Local knots

Pritha Maurya

When Pritha Maurya reconnected with an old skill during the pandemic, little did she know that crochet would herald airy, unworried fashion a year later. She learnt tatting as part of her sewing classes in school, and until recently, held on to an instance of gendered language alone from that point in time. "What was called silaai or stitching for the girls, was referred to as crafts for the boys. Funnily, my Hindi-medium school had equipped us in the creative arts despite its use of exclusive language," Maurya recounts. It happened over a chance video. The 26-year-old watched a crocheter looping comfort in hanks of bright-coloured yarn, and she was keen to give it a shot.

A crocheted Pikachu and pokeball

Was Maurya's endeavour aligned with #crochet fetching nearly 42 million hits on Instagram? "I was aware of its pastel countryside aesthetic on social media, but I explored it during an entirely different stretch," she says, stressing that the lockdown helped her rediscover the woven art form. She was a little rusty at the start, but a week's practice made her skill shine. "It is a 90-minute journey from Virar to Churchgate to reach my workplace. I would carry my yarn and crochet hook, and grab a seat. I wanted to take my mind off the mundane-ness, and enjoy the ride productively," Maurya explains. She shuttles between Virar and Andheri five days a week, and crochets in those 45 minutes.

A moment from a reel where Maurya crochets on a Virar-bound train

Maurya's crochet handle, Aushna, sells all kinds of handmade products, from beanies and tea cosies to tank tops and sweaters. "My client base initially consisted of friends and relatives, and it grew over time. I look forward to challenging myself and making artefacts that I haven't made earlier. People can approach me with reference pictures and a realistic deadline in mind," she shares. The corporate professional notes that although social media ensures a wider reach, she has found many of her patrons on Mumbai's locals. But, who shoots her videos while she's waiting for her station? - "I balance my phone against the train window," she quickly responds.

Crocheted sling bags

With crochet styles from the '70s reappearing on the fashion scene - think tie-up overlays, crocheted co-ords, and swimsuits, Maurya wants the art form to escape the pigeonhole of a grandma's pastime. She reckons people should consider crochet for what makes it the season's craze today - its ease, energy and effortlessness.

Log on to: @aushna_by_pritha on Instagram