Video Overview
What is knots of love?
Knots of Love is a small crochet business that works towards raising awareness around queer and trans rights, with proceeds going to local LGBTQIA+ & Reproductive rights organizations in North Carolina. By combining my love for crocheting with advocacy, I aim to create queer joy for myself and others while educating Elon Students on ethical activism and policies affecting queer communities.
Back when I was 13 years old, I was diagnosed with a mental health condition called Trichotillomania, which is a hair-pulling disorder that has impacted my life in various ways. At the time, I was dealing with a lot of stress and struggling with coming to terms with my identity as a Queer person. Last year, I learned how to crochet and fell in love with the art. Crocheting has helped me with my hair-pulling disorder, and I have been mostly pull-free for over a year now!
I am incredibly passionate about social justice work. As someone who has the lived experience of being a Queer person who struggles with mental health, I want to be there for others who have gone through similar things. Then I had an idea. What if I used my love for crocheting for good? Around that time, I learned about Kickbox, which helped me bring my small business to life.
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At the beginning of the Kickbox process, I felt very overwhelmed. I was excited to start my crochet business, but did not know where to begin. With all these ideas, Dan had to remind me that this is a prototype of a business. This advice helped me organize my thoughts and make a plan of action. My goal was not to make as many projects as possible, but to enjoy going through the process of seeing what works best for me and my business.
Trials & Errors
Some of my prototypes were great! Others... we got some work to do.
The Chicken Plushie
I started prototyping a few crochet projects. I know a lot of people in this area who love chickens, so I have been prototyping farm animal plushies. One of the first prototypes for my business was a chicken plushie. Her name is Henrietta, and she is so cute, but I quickly learned that safety eyes are not easy to work with. I repeatedly made the mistake of sewing my plushies closed before adding the safety eyes. Once I got the hang of the safety eyes, crocheting chickens was smooth sailing. With the prototypes I made, I changed some of the details as well as purchased eyes with brown and blue irises. I also tried using makeup on the plushie to see if that works well for blush (and it does.) I plan on crocheting more farm animals and attaching rainbow ribbons to them.
Tampons
Why tampons? Access to reproductive health care is an issue that impacts communities including queer and trans folks. I wanted my business to push back against menstrual stigma, so I started crocheting tampons. These were a bit trickier to prototype. I initially had the idea of crocheting earrings. However, the process was time-consuming, and I found it difficult to get the sizing just right. Instead of crocheting earrings, I decided to make tampon key chains.
Water Bottle Bags
The water bottle bags were the most difficult to prototype. It was difficult gauging what brand/type of yarn would work best for the bag, the size of the bag, as well as making sure the bag can handle the weight of the water bottle. I received some great feedback from fellow Kickboxers. Some of the ideas that were shared with me was using thicker yarn and making an adjustable strap/drawstring for the bag. Due to limited time, I was not able to make an adjustable strap/drawstring for the bag. I was able to improve my crochet water bottle bags in other ways.
Other Prototypes
From crocheted hats to neuron plushies, I explored other potential projects that I can sell in the future!
Water Bottle Bag Improvements
The rainbow water bottle bag is the prototype of what I want the finalized water bottle bags to look like. I plan on crocheting water bottle bags in a variety of colors. I initially used Lion's Brand yarn for the bag, then switched to classic cotton yarn from Loops and Threads. The yarn from Loops and Threads is thicker. Even though I did not have time to prototype an adjustable drawstring bag, I adjusted the size of my water bottle bags. I made the bags bigger so that the product can fit a variety of different water bottles + phones and wallets.
Business Set Up
I asked folks what they wanted to see from my crochet business. One person gave me the idea to create crocheted water bottle bags, another suggested that I start an Instagram page for my business. I shared my idea with a few people, both close friends and acquaintances, for feedback. I considered both perspectives because many of my friends are Queer and have important things to say about policies around LGBTQIA+ and reproductive rights. Many of them were excited about my crochet projects. I also asked a few classmates to identify what crochet pieces they think would and would not sell well.
For tabling, I purchased a poster board from Michael's and decorated it with stickers. I also included QR codes for my business's Instagram page and my commission form. There is also a QR Code for LGBTQIA+ organizations for folks who want to make a direct donation. I also have freebies from the Guildford Green Foundation. I recently tested my business set up at the Queer and Trans Art Showcase, and it was a success!
Who helped me bring this project to Life?
Shout out to Kate Campbell, my sponsor for Kickbox! They gave me feedback on how to create a budget for my business and have just been incredibly supportive throughout the process. Initially, I was anxious to use my Kickbox money. My conversations with Kate were reassuring, and they helped me make a plan for what stores I should go to and what materials to purchase. I also appreciate the GLC for letting me table my business at this years spring pride!
I spoke to my professor in the German studies department, who shared her thoughts through the lens of someone who has lived in Germany. Even though I am working with local organizations, I think it is valuable to read about how other countries are addressing Queer and reproductive rights issues.
I am so so thankful for my amazing friends!! This project would not have been possible without them. I appreciate them giving me feedback for my ideas and uplifting my business, it means the world to me!
Materials
I used yarn... lots of yarn. All of my yarn was purchased from Michaels. I also purchased additional materials like Sharpies, a poster board, a jar, etc. These materials were used for my crochet projects and tabling set up. I did not purchase any materials from Hobby Lobby.
I plan on working on commissions + additional crochet products throughout the Summer. I want to work towards using more sustainable materials for my crochet projects. One idea was to try plarning, which is the process of reusing plastic bags for crochet projects. I also plan on purchasing yarn second-hand for certain projects. In the Fall, I will be tabling regularly at "Oaks Originals at the Marketplace." I also have a form where I am currently accepting commissions. I am super excited to continue Knots of Love in the future!