Crocheting-Connecting Past, Present And Future

My Great Grandmother grew up on a farm in Iowa. I have never been to Iowa and, I never met her. I inherited her crochet needles and like, my Great Grandmother, I have created beautiful blankets and crocheted animals with those same needles. I can imagine my great-grandmother crocheting the afghan that she passed down to me. Crocheting has been a way to relax and revitalize for the women in my family for centuries. It is an ingrained pastime that we have enjoyed for generations.

Oddly enough, I didn't learn to crochet from my relatives. It is a part of my individual experience that I learned in different countries. When I was a child, my father worked for the State Department. I grew up in Japan and Cyprus. I was nine years old when my family lived in Japan. In Japan, my babysitter could crochet beautiful lace doilies. I had never seen anyone crochet before. I was entranced. The yarn flew through her fingers as she created work that was beautiful and delicate. It was the first time I had ever seen anyone crochet. I asked her to teach me, but she explained that I was too young to learn. I was fascinated by how her fingers moved so fast and how she could create such beautiful delicate things. I resolved to learn how to crochet when I got older. I wanted to be able to produce work like that.

Two years later, when I was eleven years old, I lived in the Mediterranean Country of Cyprus. Cypriots are well known for their needlework and crocheting. So I was able to study different patterns even though I had not learned how to crochet yet. A friend of my mother's from California told me she knew how to crochet. I asked if she could teach me and, she agreed. I told her I was left-handed, she was undaunted. She sat opposite me and took me through how to use the needle and yarn step by step. She was very patient and, I learned quickly. That is where I learned how to crochet.

We moved back to the States. As a teenager, I bought crochet books and learned new patterns. I found crocheting relaxing and a great distraction. I loved being able to generate something out of a simple ball of yarn. When I was in High School, I took my work to craft shows. I had taught myself how to crochet hats, mittens, and small blankets.

When I got older, I spent time with my grandmother. She knew how to crochet and told me about my great-grandmother and her love of crocheting. She gave me a blanket my great-grandmother had created. It was a beautiful pattern and one I have never learned how to produce. I had no idea we had such a rich family tradition of doing something I could lose myself in and that I enjoyed doing. It connected my life overseas to my grandmother and great-grandmother's life in the United States. It gave us a common ground and a way to express ourselves creatively.

As an adult, I became a teacher-librarian. As a teacher, during a pandemic, the work pace is intense and stressful. Crocheting finger puppets did so much to relieve the stress and worry. I would buy colorful yarn and work when I got home from school. When I was teaching online, I was happy that I could make something for my students when I couldn't see them in person because of quarantine. The finger puppets I made were of soft eyelash yarn. The yarn is smooth as it slips through my fingers as I design my finger puppets. They come in a variety of colors. Each puppet has a unique personality.

I fabricate stuffed animals for children. It is fantastic when you can develop something you picture your imagination. It excites me that I can share my vision and what I design with other people. I like to make fierce animals like dragons, yeti, and lions. I think that children need mythical beasts to hug and love. I fashion creatures for today's children and future generations. It is a way to produce something for the future and carry on a family tradition. I remember that my great-grandmother created an afghan for me, even though she never met me.

The act of crocheting centers me and connects me to my past. It reminds me of my travels and the cultures that have raised me. It has been a constant. Crocheting gives me a sense of history and timelessness. The understanding that I can create something that could outlive me and develop a legacy for the next generation.