Phillips Collection Hosts Community Crochet Circle Led by the Crochet Kingpin

Dwayne Lawson-Brown, better known in the fiber arts world as the Crochet Kingpin, led a Community Crochet Circle at Phillips@THEARC on March 11 that ran from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 1801 Mississippi Ave SE in Washington, DC. The event was free, though a reservation was required, and both yarn and crochet hooks were provided on-site.

The gathering is part of a recurring series called "Spinning a Yarn," organized by the Phillips Collection through its community venue Phillips@THEARC. What sets this circle apart from a standard craft meetup is the curatorial hook: each month, the group selects a work of art from the Phillips Collection's permanent holdings as inspiration for whatever participants happen to be making. The Phillips Collection frames it as a space "where the worlds of visual art and textile craft intertwine."

The structure works for mixed-skill rooms. Advanced crocheters are encouraged to bring whatever WIP they're already carrying, while complete beginners can get basic instruction on the spot. If you've never held a hook before, this is a genuinely low-pressure entry point, especially with materials handled.

Lawson-Brown's approach to the circle has a clear wellness dimension to it. A 2020 international study published through the National Library of Medicine found that over 80 percent of respondents said crocheting helped them feel calmer and happier, a figure that tracks with what anyone who's logged serious hook time already knows. Sitting in a group and working through repetitive stitch patterns has a meditative quality that's hard to replicate solo at a kitchen table.

The March 11 session was not a one-off. The Crochet Circle meets on second Wednesdays, and the Phillips Collection has already posted the upcoming dates through the summer: April 9, May 14, June 11, and July 9, all at Phillips@THEARC. Registration stays open and free. More information about the program and Lawson-Brown's background is available through the Phillips Collection blog at phillipscollection.org/thearc.