Ashley Lee Zhong of Snapdragon Brand, Master of Granny Style
An image of Ashley Zhong wearing a colorful coat she made out of old crocheted afghans. Text that says: "Meet Ashley Zhong of Snapdragon Brand, and master of Granny Style."

From bespoke sweaters made from upcycled vintage afghans, to leggings and tops featuring colorful printed granny squares, Ashley Zhong’s Snapdragon Brand is a celebration of crochet. Self-described as a “friendly weirdo” and “obsessive thrifter,” Zhong’s style is exuberant, kitschy, and delightful.

Ashley stands in front of a granny square afghan backdrop, wearing glasses with granny squares on the lenses, and a granny square printed top.

You often use reclaimed vintage crocheted items in your designs. How did you get started in this direction?

I started by restoring some of the wonderful vintage afghans I found at thrift stores. I would buy them in any condition if I liked their style, sometimes with gaping holes, sometimes with rows and rows unraveled. I would sew them back up, hand-remove all the pills, and just enjoy the process of that. Even as a child I was really interested in the idea that they were handmade and from another time, so the process of restoring them was just another way of respecting and appreciating that tradition. 

Related: Learn how to turn an afghan into a coat

– Ashley zhong on The Hook nook life

I fell so in love with the pieces I’d been collecting that I decided I wanted to wear them because I felt like it was the best way to enjoy their colors and ensure their frequent use. 

Ashley Zhong models one of her crochet blanket upcycled garments, the Softglow Granny Duster. It's made of an old cream-colored granny square afghan and has large sleeves.
Softglow Granny Duster by Snapdragon Brand

How did you learn how to upcycle premade crochet work?

There are endless patterns for making crocheted garments, but very few tutorials for upcycling existing crochet, so I experimented to develop my own system and style. 

It is very important to me to use as much of the original afghan as possible and cut as little as possible. By wholly embracing the natural assets of each afghan, I feel like I’m making myself a part of the evolution of the piece, working side by side with the original maker to create something new. The original afghan dictates the new design and that often leads to some rather avant-garde results. If I am working with an afghan made of 12 inch squares, the sleeves will be long and wide, the body and lapels will be oversized and the whole effect will be pleasingly dramatic. 

The Rochester Coat is a long vest Ashley designed featuring the buildings of Rochester crocheted on the back of it.
The Rochester Coat by Ashley Zhong: The Rochester Coat is a long vest Ashley designed featuring the buildings of Rochester crocheted on the back of it.

What has been the most surprising thing about working with crochet?

I am constantly surprised by the absolute freedom of crochet. There are absolutely no rules to crochet. You can use any color, material, stitch or technique to make any item imaginable in this world. The only limits on the craft are the limits you put on yourself. Experiment regularly and embrace those things you’ve made that didn’t quite turn out how you wanted—you surely learned something in the process and that has value in itself. 

An office wall is covered with vintage afghans
We are jealous of Ashley’s office, which is covered in crochet afghans. 😍 Learn more at her blog post: Maker Full Time Part 2.

Buy her designs: snapdragonbrand.com

Learn How:

How to make a vintage granny square afghan into a cardigan

How to give your sunglasses a crochet makeover

WeCrochet Magazine cover - Issue 1

This article was originally printed in Issue 1 of WeCrochet Magazine.


2 comments

  1. Lesley ruse / April 1, 2020 / Reply

    Love all the color and have long been a person who used it up,rather than throw it out. I learned to crochet 30 years ago and have torn out many an Afghan. Am currently learning 2new knitting patterns and I’ve torn out a whole ski of yarn 3 times now. Next granny squareafghan I see you bet I’ll buy it. Thanks for the wonderful ideas and examples.

  2. Susan Kline / April 1, 2020 / Reply

    I love your outlook and spirit! I adore the Rochester coat that you are modeling.

Reply