There are certain art forms that we've come to associate with the older generation despite the fact that they can be enjoyed by just about everyone. Crochet is a prime example. When we hear the word, the first image that most likely springs to our mind is of a grey-haired old lady sitting in a rocking chair, beloved cat by her side, creating a hat for her latest grandchild to wear.
In reality, however, it's something which can be enjoyed by people of all ages - and used to create a lot more than just the stereotypical hats and scarves. Case in point, these crocheted dragon scale gloves; the perfect accessory to warm up in style.
Credit: Etsy / @mareshop
Now, before we get into the knitty gritty (see what I did?), let's take a moment to acknowledge dragon skin in all its glory. To begin with, it comes in a variety of patterns, so it's the perfect inspiration for making a unique pair of gloves every time, and if you're planning on wearing these bad boys this winter, you'll be on trend as the final season of Game of Thrones comes out this year.
Credit: Etsy / @mareshop
This incredibly unique - and, quite frankly, badass - crochet design is the brainchild of Esty shop owner Kristine. She grew up around crocheting thanks to her mom's passion for the craft and knitting, and when she found herself working as a stay-at-home mom after graduating from art school, she wanted to put her talent and what her mom taught her to good use.
Credit: Etsy / @mareshop
As a crocheter, Diply reports, Kristine is inspired by two things: colors and textiles. And she came up with the idea for the dragon skin gloves when thinking of a way to combine the two in her work - something she frequently does.
Credit: Etsy / Vera Viel
This combination of color, textiles, and, of course, Kristine's artistic skills are what make these dragon skin gloves look so realistic. She sells them in just about every color combination and pattern imaginable for between $40–50 on Esty.
Credit: Etsy / @mareshop
However, if you'd like to have a go at making the design yourself, that's also possible too. This is Craft Factory, after all!
The scaly effect of the dragon skin gloves is created with the aptly named crocodile stitch, for which there are video tutorials available online, and for the gloves specifically, the intricate pattern used to design them is available for purchase here.
Perfect for anyone who wants to get this badass Game of Thrones look for a fraction of the price.
Credit: www.hearthookhome.com
And before you put yourself off the idea - which is hard to imagine anyone doing, but y'know, you might not want your partner mocking your new love of crochet - let me introduce you to a very talented young man by the name of Jonah Larson.
Since the age of five, he's been a keen crocheter and has now found unlikely Instagram fame by sharing his creations online.
Credit: Instagram / @jonahhands
While most people might assume that Jonah got into crochet through his grandmother or another relative, in reality, it happened totally by accident when his mom was about to throw out a box of craft materials. The then five-year-old spotted a shiny crochet hook and intrigued, asked what it was used for. His mom told him it was for crochet.
He then went onto YouTube to find a tutorial and within the space of just one hour, the creative youngster had created his first ever crochet piece: a dishcloth.
Credit: Instagram / @jonahhands
Six years on from that fateful day, his creations are impressively elaborate. It's no wonder he has 81,7K followers on Instagram!
Credit: Instagram / @jonahhands
What do you think of Jonah's creations? And, more importantly, has this article inspired you to pick up a needle and yarn yourself? One thing's for sure, if you're a Game of Thrones fan, I can answer the latter for you - a resounding yes!