As I type out this blog post, I am filled with a warm fuzzy glow. That glow is fueled by the fact that this week was proof that there are many other crocheters out there that feel like I do about crochet.
Crochet is beautiful.
Crochet is not a second-rate craft.
Crochet is not a "grannyish".
Crochet is modern.
Crochet deserves more space in the yarn industry.
Crochet and crocheters NEED to be taken seriously.
Change is coming. Moorit Magazine is evidence of that.
Alyson Chu, is a crocheter with a publishing degree. She too feels the tumbleweed void of a high-end, aspirational crochet publication. What's different though is that Alyson has done something about it.
Alyson launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise £10,600 to get Issue 1 of Moorit magazine off the ground. That target was smashed in under 48 hours, as was the stretched target, as was the next stretched target that Alyson hurriedly put in place when it was obvious that the crocheters were in full support of Moorit.
So, just over a week later and I am lining up to do my bit on the Moorit social media tour as @crochet_circle_podcast over on Instagram. The fund is about to reach £20K - nearly double what was required for Issue 1. This means that Alyson can start thinking about and shaping Issue 2. That means we have potential longevity for this magazine.
I just had a quick Insta chat with Alyson to get her reaction to the speed at which crocheters have united behind her magazine and this is what she had to say:
"I knew Moorit was going to resonate with people because the dearth of crochet-centric content is a popular topic of conversation among my crochet friends. But I was still completely blown away by the immediate response to the Kickstarter campaign.
I’ve been really thankful for and encouraged by the support and by the comments and messages I’ve been receiving. And if I didn’t know it before, I am so confident now that I am on the right track with Moorit."
I also interviewed Alyson in advance of the Kickstarter campaign launch and you can watch that on YouTube (link) or listen to it via Podbean (link).
As a crochet designer, I have longed for a tactile, coffee table type crochet magazine. I didn't ever dream that I could be one of the first contributors for it.
If you sign up to the Kickstarter, to the level of £55 and above, one of your rewards is my new pattern - Positivity Spiral Hat.
The hat was crocheted up in RiverKnits Nene 4ply (100% Bluefaced Leicester (non-superwash) which is grown and spun in the UK).
The hat is a companion piece to my Postivity Spiral Cowl which you can buy from this website or on Ravelry. The cowl pattern gives details for laceweight all the way through to super-chunky weight yarns.
Alyson now has a heap of work ahead of her. Her aim is to make an inclusive crochet magazine that is aspirational and grounded in modern crochet.
I already have images of me sitting comfortably at my dining table with a coffee in my hand as I paw longingly through Moorit and appreciate the waft of thick, recycled paper and beautiful crochet with Scotland for a backdrop.
The Instagram flat lay image is already in my head. I bet it's in yours too? Roll on September 2021!
You can find Alyson at:
@mooritmag (Instagram and Facebook)
hello@mooritmag.com
You can find me on Instagram at:
@faydhdesigns
