By Nadia Paschal
One of the most wonderful things about art is that there are many ways to express oneself. Fiber arts is an area that may not be that well known, but is a unique form of self expression. Samantha Ward, a psychology major at SUNY Plattsburgh, has found herself drawn to the craft, specifically crochet.
Ward picked up her crochet hooks and started this hobby right before the COVID-19 pandemic began and continued all through lockdown as she had nothing but free time on her hands. Watching YouTube tutorials and finding ideas on Pinterest, she pushed herself and experimented with different projects.
“When you’re doing your craft, you want it to be somewhat challenging, because that’s where the reward comes from,” Ward said.
Ward has made numerous pieces and completed several different projects such as coasters, scarves, hats, tops and hair bows. Some more unique pieces she’s made have been jewelry holders, airpod cases and household decorations like tiny pumpkins. Ward loves how versatile working with fiber can be and wants others to know it’s much more than just blankets and sweaters. She also enjoys the end result being something tangible, feeling a sense of accomplishment from that.
“I love having something that I can hold in my hands and show to people and I can wear and say: ‘I made this. This is all mine. This is hours of work that I put in,’” Ward said.
Ward gets much of her inspiration from those in the community, looking at what they post online. Despite finding inspiration through the work of others, her pieces still reflect her own self. Much like a person having their own unique handwriting or thumbprint, the stitches and how someone holds their hook varies, resulting in different styles.
“Maybe for crochet, the difference is not so much in the finished product, but it’s more so how they get there, how they get to the finished product,” Ward said.
As Ward’s skills advanced, she decided she wanted to share the work that she was proud of and be more involved in the community. Last semester, she made an Instagram page @sammy_crochets and began to sell some of the stuff she made.
“There’s always a point for most artists where you ask yourself, ‘Should I start selling my projects?’” Ward said. “It’s a tough question to answer, because you don’t want your hobby and what you really love to do to become a chore.”
Ward focuses on making pieces that not only she likes, but that other students like as well. She also ensures that these pieces are affordable and accessible.
“A lot of people in my generation really appreciate supporting small businesses and giving back to smaller communities,” Ward said.
Although Ward hasn’t sold too many items, it still gives her a sense of satisfaction seeing that people have liked, saved and shared her posts. She has also received support from other kinds of artists on campus.
“It’s really heartwarming to see somebody else supporting me the way they would want to be supported,” Ward said.
Ward’s favorite part of having made her own page is being able to document and see the progress she’s made over time.
“One of my favorite things after a couple years of crocheting is being able to solve a problem that two years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to solve.”
Ward continues to receive support, both online and in person, with her work being viewed and liked by larger fiber artists. She feels lucky to be a part of such a welcoming and helpful community. However, she wishes that there was a club or group on campus that could meet and be able to discuss and do fiber arts together.
“There isn’t as much of a community yet, and I would like to see more of one,” Ward said.
Find Ward on Instagram at @sammy_creations and visit her Etsy at crochetingbysammy.etsy.com
