Diversity, Creatives & Knitting with Black Girl Knit Club

Shine Out Loud Show

Black Girl Knit Club (BGKC) was founded by Sicgmone Kludje & Vea Koranteng in early 2019. They were motivated to start Black Girl Knit Club (BGKC) after following the social media hashtag #diversknitty, where different knitwear designers and makers were calling for more diversity within the craft community due to lack of visibility.
As friends they wanted to create a safe and inclusive space for Black women creatives; to gather, share stories and inspire each other through craft skills and more importantly, develop their creativity whilst equipping the next generation with a new skill. In March 2022 they released their first book Conscious Crafts: Knitting – 20 Mindful Makes. In which “they unpick the meditative nature of the knitting process and its empowering skill set for creating, well-being and mindfulness.” Making is mindfulness made practical, and knitting is an iconic craft proven to have a therapeutic impact on well-being. Sicgmone and Vea Koranteng curated 20 modern makes, ranging from plant pot cosies to throws and snoods, to introduce the basics of knitting. Covering fundamental stitches and techniques including casting on, knit, pearl and moss stitch, Sicgmone and Vea show how these can be adapted for different projects as well as repurposing used textiles into your own upcycled yarn, all whilst embracing the restorative benefits of craft.
Overall, the main focus at BGKC is to empower women through craft. They have listened to many stories, especially in the UK where women of colour and Black Women especially have felt that they do not fit in at their local craft maker groups or yarn stores because of the stark disconnect in culture and community and it's one of the reasons why they founded the club because representation matters.
Watch the Interview Below
Connect with the Black Girl Knit Club
www.blackgirlknitclub.com