Handicrafts role in the development of the contemporary creative economy

Abstract

Handicrafts play an important role in preserving country's heritage, using available resources and thus developing the creative economy through small creative industries. Handicrafts make people use their hands and skills to create useful handmade products. Its benefits are not limited to physical gain but are also beneficial psychologically, mentally and physically. Therefore, giving personal development opportunities could help people to build up their high-quality business and art performing. This study concerned with crochet as one of the most prominent needlework handicrafts. Crochet is a centuries-old needlecraft, it is a process of creating textured fabric by interlocking loops of yarn/thread by means of a needle hook. The aim of this study is to teach 20 young ladies aged between 18 and 22 years to crochet and to produce high-quality crocheted garments with distinctive designs using the available materials and to consider different types of marketing to deliver their products to consumers. In 32 hours (divided into 8 sections each one includes 4 hours), young ladies have been taught how to hold the yarn and the needle hook, how to read the written patterns, the international terms and notations, basic stitches and skills, and how to put these factors together to design a product. Garments produced in this study using different yarn types (cotton, acrylic, wool/acrylic, etc.) with different yarn counts according to the design. The produced garments were creatively designed and professionally executed. Production cost and profit margin for each piece were calculated. This study proved that crochet is one of the most high-profit craft activity to develop small-scale enterprises. Although crochet is an old craft, it can be updated to keep pace with modern fashion lines and consumer demands. Young ladies, in this study, were interested in developing their skills and investing leisure in something useful and profitable at the same time. Therefore, most of them showed a noticeable response, flexibility, curiosity, imagination, creativity, and sense of design for what they have been taught. The socioeconomic results represented in the achievements and pride of their contribution in supporting themselves and their families. It has been found that the prices of handmade crochet garments can compete with similar pieces in the market, considering the possibility of carrying out any individual design with any size and any color according to customer request, which is not available for manufactured garments. It was found that the success in the creative economy depends on both creativity and commercial talents. So, to be successful as a creative entrepreneur, you must understand the application of art with technology and business skills which depends on personality and individual talents.