Beauty standards are made up, and the current ones are really boring.”
Words by Matthijs van Els, pictures courtesy of Brett Walker
His dad was a carpenter, his mom a dress maker who used half of his bedroom as her sewing room. Obviously Brett Walker (34) didn’t stand a chance against all the creativity and craftmanship surrounding him while growing up, so now he is an artist himself. During the day the Melbourne resident works as an office administrator, but when his shift is over he gets right back to his project: crocheting socks for cocks.
We meet on Zoom right after Brett is home from his day job, seated on his couch. Crochet supplies within reach and his cat Clover asking for attention.
I like to keep my art as a happy place”
Brett’s art is all about making people feel comfortable in their own skin. And that’s exactly where his cock socks, willy warmers, woolly willies, or whatever you want to call them come in. He makes them customized to your dick or to your flavor, right down to the veiny details and the shape of the head. And yes, a pic for reference is most welcome.
What made you start crocheting in the first place?
“My ex-partner’s mom is an artist and she had been crocheting some really cool things like amigurumi that she sometimes gifted us and I was just really inspired by it. Working with fibers and textiles is something I was always drawn to. I think that comes from growing up with my mom being a dress maker. When my ex’s mom came to visit for Christmas in 2018 I got her to show me a couple of things and I basically started from there. I’m always inspired by my ex’s mom’s creativity.”
And crotcheting cocks, how did that happen?
“I started making things like wash cloths and little square things. But I wanted to do more 3D stuff and the first thing I wanted to try, because I thought it would be funny, was a penis. I started with quite small ones. During the first lockdown another artist approached me, asking if I could make one for him, but one that he could actually wear. The rest is history.”
What part is the hardest to crochet?
“Where I join the balls to the shaft. Or if I’m doing one that is circumcised. Making sure that you can see the head can sometimes get quite difficult. I don’t have a set pattern, so every cock sock is completely unique and customized.”
I don’t think I’ve fully learned how to cope with shitty comments about my body”
How long does it take to finish one cock?
“If I were doing it non-stop it would take a few days, but I usually give myself a couple of weeks to finish it. Crocheting is very meditative and when I’m doing it, I can’t do other things. It’s very easy for me to be in my head so that’s why I only like to do it when I’m feeling good. I like to keep my art as a happy place. Up until now I’ve made about twenty.”
Is there a message you want to convey with your creations?
“The overall theme is body positivity. Making people feel comfortable in their own skin and celebrating being different. I think it’s important to show that there are no set beauty standards. That these are something that is made up, and I find them really boring.”
What does this theme mean to you personally?
“Something that I find in the queer community, queer men in particular, is how body image is just put so high up on people’s priorities that often they don’t actually get to know a person. Another thing I noticed is a lot of people in a group of friends all tend to look the same, almost like clones. And I’m the complete opposite and I think that comes from me not being in a conventionally attractive body. I’m a bigger guy and I find it difficult to fit in with those kinds of groups. I want to push a message of body positivity, because I know what it feels like.”
How do you deal with shitty comments?
“I don’t think I’ve fully learned how to cope with it, and I think it’s something I might never fully learn how to cope with. I think I will always have some sort of issue with this, because that’s the way society is. To treat people that don’t match society beauty standards, not nicely. Or as second class, essentially.”
Is the crocheting some sort of outlet for you?
“Yeah, I guess when I’m creating it, I’m not trying to make it look just pretty, or make the perfect penis. I’m conscious when I’m making it to be more real. Same goes for size. I could easily stuff them, so they look bigger, but I don’t do that. That’s not the point of it. They get to see it as a piece of art of an appendix that often people are judging.”
Do you have a cock sock you are particularly proud of?
“There was one I did for a trans man in the US. He had a penis surgically made during his transition and he wanted to get a cock sock to kind of celebrate that. It made me feel really good to do that for him. And it was also cool being creative with that sock. I did an embroidery tattoo on the shaft, and the pubic hair in the colors of the trans flag.”
I’ve been told the socks are fairly comfortable, so I think people wear them occasionally”
Are they a sexual thing to some?
“I think there is an element of it. It’s kind of taboo, it’s a part of the body that people don’t talk about and that you often don’t see. And that can be exciting for people. But it’s very multifunctional actually. Recently I started playing Dungeons and Dragons and I needed something to hold my dice and funnily enough a sock I made was the perfect fit. If you pull the draw string, which is actually used to hold the cock sock onto the body, it becomes like a little bag.”
Do people actually wear them?
“I’ve been told they are fairly comfortable, so I think they wear them occasionally. But I’m not sure to be honest. I need to do a follow-up and ask them about it.”
Let’s say I want one. How do you make sure it fits my penis?
“First of all I ask questions. Do you want it to be circumcised, uncircumcised? Do you want the color to match your skin tone? Or do you want a fun color, like green? Do you want other details like veins, tattoos or piercings? Do you want pubic hair? When it comes to measurements, I have a diagram that you can use to measure everything I need to know. That also means it’s important to know if you’re a grower or a shower, because the sock is not extremely stretchy. And that can be difficult while having an erection.”
Would you need a photo of my dick?
“I do suggest sending a couple of reference photos, if you are comfortable with that of course. It definitely helps with making the right shape. I can get measurements but that doesn’t always give me the whole idea.”
What does it cost?
“The price depends on anything out of the ordinary that you might want, but 150 Australian dollars is pretty much the minimum I start with. And for that you get a customized piece just for you that nobody else in the world has.”
You promote your stuff on Instagram. Have you already ran into its prudish restrictions?
“If you take a photo of yourself wearing a cock sock, technically you are not naked. But you are simulating nudity and it turns out they don’t like it that much, so yeah, I’ve had photos removed. It’s really random and I feel like a lot of the time queer artists are targeted, and people with different body types. Generally, if you’re cis, hetero, white and have a fit body, you’re probably fine. When art is taken down, and I’m not given a good reason for it, it’s really disappointing. And it’s annoying because I can’t show my work.”
Have a cock that needs a sock? Don’t have a cock but really, really want one?Brett has got you covered.
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