BIPOC in Fiber Launches Crowdfunder for Website

Jeanette Sloan has been at the forefront of discussions of diversity in knitting and the list of POC designers and crafters on her website has proven a valuable if rather low-tech resource both for consumers who want to support BIPOC designers and for knitting companies and event producers who want to be more diverse in selecting who they work with.

She’s teamed up with Lorna Hamilton-Brown (whose dissertation was about dispelling the myth that black people don’t knit) and website designer Alyson Chu to launch a dedicated website for BIPOC in fiber that will include a directory, profiles, support and more for designers and yarn crafters of color.

The project has been on Crowdfunder for just a few days and has already surpassed the goal of £20,000 raised. The money will go to producing the website and compensating people who are producing content for the site and rewards for the campaign.

This will be such a great resource for knitters, yarn companies and those who hire designers and teachers, and is another way to bring more attention to the diversity of the knitting and crafting world.

[Photo: BIPOC in Fiber.]

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The other day I saw a post from Pinterest about trends for summer and it said one of them was “cultivating whimsy.”

Well, I don’t know where Pinterest has been all this time, but we’ve been cultivating whimsy here at Craft Gossip for a long time. I love sharing projects that are a little different, things that make you smile when you see them, and will make you smile when you knit them and wear them or use them.

Such it is with the Tutti Frutti tee knitting pattern from Bea Creative Knits.

This cute little baby tee is worked top down in the round with contiguous shoulder construction to shape the sleeve caps. There are short rows for the neckline and folded hems with picot edging at the hemline, neckline and edges of the sleeves.

All of this would be great on its own, but then there’s the addition of a super cute fruit icon, which is added with duplicate stitch. There are a lot of options, including strawberry, banana, orange, cherries, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, kiwi, peach, dragon fruit, apple and pear, so it’s likely you can add on your favorite fruit.

It is offered in eight sizes, to fit a bust measurement ranging from 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) to 56-58 inches (142-147 cm). The design is meant to be worn with around 6.3 inches/16 cm of negative ease, but you can choose the fit you prefer. There’s also optional bust and waist shaping included in the pattern if you want to make it even curvier.

This is considered an advanced beginner or intermediate project because of all the skills involved, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun even if some of these techniques are new to you.

Grab a copy of the pattern for yourself form Bea Creative Knits on Etsy.

[Photo: Bea Creative Knits]

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