ABOUT SHALFEY STITCHES
In a nutshell
We are a small, woman-owned business, based in the Netherlands.
Our focus is on creating fashion pieces that stand out but remain comfy and functional. Colorful and edgy are sisters in our world. If you appreciate fairy-core, trippy designs, witchy aesthetics or alternative fashion in general - you will find something for yourself in our store.
We are also on a mission to provide the most accessible and detailed crochet patterns, so that even beginners can feel confident making complex designs. Because we believe that life is too short and yarn is too precious to make uninteresting pieces. :)
Want to know more?
If you're a lover of one-of-a-kind fashion that will last you a lifetime
Then you're in the right place!
Shalfey Stitches is a crochet and knitwear brand, focused on designing and producing ethically handmade slow fashion for lovers of alternative styles.
Every piece has been carefully crafted by a single pair of hands with years of experience and a strong sense of perfectionism. Guaranteeing quality, and attention to the smallest of details. :)
Whimsical clothing & accessories are our specialty! Whether you're looking for a fierce top to wear to your next festival, or a warm scarf for every day wear, we've got you covered. From cozy cardigans that feel like a hug to breezy summer hats and much more, you'll find magical pieces for any mood and season in our store.
If you prefer to shop in person, you can find us at local markets.
Mainly in the Amsterdam area, a few times a year.
Keep an eye on our Instagram for the next market announcement.
And if you don't find what you're looking for, we'll be happy to make it for you!
No matter how wild the idea, we live for turning your dream pieces into reality. Everything that matters is up to you - the shape, the colors, the materials... Leave it to us to make it happen!
If you crochet, we also have goodies for you
You can make your own whimsical wardrobe with our detailed patterns for crocheters of all levels!
Shalfey Stitches patterns strive to be accessible to crocheters of any level, by providing detailed instructions and step-by-step photos in every pattern. So whether you are a visual learner, or prefer written instructions - you'll be able to follow our patterns with ease!
For those who have more experience, or those who love making the same pattern more than once - we provide shortened versions of the instructions as well, so you'll be able to see the pattern at a glance.
If you like to print your patterns - we've got you covered with printer-friendly files, with minimal to no color. And if you prefer to view them digitally - we also offer interactive PDFs with a pleasant design and helpful pictures. All included in the same purchase!
Driven by our passion for education, we often include guides on certain stitches and techniques along with our patterns. That way you can make extra sure that you don't make a mistake, and maybe even learn something new that will help you improve your skill.
All the crochet patterns in our store have been tested by teams of pattern testers of various experience levels, to ensure correctness & accessibility.
Now, for a more personal approach...
Hi! My name is Dariya
It's good to meet you!
I am the hands and the brain behind Shalfey Stitches.
When I write "we", I really mean "I" 😅. I've spent countless hours creating each and every piece and pattern on this site, and managing all the behind-the-scenes.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Animation, but I found my real passion in making things out of yarn. Rarely does a day go by without me fiddling with crochet hooks, knitting needles, or my flatbed knitting machine.
And whatever free time I have is mainly filled with attending metal gigs, drawing, singing and playing a little bit of guitar.
But I spend most of my waking moments working on this brand in one way or another, and I'm always here to chat about all things related to it! So shoot me a message if you have any questions or if you'd like to work with me. :)
If you want to read a little bit more about my process, here are some words that I had fun writing very early in the morning, when I should've been asleep.
This is my artist statement.
I find it difficult and unbearable to stick to only one way of making, only one style of expression, one overarching mood or vision. When I look back at my body of work, I often feel it's scattered and disconnected, and find myself wondering whether I'm doing something wrong.
One day, I fashion myself into a mindless machine that churns out heaps of little colorful hats. Joyful and nearly effortless, void of a serious meaning, but filled with a carefully curated coziness of a Sunday movie night or a stroll in the sunny breeze of early spring. Later in the same day, by some momentary impulse, I commit (condemn?) myself to a tapestry of twenty two thousand stitches, in ten different shades of grey. Inspired by a ridiculously morbid, avant-garde yet vintage movie, that forever etched itself into my psyche as I watched, entranced, at four in the morning, while my brain drifted off.
To tell the truth, I have no preference for one state or the other. I welcome inspiration in whichever manifestation it presents itself. I am not faking it when I work in polar opposite styles, and I do not feel lost. I am not looking to cram myself into one niche. I enjoy them all in their time, and I despise them all in the time of another. There is no one true love or hate for me, no singular direction. There is only the constant ebb and flow of curiosity and creation. I am a branching current, moving through time standing still, pulled to a multitude of destinations at once.
It is not as serious or pompous as the words I choose make it sound - this text itself is but another exercise in "what else could I come up with that would keep me going". I simply live for my work, and it is what brings me meaning. Without it I am nothing but a shell, and it is nothing but a dream without me. We are one. I don't believe I could write an explanation, or a self important artist statement. It's very simple in my eyes - my work is my air and my blood, and I wish to share it with those who would welcome it.
Art is a force that keeps us alive.
Made with much love and a sprinkle of madness.