Black Girls Knit Club

Описание: Black Girls Knit Club was founded in 2019 by Sicgmone Kludje & Vanessa Koranteng, to create a safe space for black creatives to build confidence, inspire each other through craft and equip the next generation with a new skill.

Since its launch, they have grown its community to 600+ members who meet monthly to participate in workshops and online events.

The two wrote their book Conscious Crafts: Knitting – 20 Mindful Makes during lockdown which was a massive milestone for them. Now proudly published, as of March 2022, their book is now stocked in Liberty, in the states, online and, in French!

Talking about what drives the duo in their continued success, Vanessa talks about how her newborn son inspires her to succeed for her family. For Sicgmone, her mother inspired her to be determined and put her best foot forward. Sicgmone finds she is comfortable expressing herself when she’s around a group of friends, or when she is fully engaged in a project that allows her mind to be free. Vanessa enjoys meeting new people as a great way for her to freely express herself, also being able to be in a space where there is no judgement.
To them, being who you are means being true to yourself and investing in your passions.

The COVID-19 lockdown was a challenging period as they were unable to meet in person, they struggled to engage with their community. They overcame this hurdle by rethinking their entire strategy and moving their business online.

Sicgmone and Vanessa were both raised in East London. To them, the area is all about community. You can meet people from different backgrounds and still feel like you belong. East London is also a hub of creativity, which has allowed them to link their craft with the community.

Situated within a cultural pocket of London, this enabled Andaz London to be in touch with the community and local artists. It’s a space you can come to after work, for drinks, for a date, or even with your family. Andaz embraces diversity and celebrates this under one roof - with their own . Being welcomed into an establishment is incredibly important, as it enables them to be free, be themselves and be normal.