May 7, 2019
The yarn industry appears to be in the midst of industry-wide consolidation, with this quarter seeing even more acquisitions/mergers. Diversity in the industry and concerns over the inclusion of knitters/crocheters of all races, religions, genders, ages, sizes and socio-economic statuses has been the largest topic of discussion this quarter. Although the topic has simmered for years (decades?), the popular discussion began on Instagram in February and began on Instagram before moving to other social media networks and live events. Here’s a roundup of the latest news.
Apr 29, 2019
Interweave is facing a very uncertain future. Its parent company, F+W, filed for bankruptcy in March and the search is on to find a buyer for the books division and the magazines by June. Now is a good time to take a moment to reflect on all that this company has given to the craft community over the past 44 years.
Mar 14, 2019
CBS News has referred to him as “an 11-year-old with a grandmother’s soul” and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has referred to him as “a prodigy.” He’s appeared on “Good Morning, America” and had so many media requests that he actually had to decline appearing on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” But somehow, when we sent Jonah Larson a message to his Instagram account (@JonahHands) last week, he found time and was willing to answer questions about his crocheting and his business experiences for Craft Industry Alliance.
Nov 14, 2018
Making Things is a new web app that launched on October 30 to the knit and crochet community and has provoked intense online discussion about the cost of pattern, designer compensation, and disclosure of affiliate links. Created by Megan Elizabeth and her partner, Rob Andrew, and based in Melbourne, Australia, Making Things is a monthly subscription service providing access to over 1,000 patterns as well as web-based pattern reading tools including stitch counters, row highlighters, chart grids, and editable notes, plus 24-hour live pattern support.
Nov 5, 2018
Malabrigo is one of the few companies that has successfully executed hand-dyeing on a massive scale — something typically done by small, independent and one-person operations.
May 25, 2017
Crochet – the one fiber art that will never be taken over by machine. You must use your own two hands to achieve this ancient art. Just you, your favorite crochet hook, and whatever luscious yarn you’ve chosen for your next wonderful project. But understanding a written pattern can be tricky. Symbol patterns are the answer!
Dec 6, 2016
Stacey Trock was a grad student studying linguistics with a focus on child language acquisition when she made a bold move that raised eyebrows in her department. She decided to skip shopping for a tenure track university job and instead prepared to launch a crochet business after graduation.
