“Crocheting is forgiving – it’s therapeutic and rewarding and I can do it for hours on end,” says Shantana Deka Dutta, a Sydney-based crochet teacher describing her love for the yarn.
A fashion designer by profession, Shantana conducts classes through the week, passing on crocheting skill to students in north-west Sydney.
By partnering with Artisthubsydney for their first annual exhibition, Shantana’s students recently showcased their work in a fashion show titled ‘Symphonic Hues’ walking the ramp wearing their own creations, including tops, pants, dresses, shirts and even a ‘Chador’ – part of the traditional Assamese dress – all made using hook and yarn.
The fashion show was well received, but Shantana says the bigger achievement was the confidence and happiness of the students themselves.
“My students were absolutely thrilled to have their own fashion show,” she describes. “It was a dream come true, even for me. We came up with the creations over the past few months, and then worked through them with a lot of fun and creative energy.”
Her students include everyone from kids up to adults. Her youngest pupil is a boy, barely 8 years of age, but so passionate about crochet that he finishes off his projects even between classes.
Crochet dresses are having a major fashion moment, appearing everywhere from designer collections and influencers to markets and DIY patterns on Pinterest.
Their airy, open stitches are perfect for boho summer dresses – breathable, comfortable and highly customisable (crochet bikinis, anyone?). Bodycon works just as well with crochet, and in colourful granny squares it can make wonderful festive wear.
Shantana says she hardly ever follows any defined pattern. “I just come up with designs in the form of a sketch, and then we go from there by increasing and decreasing the ‘stitches’,” she explains. She prefers not to have more than eight students in a class, to be able to devote personal time to each.
The best thing about crochet is that is allows for correcting on the go, she says. “It’s fine to make mistakes. In fact, my students learn better that way, by simply undoing the part they don’t like and restarting. I believe each student should express their thoughts and ideas through their own projects and creations while, improving their overall well-being,” she says.
For beginners Shantana suggests working with thicker yarn and thicker hook too. “They are easier to manage. When students start out, they find that progress is slower in the first couple of terms, but gradually pick up speed as they get more confident with the hook,” she explains.
Crochet dresses are a beautiful example of how a traditional craft can evolve into contemporary style.
Crochet has deep roots in many communities, including South Asia, where handcrafted textiles have long been part of everyday life. Today’s crochet revival blends tradition and nostalgia with modern fashion and fresh creativity.
Perhaps more significantly for Santana’s Gen Z students, crocheting supports artisans and slow fashion movements. Shantana Deka Dutta
Shantana herself first learnt to crochet in 2020 by watching videos on YouTube. She had never held the hook prior, and rather had been busy with her handcrafted fashion accessories business ‘ARTantana’. Shantana is also a professional photographer and having moved to Sydney about nine years ago, she has also worked with organisations such as the Community Migrant Resource Centre, Harman foundation, Saroni Roy Foundation and India Club as a way of giving back to the community.
It is crochet, though, that Shantana finds most rewarding and satisfying. “The happiness you see on people’s faces wearing custom-created garments is indescribable,” she says.
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