Ariana Katz always has her hands full; and, more often than not, it’s with knitting needles and yarn.
“I love a challenge,” says Katz, a junior sociology major, minoring in Hebrew and women’s gender and sexuality. “Knowing that it is yarn now and in five days it’ll be a pair of socks…it’s empowering.”
Growing up in a household where the motto was “Do it your damn self,” Katz attributes her craftiness to the long line of artistic personalities in her family. Her paternal grandma, and main inspiration, was an avid crocheter. Her maternal grandparents were designers—her grandpa made patterns and her grandma designed clothing. Katz’s mother didn’t buy a single piece of store-manufactured clothing until she purchased a dress for her engagement party.
Katz recalls the Superbowl Sunday five years ago where she sat next to her mother, who was knitting during the game. “I remember watching her knit and saying ‘I want to do what you’re doing,’” she says. And, with that, Katz joined the D-I-Y family tradition, launching her knit-on-commission company.
“I’ve always wanted to share what I’ve made,” says Katz.
This year, Katz remarketed her company under its new name: Ariana Makes Things (For You!)
She debuted her work at Handmade BU, a craft fair that she organized with friend Sarah Merriman, CAS ’12, through the Women’s Resource Center (WRC), where she serves as co-director. The fair drew fifteen student artists who sold their handmade merchandise. The fair also raised money for Warm Up America, which provides needy people with handmade blankets and afghans.
Katz’s knitting projects range from hats and socks, to a custom-ordered rocket ship sweater, to a beautiful triangle scarf that she names as one of her favorite products thus far.
*Photo courtesy of Rachel Atcheson
To accommodate all the newfound demand, she has taken to knitting during WRC meetings (which she encourages BU collegiettes to attend–“The WRC elevates everyone, of all genders and sexuality,” she says), and even in class. Not that she’s complaining. “My hands get bored and itchy,” she says. “Knitting is meditative.”
Besides knitting, Katz also dabbles in crocheting, sewing and embroidering; she is setting her sights on learning how to make yarn, and how to weave. She has also been experimenting with public art.
“Creating a cozy public space is what knitting is about for me,” says Katz.
She is also working on fulfilling her vision of opening a “free” craft store, which would offer customers yarn and notions as well as a space to craft—all free of charge.
“Making things should be accessible,” says Katz, who claims that craft store prices are prohibitive. “I want to destroy capitalism one stitch at a time.”
Check out her merchandise, and maybe even place an order of your own, at arianamakesthings.com