Artist, performer, and professional wrestler Mikki Yamashiro was drawn to the art of crocheting early on. “As a teenager, I learned how to crochet from my mom, Takako Yamashiro,” she shared with the Urban Outfitters blog. But it took some time before her hobby turned into an obsession.
“It definitely wasn’t an immediate love, I would crochet a scarf here and there, but it’s nothing serious,” she admitted. “Then one summer, years ago, I decided to try to make matching costumes for my best friend and me. They were neon and rainbow and very short, because I got too excited and wanted us to wear them before they were actually ‘done.’ Once I figured out that crochet could be so much more than scarfs and baby blankets, the possibilities were endless.”
Indeed, when it comes to Yamashiro the creative possibilities were endless. She’s since been consistently crocheting, making anything and everything for costumes and bikinis to wall hangings and giant portraits. All hand-made – all unique.
“With so much being produced by machine, ‘perfection’ is no longer interesting to me,” she admitted. “I used to strive for the ability and skill to be able to produce physically what I envisioned mentally. But now, the changes that occur in the translation from the imagination to material, feel exciting and human.”
Take a look at some of her imaginative works.
