Hello and welcome!
My name is Lauren and I am the creator and founder of Brixton’s Crafts. Named after my beloved dog, Brix, Brixton’s Crafts came to life when I realized my passion for bringing crafting (especially crochet) to my community. Let me tell you a little bit more about myself:
In 2018, I was working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I found myself having difficulty “turning off” my brain at night, or really after work. I was obsessed with making a positive impact in the world. It was at this time that I stumbled upon the crochet and knit community on instagram.
My life changed completely.
I instantly fell in LOVE with the process of creating. Although, I was horrible at the craft. I remember thinking I could easily make a heart as my first project. It ended up looking like a big, yellow check-mark. After sulking for a week about my failure, I saw a video on YouTube of one of my [now] crochet heroes making a blanket with a super luxurious, velvet yarn. Obviously, I went to the store and bought the same yarn, a new hook and got to work. To say this was a disaster is an understatement. I quickly learned a few things:
- You should really listen to the designers when they say a yarn isn’t beginner friendly. My “I can do anything even without practice” attitude really screwed me over.
- Tension is key. It needs to be consistent throughout the entire project to have a nice, even piece.
- Trust the designer’s difficulty rating! When the pattern says “intermediate”, it means you need specific skills to obtain a similar result to the designers.
- Every crochet piece is a unique, unmatched product. Sure someone can make the same hat four times, but every single hat will have a different touch to it.
To date, this “blanket” is one of my most treasured pieces. It’s a trapezoid. It’s an incomplete, lopsided “blanket”. But it’s my crochet journey. It shows where I started and where I ended up. I can visually see my progress as an artist. It’s incredible.
All of these events have taught me valuable lessons along the way. My journey to grow in this craft is far from over. My next step is to extended a hand out to others to help them learn the relaxation and pride that comes with completing a project.
Brixton’s Crafts is dedicated to introducing others to this wonderful craft and giving back to the community. In an effort to make a difference, I have developed programs for everyone to learn at their own pace. In this blog, you will find tutorials, links to patterns, materials, and E-books to master the basics of crochet and start crochet programs in your area! Additionally, 10% of all profits will go towards implementing these programs in retirement communities, and low-income senior communities. Let’s help make a positive change in the world!