Community Highlights: Meet Thomas Hamilton of Gregory Stitch

Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Hamilton.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The Tale Of Gregory Stitch I am an Atlanta native. From a very young age, I’ve always shown an interest in fashion. Like any fashion enthusiast, I indulged into this world by researching and studying designers such as Versace, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, and my all-time favorite, Balmain Paris. I admired how each brand told a story with clothes in their own way. I put my “passion for fashion” on hold to pursue my dance career. It wasn’t until 2011, when my mother, Linda Marie Truitt, passed, that I discovered the art of crochet. I went to Walmart and I picked up a ball of yarn and a crochet hook.

From there, I went to YouTube and began to teach myself. It became a means of therapy to help deal with my loss. Back then, I was only creating small hats and scarves. A few months later, I relocated to Dallas, Texas, in the hope of a new beginning. That vision quickly died when I suddenly found myself homeless. I was ok at first. After all, a hotel room wasn’t too bad. But then the rates of the rooms increased and I could no longer afford it so to the streets I went. I remember sleeping on a bench one night crying and asking God to help. ” I know you gave this dream to me for a reason. Please don’t let me or my vision die”. I was determined now more than ever to see my dreams come to pass, so I did everything I could to stay afloat. There in my homeless state, I decided I wanted to be a crochet fashion designer. Soon after, a couple of dance friends took me in. I stayed with them for a while before deciding to move back home to Atlanta. My first fashion show was in the Fall of 2015 during the “Smile You’re Beautiful” Fashion Showcase. This was a fundraiser benefiting children and adults with mental and physical disabilities. This was such an emotional and liberating cause for me since both my brother and I were both born crack babies, but luckily we had little to no side effects. Here at this show, the Gregory Stitch brand was born. This is also where I premiered my infamous peacock gown. February 2017, I had the honor to debut a collection in New York during New York Fashion Week! January of 2020, I served as a mentor and a designer for the Kaleidoscope Fashion Show by Vogue Knitting Magazine. There I debuted my latest collection Kang/Chris, which went on to be featured in Vogue Knitting and, internationally, in Crochet Now magazine. In the fall of 2021, I will be releasing a whole new collection and celebrating the launch of my brand GREGORY STITCH LLC. The rest is still waiting to be written.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve dealt with self-confidence issues growing up due to the fact that I was put into remedial classes. I was bullied from Elementary all the way to high school because of this. I struggled with stepping out and going after what I wanted out of life because I didn’t think that I was smart or talented enough. At one point, I became homeless, living on the streets of Dallas, Texas. But there is where I overcame my fears and gained the courage to Unapologetically go for what I wanted. I was told that no one would take me seriously as a crochet designer. They asked, “Who wants to buy yarn.” I was laughed at by friends and by family members. I was even dismissed by other knitters and crocheters because, in their eyes, this has never been done before.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
So I’m a Crochet Fashion Designer. For those who don’t know what crochet is, it’s kind of like knitting, except I use one needle instead of two. On the end of that needle, there’s a hook to grab yarn with. Crochet creates a more open stitch than knitting, and it’s much denser. Now that we have an understanding of crochet, you are now probably thinking of baby blankets, pot holders, your grandmother’s toilet seat covers, or something from the seventies. Yes, it’s all of that but here is what sets my brand and me apart from what you may be accustomed to. I take yarn, and I create high fashion pieces such as gowns and dresses, jackets, pants, and pretty much anything you can think of as far as clothing is concerned. Everyone knows me for my evening and ball gowns. They love the way I create out-of-the-box masterpieces with close attention to detail. I must say that I am most proud of the sense of wonder that my work gives not only my clients but aspiring crochet designers as well. I want my clothes to inspire others to be their true selves Unapologetically. I want them to know that they are worthy of greatness.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I’m always looking for a stylist to work with to help with photoshoots or even putting my work on influential individuals. My brand is growing so I think it’s about that time Inhire on an assistant lol. I have so many things going on that it’s hard to keep up with them all. However, I have never collaborated with another designer that would be so awesome. Even with other foundations dealing with children. I love kids. Perhaps one day I will be able to teach kids how to design their own garments. You can support me by sharing my work, becoming a new client. You can follow my story on IG. Or, if you are a crocheter looking to advance your skills enroll in my online academy, the Gregorian Academy.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: Gregorystitch
• Facebook: Gregorystitch
• Youtube: Gregorystitch

Image Credits
Kelly Channell studio