Creative Women in Business: jordi.cro 🧶

In the third and final installment of my series Creative Women in Business, I have focused on women-owned businesses in the creative spaces of St. Louis. The main purpose of my series is to highlight women, and to give them recognition for their art in the community. This last business is established by Jordyn, an upcoming crochet artist. 

Photo courtesy of Liz Santimaw

Jordyn (they/she) is a crochet artist and the founder of Jordi.Cro Crochet Club, a black + brown + queer centered fiber art circle in St. Louis. They started crocheting in 2021, and started selling pieces in 2022. Jordyn is on Instagram @jordi.cro (https://www.instagram.com/jordi.cro), where you will find their work, upcoming events, and projects.

Photo courtesy of Liz Santimaw

Jordyn’s business is relevant to St. Louis and the Maryville audience, because they are involved in many programs both as an artist and an instructor. It’s important to support small local businesses and black creators. For those who want something handmade with love and care, Jordyn is the person to go to!

Photo courtesy of Jordyn

The collage above showcases a mix of Jordyn’s work. Their style is described as cutesy, bubbly, and bouncy. They focus on bright bold colors and pastels in their projects. As for materials, Jordyn uses thick and fluffy yarns with a lot of fuzz and texture. They create a range of pieces from bags, plushies, decor, tops, and accessories. Commissions are currently closed, but stayed tuned for new releases!

Photo courtesy of Liz Santimaw

“I started crocheting because me and my roommate at the time, Victoria, decided to learn together from YouTube videos. I saw a bunch of crochet stuff online and was like ‘I can do that!’ I wouldn’t have learned as quickly if I didn’t have her. It was kind of competitive because we would go back and forth. When I started to crochet, it was all self-taught and we would learn from each other as well…” (cont.)

Photo courtesy of Liz Santimaw

“I have a couple of crochet influencers online that I look up to, maybe not so much as to what they make, but just how consistent they are and how creative they can be. Artists like chazchancing, crochetbymikiee, and skysolstar on Instagram inspire me. They do a lot more than basic beginner projects and I really like how far out-of-the-box they’ve taken crochet. Right now, I’m trying to branch off from traditional crochet, and even take inspo from cartoon shows…” (cont.)

Photo courtesy of @kabiritude on Instagram

“Back in September of 2023, I made an Instagram post asking if anyone would want to crochet together. My intention was to be in a circle of people who already knew how to crochet, but I ended up teaching. The first unofficial meeting was three people in Tower Grove on a picnic blanket, and it was really fun! For my next one I decided I wanted to be in a physical space. I reached out to Ymani who owns The Noir Bookshop, which is a black-owned bookstore, and she let me use her space. That’s when I hosted the first official Jordi.Cro Crochet Club meetup in December of 2023…” (cont.)

Photo courtesy of @kabiritude on Instagram

“It was a great turn out, I baked cookies, and brought free snacks for everybody. I also want every event I do to be free, and supply materials as well. I hosted another event for Valentine’s Day, and that one got a lot of attention where a huge age range showed up. It was really sweet to be a part of the community like that. I love giving back especially with a craft that I enjoy. I invite all skill levels, and everyone is welcome. I’m planning another crochet club meeting soon so stay on the lookout for them on Sundays.” ~ Jordyn

Photo courtesy of Malik Fabian-Mahmud

Because of Jordyn’s crochet club, they got scouted by the Legacy Center which is an afterschool program for the Normandy School District in North County. They were asked to come teach crochet classes to children from elementary school through high school. Jordyn teaches two times a week and has said it’s been a learning experience since it is very different from their adult classes.

Photo courtesy of Liz Santimaw

“The most rewarding part of my job is watching my students get it after being frustrated. Seeing people get excited about crocheting makes me really happy. Initially, everyone thinks this is a grandma activity, and then they’re surprised at how much fun they’re having. As a goal for the future, I made a donation call so everyone that comes can leave with the materials and be able to practice at home for free.” ~ Jordyn

Photo courtesy of Liz Santimaw

Jordyn is an amazing artist and instructor. Their love for crochet has greatly inspired others in the St. Louis community. They bring crocheting into such a fun and open space that I haven’t seen before. I enjoyed interviewing Jordyn and I can’t wait to see what else they create! Don’t forget to keep an eye out for new drops and sign up for the next Jordi.Cro Crochet Club. <3