THE DISCOVERY

I discovered the art of knitting in a tween Girls scouts gathering – the whitewashed walls and rusted chairs serving as the backdrop for what would later turn out to be a landmark moment in my crafting career. As my trembling fingers latched on to the string and clumsily wound it around the needles, I knew that string had now woven itself into my life.

My crocheted creations, meanwhile, were born out of admiration of my mother and her deft fingers in handling the hook as it darts in and out of countless rows of stitches; I’ve worked hard to mirror and learn from that.

Knitting and crochet have taught me so much, and I've come so far from those half-formed loops on misshapen needles and hooks. I like to knit pouches and crochet dolls in my spare time, and the increase in yarn availability in India has augmented the growth of knitting and crochet as crafts, influencing my own journey.

Yarn arts are like the links in the chain bringing millions of people together, and it is this intrinsic value that has brought me to understand how important it is that I share this craft. I’ve always loved sharing my small inventions in the forms of gifts to give to friends, so when I got the chance to create something for a larger cause, I was quick to

Now I bring together loops on metal to form pouches, bookmarks and amigurumi keychains that can be purchased as symbols of your contribution for the week of Daan Utsav. 70% of all profits will be going to local charities – though the names are tentative, Akshaya Patra is a likely one – as part of CHIREC’s school drive. My fascination with textures and technical skills have culminated in handmade creations which are striking and beautifully designed: perfect for carrying stationary or decorating your desk.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

Because this project is still relatively new, we’re looking for lots of help. Anyone with knowledge of sewing cloth or zippers would be greatly appreciated. Anyone interested in helping get the word out can reach out to us, or simply further the cause on their own social media pages. Help of any shape or form is required, and we’re grateful to every single individual who can help bring this project to life.

Where can we find you and your products?

While the final products aren’t quite available yet, they will be out in early November.

Our team and social media page are still being put together, so for more details – or to volunteer - please contact me at artskolachana@gmail.com

What inspired the inception of this project?

Knitting and crochet are gifts which are seldom glimpsed in India – apart from the obscure under-priced garments sold at fairs or bazaars – and this is a fact which has always irked me. These crafts aren’t just aesthetically gratifying or artistically rewarding; they are practical and resourceful, dating back centuries when they were borne out of necessity. It was only later that these were kindled as the majestic form of expression they are today. People don’t always understand or appreciate the arts because they find them abstruse or unnecessarily extravagant. Knitting and crochet to me mark the intersection between pragmatism and beauty, and it is in this wondrous ecosystem that both science and art are satisfied with - and become - each other. How else can we describe turning string into clothes?

The Dropped Stitch Initiative (to me, when I first thought of it) is a celebration of these richly versatile and culturally diverse crafts and their heritages. And -- it’s for a good cause. Every year, CHIREC hosts an Akshaya Patra drive as part of their contribution to the Joy of Giving Week, and the students are called upon to make charitable donations to an organization which motivates students to learn by providing free mid-day meals at schools which lack infrastructure. It is the Akshaya Patra organization which shoulders the burden of creating a future of properly-nourished, well-educated citizens and leaders. Hundreds of students who would’ve been left behind are driven into schools with the simple incentive of a free lunch.

These kids to me are like the dropped stitches on knitting needles. Forgotten and lost, they’re unable to fend for themselves and their families in the harsh reality that surrounds them. Akshaya Patra loops these children back on the needles and gets them on the right track. And this is what The Dropped Stitch aims to do as well. It is the culmination of necessity and artistic sense to create beautiful and practical products. This is at the core of every pouch, bookmark and keychain we make. It is at the core of everything we do.

How do you aim to create a lasting social impact?

The Dropped Stitch started out as the inkling of an idea I had to share my gift with the student community while simultaneously offering my contribution to those less fortunate than myself. However, over the months, it began to grow and my plans for the future become more and more ambitious with every step I take towards our goal of the Akshaya Patra drive. As of now, it’s too early to reveal any ‘lasting impacts’ that we might have, but there are always dreams and hopes. For me, I want to be able to rope as many people into learning these amazing crafts. What fascinates me about knitting and crochet is how they can engage anyone and be learnt by anyone. I picked up the needles in the fifth grade – and for some, that may even be considered relatively late. There are those who learnt to crochet at the age of 8, or sooner, and today are informed creative professionals who are consulted for design work. Knowledge of knitting and crochet is integral to textile creation and fashion design, and they inform – both consciously and unconsciously – a lot of the decisions that I myself make every day. Especially being part of a long line of craftspeople, I consider it my duty to help further this art form.

Hopefully, The Dropped Stitch’s lasting legacy will be to knit and crochet not just to inspire or entertain, but to contribute – to feed. I want to teach anyone who wants to learn, because it is ultimately the knowledge which outlasts momentary creations or cute inventions of my own. This is how I hope people think of the initiative.