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!!!
