Crochet is a craft that people practice all around the world. Porém, we hear about it more from some places than other places. The Philippines has plenty of crocheters but it’s not a place we hear a lot about. That’s why I was happy to get a message from Trey Ajusto, a crocheter in the Philippines who shared her work with me.
Trey’s Philippine Crochet Message
Here’s what Trey had to say:
“I’m a crocheter in the Philippines. Although crochet is a known tradition here, it hasn’t really reached a “popular” status. I can say now, embora, that it’s catching up with the world. There’s a newfound love for it especially among the young (because there’s still a (mis)perception back here that only grandmas crochet).”
Trey also said something about her own interest in sharing Philippines crochet that I loved and wanted to share:
“It is my goal to put crochet in the limelight because there’s talent out there in our country that doesn’t get much exposure, especially among those who crochet in the provinces.”
Trey Ajusto (Gantsilyo Guru)
Trey Ajusto has a blog called Gantsilyo Guru. She explains: The word “gantsilyo” is the Filipino term for crochet derived from the Spanish crochet word “ganchillo.” (Learn how to say crochet in 25 languages here.)
Trey learned to crochet during high school. She explains:
“My very first crochet project was in home economics class. It was a 3-D christmas tree. Our teacher didn’t want to accept my project because she couldn’t believe I made it. Desde então, I’ve been hooked!”
Big props to Trey for having her brincos de crochê included in the Philippines edition of Cosmopolitan magazine this past December.
She also had her work featured in the 2012 planner for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf company; you can see the free crochet pattern for that coffee cup cozy here.
Trey also teaches crochê / amigurumi workshops.
Random Comments on Crochet in the Philippines
Here are some of the things related to crocheting in the Philippines that I got from Trey’s blog:
- Of course Filipino crocheters make scarves. Trey says: “Even though it’s practically unwearable in the Philippines (except maybe in the Benguet province or when it gets windy and cold during the “ber” months), a scarf can be your legit claim to crocheting prowess.”
- The yarn store that Trey recommends in Manila is Dreams Yarnshoppe. She has reviewed and mentioned other Philippines yarn stores on the blog as well, embora.
- Men aren’t visibly crocheting in the Philippines. Trey says: “I haven’t met a man (yet) in the Philippines who crochets. I’m sure they’re out there somewhere crocheting.” She also says: “Na minha opinião, if a man is confident enough to hold a yarn and a hook and have the desire to create, then he is a real man!” That’s why we celebrate male crocheters right? I will add, embora, that the one main Philippines-based crocheter that I know of is actually a man: Pablo Cabahug.
Trey also helps support the online presence of Philippines crocheters by sharing links to those folks who are on places like Facebook e Ravelry.
Other Crocheters in the Philippines
Some of the other crocheters in the Philippines that I’ve found through online research include:
- Millicent Melissa who offers free crochet patterns on her blog
- Teri Caermare Tan who was featured in a crochet news article for earning an income through crochet
- The blogger at The Unnatural Mother who mentioned the same Dreams Yarnshoppe that Trey mentioned
- Ginantsilyo, another crocheter who sells her work and blogs about crochet
Photos in this post were pulled from Trey’s public abums on G+ e Facebook.
