Crochet Queen: Royal Ramblings

Granny Squares (which the article calls "knitted sweaters!#*!!#%) Clothe the Exposed Ducts at Etsy I read an article in New York magazine (April 4-17,2016) early this morning, and it jump-started my adrenalin flow for the day!! Entitled "ETSY Wants to Crochet Its Cake & Eat it Too ," The author is Amy LaRocca, and she asks the question, "Can a company upend capitalism without really earning a profit?" I loved reading about the corporate culture at Etsy which is a "peer to peer" operation that connects makers to buyers. For those working on the inside to keep the machine humming, there is free lunch after employees are encouraged to ride their bikes to work. There is also on-site education and 40 hours per year of paid volunteer time along with 100% paid health care premiums; 26 weeks of paid parental leave and great wages! Accredited a a "B-Corp," Etsy has declared itself "equally responsible to its community and to the e...

Like all great things, the granny square has come and gone in waves. In the 70s it was the go-to technique; creative hobbyists and artists alike found ingenious ways to use it with great flair. Silver Evening Bolero from The Golden Hands Complete Book of Knitting & Crochet, 1973 In the 90s, it got a bad rap as “tired, trite and needing a lift”. During that period, crochet in general was on an upsurge and unenlightened journalists often used the phrase, “Not your granny’s crochet” to demean the past and focus on the “new present.” These frequent slights fueled a revolution for passionate crocheters, led by the Crochet Guild of America , who stood up for their beloved craft and brought it to the fore not only as a hobby, but also as an art form and fashion-inspiration. That popularity of crochet as art and fashion surged upward and is currently at its apex of acceptance as a valid fiber art. Vintage motifs on canvas by Kathleen Holmes, The Fine Art of Crochet, 2013 W...