Meet Jo Luttazi | Crochet Cosplayer and Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jo Luttazi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jo, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Habit building is always a challenge for me. I have a dynamic disability which means my ability to work and create varies day to day. This makes consistency which is typically associated with habits harder for me to maintain. That being said I do have a few habits that allow me the grace to take care of myself and foster creativity at the same time. The first and most important habit that’s allowed me to succeed is operating on “crip time”. This means listening to my body and being flexible with my deadlines instead of pushing through pain to complete projects. I’d say another crucial habit for me has been keeping myself from comparing my journey to others. It’s not the easiest thing to do as I am online constantly and am friends with so many talented people. At the end of the day though, it’s just not fair to myself to compare my work and my goals to anybody else’s because we are all on our own paths with our own resources. Lastly, I have learned to be in the habit of working on multiple projects at once, usually varying in intensity. When my larger projects get too overwhelming I can pick up an easier project or finish up a quicker piece and find that spark I needed to return to my larger pieces.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been a crocheter for over 14 years now and a cosplayer for about the same amount of time. The journey to get where I am now has been tumultuous and every day I get to make art I am grateful. My practice focuses on wearable art but I do allow myself to explore any medium that interests me.
In 2014 I made my first fully crocheted cosplay; I dressed up as the Scarlet Witch from Marvel Comics which is how I got my title of Scarlet Stitch. Crochet and cosplay were both mediums that I fell in love with quickly after being introduced to them, it was only a matter of time before I combined the two. I love the challenge of turning something that you wouldn’t expect to be crocheted into a reality with a hook and yarn.
I’m not the type of person to be casual with my interests; when I get into something it tends to take over. Throughout high school I would attend classes with my crochet, take entrepreneurship courses to create my crochet business plans, and anytime I was given creative freedom I’d crochet my assignments for my classes. My path seemed to solidify when my art teacher mentioned I could “go to school for crochet”. I hadn’t heard about fiber art programs before, and suddenly I was interested in pursuing higher education.
Next thing I knew I was studying fine art with a focus in fiber art at the Alberta University of the Arts in Calgary, Alberta. I have mixed feelings about my time in art school, and I think a lot of that comes from the fact I didn’t leave on my own terms. It took me until my third year to actually feel like art school was the right fit for me and dissolve the imposter syndrome that hung over me from day one. I can so clearly remember thinking about the upcoming winter semester with excitement for the first time in my art school days. Three days after a great critique for a project I was extremely proud of, I got hit by a car while walking to school.
This accident was felt like a rug being pulled out from under me moments after finding my footing. I slowly lost the ability to use my hands over that winter semester as my injuries from the accident became more apparent. My mental health tanked and I went from great grades to dropping classes because I couldn’t keep up. As my world was turned upside down, the world at large decided to join in the chaos as COVID-19 put everything on pause. I decided to leave art school and had to return home to the states.
Crochet had been my defining personality trait since I was about twelve. Everything I did up until then had been so I could forge some sort of reality that would let me support myself through crochet. I spent about two years doing everything in my power to reverse the damage that had been done. My hands were so messed up that I had to have my mom help me fill out paperwork for doctors appointments because my writing became illegible. As I persisted in my various treatments I was gradually letting go of my crochet dreams and rediscovering who I was without my craft. I even took down my social media accounts and website where I shared my cosplays because I saw them as a reminder of what I’d never do again.
Looking back on this time knowing that I did eventually overcome this and can crochet again, I think I wouldn’t have been able to start stitching again without my acceptance of a reality where I couldn’t crochet. My mental state was as equally limiting to my crochet ability as my physical restrictions. Only when I had learned to enjoy interests outside of crochet and embrace a multifaceted identity was I able to actually start stitching again.
I picked up my hook again at the request of kids I was babysitting so I could teach them. At first, I could only stitch for a few minutes at a time and walk them through the crochet verbally. As time went on I was able to crochet for longer intervals, as long as I took breaks and stretched.
Finally I took on making my first costume since my involuntary hiatus. What would’ve taken me a week or two to complete before took me a month. Still, I crocheted a costume! Just like that I was back on my crochet journey.
Every piece I make now is a privilege. There are days when I wake up with back and hand pain so bad I refuse to touch my crochet hook. I now work with more limitations than before, but that’s pushed me to take advantage of each day I can create.
I want each piece to reflect the passion I have for the art and my determination to take crochet to a whole new level. The greatest feeling I’ve had as an artist is the joy in knowing I’ve inspired others to crochet a costume or project. I’ve had people approach me at conventions and tell me I made them realize crochet could be used in a way they hadn’t expected. I hope to crochet for as long as my body will let me and promise to make the most of each day I get to stitch.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve lived outside DC for most of my life and didn’t realize how much I took that for granted until I moved back from school. I love a trip to a museum, and there are over 70 in the city. I’d take them to the Textile museum, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the Hirshhorn Museum. I’d also bring them to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, I love sitting out on the terrace and enjoying a good book with some tea! My favorite gallery space in DC is Artechouse, which focuses on innovative technology based art. And in the evenings there is almost always something fun being hosted at one of the embassies or museums. This city has a lot to offer for those who are interested in art, history, and world cultures. Finally, I always remind friends that visiting during Cherry Blossom season is one of the best times of year, but even off season I enjoy walking along the tidal basin. Our parks are great places to picnic and people watch.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shoutout the yarn cosplay community! It the niche I’ve called home for over ten years now and watched grow into a loving and supportive group of artists. We now have a the Yarn Cosplay Guild where I have the pleasure of connecting with so many amazing fiber artist working in fandom. Every time I mention this I’m terrified I’ll jinx it, but I am grateful that with over a decade in this corner of cosplay and fiber arts we’ve managed to avoid the all too common toxicity that pervades so much of the internet. This truly is the most uplifting group I’ve had the privilege of working with!

Website: https://www.scarletstitchstudios.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletstitchstudios/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-luttazi-4758aa352/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scarletstitchstudios

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scarletstitchstudios
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/scarletstitchstudios
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/scarletstitch/

Image Credits
https://www.instagram.com/lemonmonn/