For what it’s worth, the new blood has received the blessing of at least some of their elders. The Knitsmiths, a group of 60-something women who gather at Brookline Booksmith every Sunday to knit and chat (rather than stitch and bitch), formed six years ago — about when crafty started becoming a synonym for hip. They are in favor of the youth movement, pointing to the rise of young designers such as Lily Chin, channels such as HGTV focusing on the DIY scene, and even the increased availability of high-end, boldly colored yarns. All of these factors, they say, mesh with an increased need for personal expression.
“They individualize themselves so much,” Knitsmith Claire Goodwin says of the young crafters. “I remember when I was 18, we all had to wear Shetland sweaters and pleated skirts.”
Ultimately, the need for expression through what we make and what we buy is the hallmark of the indie crafting movement. One crisp weekend afternoon, Laur Fisher is browsing the tidy, well-stocked shelves at Magpie, looking for a wallet. The 21-year-old Tufts student says she enjoys places like Magpie mainly because they provide an outlet for local artists. Buying original designs, says Fisher, is as much a social declaration as it is a fashion statement.
“Everyone’s going to be like, ‘Where did you get that, I’ve never seen that before, that’s crazy,’ ” she says, gesturing to a nearby tote bag adorned with dancing skeletons. “Well, here in Somerville, man. You don’t have to go to the Gap for that.”
Georgiana Cohen is waiting for somebody to make a pleated skirt decorated with dancing skeletons, and can be reached at georgy@leadpencil.net.
