She had been to the art store. She had picked out her yarn. She had pored over her work, hooking and interlocking the fabric together thread by thread, until at last, she’d finished. The only problem: junior Charlene Jocelyn’s first-ever crochet project was inside-out.
According to Jocelyn, a laugh, a few tugs and a reset were all she needed to get back on track, kickstarting what has become a three-year crocheting journey. To Jocelyn, who has considered herself an artist her entire life, crocheting has provided a unique creative outlet, raked in some extra cash and even strengthened her relationship with her family.
Jocelyn said she’s come a long way since her first project three years ago.
“At that point, crocheting was getting a little popular,” Charlene Jocelyn said. “ I was like, ‘You know what? If I want to make that, I’m going to make that. I’m going to get to that point because I know that I can do it.’”
It took months of redoing, retrying and restarting projects to perfect all the small inconsistencies. Though she had been an artist her entire life, she said crocheting requires more attention to detail than drawing. Eventually, Jocelyn realized the two could work hand-in-hand.
A pivotal moment in that realization came during her most recent project: a Tyler, The Creator plush she made for her brother’s birthday.
Until that point, she had only crocheted animals, objects and keychains—never people. So, instead of going straight for the yarn, she started drawing.
“It took a lot of measuring things out, planning all of it,” Charlene Jocelyn said. “I think that was the longest project I’ve ever done.”
Jocelyn’s brother, alumnus Bradley Jocelyn ‘22, said the end product, which he now keeps as a reminder of home, is stunning. Having witnessed his sister’s journey since the beginning, he has been able to see her grow and encourage that growth.
“I take it for granted,” Bradley Jocelyn said. “At this stage, it feels so normal, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling super proud of her for doing things that I could never imagine doing.”
Her family has been immersed in art for years. Her mother paints, and her grandfather does calligraphy. For the past few years, they have participated in the annual Brookline Village Arts Festival, an outdoor marketplace right in the heart of Brookline, celebrating the work of local musicians, craftsmen and artists. She puts some of her work up for sale, and in addition to earning plenty of money, she said participating in the markets helps her appreciate her work on a deeper level.
“Knowing how much ‘human’ goes into handmade work and toys puts a lot of value into them,” Charlene Jocelyn said. “Because stuff like AI art [computer-generated art] exists now, it puts even more value into handmade objects. And that’s also why I’m very grateful and privileged to have markets to sell my stuff—it makes me really happy to see kids and their parents at my stand.”
Her earnings are large enough that her mom has to help handle them. Beyond the banking aspects, though, she said her mom plays other roles during the festival.
“My mom definitely takes care of a lot of things for me when it comes to preparing for the markets,” Jocelyn said. “I just really sit there and put my stuff on the table, and that’s really it. That’s my job.”
Reflecting more deeply, Jocelyn said having her mother as a role model has helped her creative work thrive, maybe even without her noticing.
“I’m super happy to have her as another woman who’s doing art in my life,” Jocelyn said. “That’s already inspiring to me, subconsciously. I don’t think about that too much.”
Jocelyn acknowledges how difficult it is to maintain creative hobbies like hers. Despite this, though, she gave some advice for young artists looking to pursue bigger things.
“Keep doing what you’re doing if it’s what you love,” Charlene Jocelyn said. “You don’t necessarily need to find yourself now, but find what gives you a sense of personal freedom and liberation.”
