Abbey Romeo Lutes, the star of Netflix’s 'Love on the Spectrum', recently announced a limited edition hand-knit capsule collection with MakerPlace by Michaels. Michaels chose to partner with Abbey, who gained popularity from the Netflix series that follows the relationships of people on the spectrum. Her popularity is evident with 1.9 million followers on TikTok and nearly 700K followers on Instagram. Abbey’s love and skill for knitting made this collaboration a natural fit.
The Love on the Spectrum star was diagnosed with autism when she was 2.5 years old, but she only asked her mother if she was on the spectrum when she was nine. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she said that she always knew she was different. “My brain wouldn’t do what I was telling it to.” Her mother, Christine, confirmed her autism diagnosis, and they both cried. “I didn’t want to have autism; I wanted to be typical,” she said in the interview.
After she started creating her hat collection, she changed her username on TikTok and Instagram to @HatsbyAbbey. She said that social media platforms had helped her learn new skills and passions. One of them is songwriting and singing. In April, she released her song “Categories,” about how she likes to place things in categories as a way of verbally expressing herself. She is a member of a performing arts program for people on the spectrum called Spectrum Laboratory.
“Abbey’s passion for crafting and enthusiasm for supporting handmade creators resonates deeply with our mission and core values at MakerPlace,” said Scott Bramble, Vice President at MakerPlace by Michaels. “This collection is a testament to Abbey’s talents and personal mission to empower others to find purpose through creativity. It also serves as a reminder that customers who shop on MakerPlace invest in the passion, dedication, and hard work of independent artists and makers.