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How Do You Feel About Fast Fashion Crochet?

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cro doily purse 0913

 

I had never heard of ‘fast fashion’.  Have you?  This very brief video gives a glimpse into some problems in the fashion world that will interest many crocheters.  The impact of ‘fast fashion’ is less on crochet than on many other facets of the fashion/ clothing/ yarn industry – but it’s there.  Please check it out and let me know what you think?

You can also purchase plarn ready made here via Etsy.

While the video addresses retail fashion more than what we, as crocheters, might create with our own hooks, I think the lessons of the video apply to all art forms.

As crocheters we are both producers and consumers as all of us create (produce) items from yarn that some of us actually produce ourselves while most of us just go to the store to purchase our yarn.  Do we care about the environmental effect of yarn production?  Do we care about purchasing yarn created by upcycling some other material (plarn, soda bottle yarn as in ‘fleece’)?  Do we create timeless or trendy pieces?

cro tee shirt yarn 0913

Only you can answer these questions for yourself.  Only you can determine if the issues raised in this tiny video are important to you.

For me, any way I can easily re-use, recycle, upcycle, and reduce the waste of fiber materials, I’m on board with that.  There are limits to my participation as I cannot use many of the recycled forms of ‘yarn’ because they are hard on my wrists.  But, I certainly like the look of many such items – tee shirt rugs, plarn totes and sandals, cassette tape flowers.

Here are a couple of links to get you thinking.  Look at this.

Or this.  There’s plenty more.  Just ‘bing’ ‘recycled yarn’ or ‘recycled fashion’ to see more and get more ideas.  Is this for you?

What do you think?

Comments

  1. This is certainly interesting jd. I’m not sure that it really applies to hand-crafted items since the goal there is always to produce the highest quality item possible with the resources that you have.

    However, as far as the fashion industry is concerned, I am all for the new trend. Personally, I get tired of most of my clothing after wearing it for a season or two. I have no problem “buying it cheap and buying it often”!

  2. I like old stuff. Old clothes, tablecloths, curtains, you name it. I also like clothes that fit properly and are well made…..those kind of clothes never go out of style and make me feel good about myself. Most of the things I see in the stores now are cheaply made and look cheap on the body. You can tell quality when you see the fit is proper and feel the fabric and the way it lays on the body. You CAN NOT get that at WalMart or Target, Maurice’s or Old Navy.

Have you read?

The Official Stardew Valley Crochet Book: That Rooster Had Me Hooked

Apparently, this is the year chickens took over my crafting attention. First came the emotional support chickens, then the pocket chickens, and now a rooster has managed to talk me into looking at another crochet book.

Honestly, put a crocheted chicken in front of me at this point and I’m going to stop scrolling.

That is exactly what happened with The Official Stardew Valley Crochet Book. The rooster sucked me in before I had even properly investigated what else was inside. After all the emotional support chicken crochet patterns we’ve been sharing, you would think I’d have had enough poultry. Apparently, there is still room in the imaginary yarn coop.

Now, a little honesty before we go any further: I haven’t read this book yet or tried its patterns. This is a look at why it has caught my attention ahead of publication. I have a very good feeling about this one, and I’m expecting it to be a lovely addition to the crochet bookshelf.

What’s Inside The Official Stardew Valley Crochet Book?

The publisher describes a collection of 25 crochet patterns with variations for more than 45 amigurumi projects, created by ConcernedApe, Megan Lapp and Ryan Novak.

The announced projects include Junimos, Slimes, chickens, a Junimo Hut and familiar game items. There are simpler projects such as Eggs alongside more challenging makes, including the Mermaid Pendant.

The chicken variations are particularly tempting, with different beaks, combs and tail feathers, plus White, Blue, Brown, Golden and Void varieties. You can probably see why my attention keeps wandering back to the coop.

It is scheduled for release on 26 January 2027 through Random House Worlds, with 240 pages in the hardcover edition.

Why This Crochet Book Is on My Radar

What appeals to me is the combination of recognisable characters and slightly ridiculous little objects. Those are often the crochet projects that make me smile most. A useful blanket is wonderful, but sometimes you simply want a tiny yarn creature keeping you company beside the sewing machine.

If you’ve enjoyed our emotional support pocket chicken crochet feature, you’ll understand the attraction. Small, characterful projects have a way of becoming much more tempting than the sensible project already waiting in your basket.

For Stardew Valley fans, there is also the pleasure of making something connected to a favourite game. We’ve previously shared a Junimo crochet pattern, so this feels like a lovely next book to explore for readers who enjoy that crossover between gaming and yarn.

Would I Add It to My Crochet Wishlist?

Absolutely. I can’t yet comment on the clarity of the instructions, the finishing details or how the patterns work up. Those are things I would want to assess with the book and a hook in hand.

But based on the announced collection, I know this is going to be a good one for my kind of crochet browsing: plenty of personality, playful projects and chickens I’m already mentally choosing yarn for.

You can take a closer look at The Official Stardew Valley Crochet Book on Amazon.

I came for the rooster. I suspect I’ll stay for the rest of the farm.