Crocheter makes cool handmade sweaters featuring hip hop and R&B artists
Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
Akua Darkwa is a Chicago native and crochet artist. She first became an internet sensation in April 2019, when a sweater she crocheted featuring cover art from the music album When I Get Home by Solange went viral after Solange herself retweeted the image of the sweater, according to Page Six Style.
“It feels amazing knowing Solange saw it!” Darkwa told Page Six Style at the time. “And now there’s thousands of people in the world who know and love my work. It feels great.”
Darkwa said the Solange top took roughly 12 hours to make, spread across four days.
“The process of crocheting is tedious and a bit stressful at times but finally getting to the end is so rewarding that I don’t think it’s something I’m ever gonna stop doing,” she said.
This March, Darkwa had another viral moment on Twitter. A video featuring several clips of her work received 97,000 views on Twitter. The collection featured crocheted sweaters with graphics from several artists’ album covers including SZA’s Control, Kendrick Lamar’s Damn, and Lizzo’s Because I Love You.
Darkwa has since opened a shop on Etsy, where prices range from $180 to $210 for each handmade sweater. Some of the other artists she features are Kehlani, Frank Ocean and Bbymutha.
Although Darkwa is a skilled crocheter, the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign attendee is actually a vocal performance major. She told Page Six Style music and crochet have been a part of her life for years now.
“Music has been a really big part of my life (hence me being a music major) since about freshman year of high school,” Darkwa said. “I’ve been crocheting since I was around 8 or 9. I didn’t start making clothes, however, until my sophomore year of high school.”
Check out her insane skills in the clip above!
If you like this piece, check out the style influencer changing fashion for people with disabilities.
More from In The Know:
Man baffles cop with outrageous reason for speeding
Dermatologists highly approve this $11 body wash on Amazon
Add this wireless humidifier to your desk for just $21
This $15 cast iron skillet has over 10,000 5-star reviews on Amazon
The article "Crocheter makes cool handmade sweaters featuring hip hop and R&B artists" first appeared on In The Know.