The Knit Wits of Krochet Kids
Crocheting is for old people? Don’t tell that to the Krochet Kids.
Written by Filed under Business, Life
Stewart Ramsey of Krochet Kids (right) with Akello Alice in Gulu, Uganda.
Crocheting is an activity most commonly associated with grandmothers of a long-ago era, a hobby so far removed from the public consciousness that one would be hard pressed to find an American woman—even an elderly woman—who still picks up a crochet hook now and again. Against this positively uncool backdrop, three twenty-something guys from Spokane, Washington—athletic, outgoing surfer dude-types who get stoked about skateboarding and snowboarding—have emerged as international ambassadors for crochet, living proof that crocheting has the potential to be relevant to a new generation of young people.
The story begins at Mount Spokane High School, where the trio of Stewart Ramsey, Travis Hartanov and Kohl Crecelius learned to crochet brightly-colored beanies (brimless caps sometimes worn by surfers), turning them into a must-have fashion accessories amongst their classmates. Recognizing that there might be a market for their caps—and that underprivileged individuals in far-flung parts of the world might be able to generate income from producing crocheted outerwear—they dubbed themselves Krochet Kids, and founded a non-profit organization that employs and empowers people through the power of crochet. With an ambitious pilot program in war-torn northern Uganda already underway, Krochet Kids International (KKI) is proving that it’s possible to change the world, one crocheted beanie at a time.
KKI probably wouldn’t exist today if Crecelius hadn’t caught his “cool brother” Parc in the act of crocheting a hat, a skill his older sibling picked up while away at college. Parc, now affectionately referred to as “The Godfather” of KKI, soon taught Kohl to crochet, who in turn, schooled Hartanov and Ramsey after he allowed himself to be seen with hook in hand.
The Hindenburg
Yiying Lu: The Failure Interview
People of WalMart: The Book
Colonel Sanders (May/12)
To Forgive Design (May/12)
A Visitor’s Guide to the Ancient Olympics (May/12)
