CROCHET FOR EVERY BODY

We speak to some amazing designers and crafters who are making movements in the crochet industry to include every shape, every size and every body in their wearable patterns

- Colette Earley

Many crafters have noted that those who fall outside of the 'standard' Vor'striaght' shape and size often find it difficult to create or adapt patterns for themselves. The brilliant news is, the making community is moving towards turning the industry into a more inclusive community for the plus-sized, petite, tall, short and everything in between.

ALL BODIES ARE VALID

The first step, in the eyes of Denise Clark, a retired kindergarten teacher who is currently a serial crochet pattern tester, is to breakaway from society's ideas of what is or isn't beautiful and speak out about support for every type of body. Denise uses her Instagram account to talk about the issues surrounding size inclusivity and its importance. "I think being vocal about my pursuit of adapting patterns has encouraged designers and testers to re-evaluate," "she says. "Designers realise that they need to address and tap into the plus-size community." Denise thinks that plus-size testers are beginning to understand that they are a valuable commodity and can be role models for the size-inclusive community. "They realise that even if they don't like to take pictures [for] social media, they are doing so to show people that no matter your shape, every body is important and has value in this world."