙏🏾👑❤️🖤💚

Dipping My Toes in the Payhip Pool

A little over a week ago, I came across a website called Payhip after reading about it.  Took a look-see and I thought I'd give it a try.

I currently offer my crochet pattern book (both US & UK editions) on the platform, but I should have some new stuff on there down the line.  I'm still a newbie to Payhip, so I need to gain a little traction first.

In the meantime, let me give you guys the link to my barely visible store:

Stitches & Similes on Payhip

I call it "Stitches & Similes" for a reason; it's because of my exploits in the world of crochet, and also something I haven't touched on in this blog, which is writing.  I have a couple of books out at the moment (two novels and one nonfiction).

I shall return with some more goodies, so take it easy!

A New (Regal) Listing on Etsy

The Empress's Majesty Drawstring Tam

I had made a visit to the local library some time ago and saw this pattern book that I thought would have some designs I'd like.  It's called Crocheted Beanies & Slouchy Hats by Julie King, and I absolutely love it!

First, let me give credit to Ms. King as the hat you see in the top photo originally came from this book.  The actual pattern and design come from the Festival Slouchy Hat (see below); I just used different colors and added a drawstring to it.

Image of the Festival Slouchy Hat

I listed my rendition of this cute little hat on Etsy, so go on ahead and check it out.  While you're at it, visit my Soulful Stitchery channel on YouTube.  I'll see you guys on the next one!

I've Published My First Pattern Book

For the first time ever (and after years of writer's block), I've just published a crochet pattern book.  A lot of trial, error and chicken scratches went into putting this compilation together, but I finally did it!  Now the next step is to get some of these patterns into other publications.

Here's a couple of places where you can buy the eBook; the reason it's in eBook form is because I don't have enough pages to have it printed up.  But hey, in due time...

You can purchase these patterns on Amazon

And it's available on Gumroad too

Besides all this, I've still got a ways to go if I'm going to make my mark in the world of crochet.  Just one step at a time is all it takes.

Farewell, Sell On Etsy

Late last month, Etsy decided to deprecate their Sell On Etsy app in favor of their oft-tweaked and updated Etsy Seller app.  Though I've gotten used to the latter fairly quick, I do miss the former for its ease of use.  The only sucky part about it is that I couldn't throw in any calculated shipping prices on my listings, depending on the weight, height and length of the package; I had to do all that on the actual website.

As a result of the app deprecation, I freed up some space on my phone by (sadly) uninstalling it.  I can't be too sad about losing Sell On Etsy; it helped me take care of my orders with no problems.  I just hope that Etsy Seller will do a bang-up job as well as the previous app, because I love hearing that "Ka-Ching" sound go off.  😊

A Crocheter's Ode to Hip Hop

I've been a Hip Hop head since birth, since the first time I heard Freaks Come Out At Night by Whodini, Sucker MCs by Run-DMC, and Fly Girl by Boogie Boys (Rest In Peace to Ecstasy, Jam Master Jay, and Boogie Knight).  And I wanted to make this post as my way of commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the culture.

Obviously, I'm also a crocheter.  I love that shit like I love my Hip Hop music.  As I've done for my Etsy store, I've made, listed, and sold pieces that were inspired by some of my favorite Hip Hop joints.  Here is my most recent nod to the culture.

You remember the Kangol bucket hat?  The same one made famous by LL Cool J back in the day?  Well, the hat you see in this photo is my take on it.  I don't even have a pattern for it yet, but I need to go ahead and write one up.

Speaking of LL, one of his albums was called 14 Shots To The Dome.  Well, you can say this hat is "three hundred some-odd stitches off the dome"; I only incorporated what I learned from one of my favorite crochet pattern books, which I'll talk about on another post.

In the meantime, I've got that listing on Etsy:

The OOAK Custom B-Boy Style Bucket Hat

See y'all on the next post!  One Love

Soulful Stitchery Is Now On YouTube

I already have my blog and Etsy store, so why not start a YouTube channel?

I just created it a couple of days ago, so I still need to get it off the ground.  Click on my little banner that I grabbed from Etsy, and it'll take you straight to the channel.

Or if you want to bypass all that, here's the link below:

Soulful Stitchery on YouTube

Seems like I'm making short and sweet posts these days, but I will be churning out some content.  😉

Wanting To Make An Outfit Part 1: The Idea

 Man, how I really need to get back to blogging...  But enough about my outermost thoughts.

As a crocheter, I've never actually sat down and made clothes for myself.  I mean, I've made my own accessories and have stitched up clothes for other people, but I've never made an outfit for myself.  Time constraints, obligations and other things have kept me from getting to it.

For example, I wanted to design a hooded vest and skirt set.  For reference, I have the book Crochet Squared by Marsha Polk to use as a guide for making the vest (I always liked "tweaking" different patterns).  The skirt I'd make off the dome.  I wanted to sport a monochrome color scheme, so I opted for two pounds of grey yarn (glad I had those Joann coupons on deck) with some black mixed in.

For now, I'll start off with the vest since it'll be quicker.  Can't wait to see how that turns out...

Yep, to be continued until the next time I dust off this blog...  (Smile)