California
California writer Brittany Shoot recommends the World Famous Crochet Museum – a 5-by-8-foot plastic green kiosk that's part of the kind-of-random "Art Queen Compound," near the northern entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. Shari Elf, the artist who escaped L.A. to run the crochet museum and the rest of the compound, told Shoot, "I added 'world famous' as an affirmation that crochet, and the craft-work of loving hands, deserve to be world famous." The dirt-and gravel lot is also home to an art gallery, and a variety of outdoor tables, metal rockers and oddball art projects. The museum itself used to be a Fotomat kiosk. There's no admission fee and no set hours; if the key is in the lock, you can let yourself in. It's so small, only two people can be inside at the same time. The eccentric Elf doesn't actually crochet; she merely displays her collection of others' creations – mostly animals and dolls, including tatteredSesame Street and Winnie the Pooh characters, well-worn alligators with googly eyes, and tiny crocheted angels with magnets affixed to their backs. It looks like a child's well-loved collection. The museum provides no history or how-to lessons regarding crochet, and there are no fancy doilies and lace, just the folksy, finished products. Visitors are welcome to add their own handicrafts to the collection.
California writer Brittany Shoot recommends the World Famous Crochet Museum – a 5-by-8-foot plastic green kiosk that's part of the kind-of-random "Art Queen Compound," near the northern entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. Shari Elf, the artist who escaped L.A. to run the crochet museum and the rest of the compound, told Shoot, "I added 'world famous' as an affirmation that crochet, and the craft-work of loving hands, deserve to be world famous." The dirt-and gravel lot is also home to an art gallery, and a variety of outdoor tables, metal rockers and oddball art projects. The museum itself used to be a Fotomat kiosk. There's no admission fee and no set hours; if the key is in the lock, you can let yourself in. It's so small, only two people can be inside at the same time. The eccentric Elf doesn't actually crochet; she merely displays her collection of others' creations – mostly animals and dolls, including tatteredSesame Street and Winnie the Pooh characters, well-worn alligators with googly eyes, and tiny crocheted angels with magnets affixed to their backs. It looks like a child's well-loved collection. The museum provides no history or how-to lessons regarding crochet, and there are no fancy doilies and lace, just the folksy, finished products. Visitors are welcome to add their own handicrafts to the collection.
