Crochet Your Way!
Creator of Kammy K Crochet Kamala Bailey was in her teens when older sister Rosemarie Wallace introduced her to the art of crochet. She’s not looked back. In fact, she’s quit her nine-to-five to turn her hobby into a business. “I started out making swimwear and apparel for myself and would always get compliments. So I decided to make more and more, and that’s how Kammy K Crochet came about.”
Bailey, who has a four-year-old daughter, can whip up a crochet monokini in roughly eight hours. If she’s super-focused, she can fit at least two monokinis into her day. “Creating is a breeze,” she tells All Woman Fashion (AWF) in between selling at the popular Kingston Night Market (KNM). “Once I’m settled in the morning, with a few rolls of cotton crochet thread and crochet needle, I sit before the TV and it’s like nothing; I finish before sundown.”
In between creating, Bailey, a resident of St Ann, is researching various crochet and artworks for inspiration whether online or around town. She never duplicates any one style and is adamant that no two pieces are the same.
What immediately caught our eyes was the macramé technique used to wrap the thongs of the gorgeous array of thong sandals. Other Kammy K Crochet options included reversible backpacks, earrings, chokers, necklaces, and even lampshades, an item she was commissioned to create by her friend, noted international fashion and quilt designer Jessica Ogden.
Bailey teamed up with local craft vendor Allison Marsh, who makes crochet cover-ups and dresses, for her recent KNM debut. A strategic and complementary business move that many more small entrepreneurs should adopt.
Uppermost in Bailey’s mind is hiring more artisans to fill the many orders. “Crochet takes a lot of time and there are sufficient orders to be met”, she shares. Plus, she wants to update her sandal line from rubber soles to 100% leather and crochet sandals.
AWF applauds both Bailey and Marsh for reviving a tradition that ought to be generating billions in global demand.
Kudos to KNM for providing a weekly platform to showcase the talent of local artisans.
