To crochet or not to crochet

My favorite past time, besides walking trails and riding my bike has been to crochet. I love crocheting all kinds of things; blankets, hats house shoes. I love seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I give them away. My favorite part of making something was is when I’m finished and I tie up the last two pieces of yarn and cut the excess off with my handy dandy red scissors.

I recieved this gift of crochet from my family. My grandmother crocheted house shoes and quilts when I was growing up and then my mother as well, would make granny square blankets. I picked up the crochet hook one day when I was around 12, and decided I wanted to learn too. It definitely didn’t happen the first day or even the first several weeks but eventually, I learned how to crochet and I fell in love with it!

The sense of accomplishment when I have finished a blanket, or given away a set of house shoes or some beanies makes me feel good! Having a gift of being able to create something and give someone else joy because of it too is so satisfying, emotionally and mentally.

What turned me on to the idea of making soft non scratching hats was a co worker of mine ended up having cancer. I was at a Christmas festival selling my hats when another co worker of mine came over and bought one. He asked me these won’t scratch your head will they, I said no that particular yarn won’t. He gave the hat to our co worker and she called me and wanted three more in different colors to wear. I gladly made them for her.

I had been giving hats to Children’s hospital at Christmas time, hats, giant pillows and blankets that I had made. One day at Hobby Lobby, I was there getting yarn and cake across a huge pile of yarn bee yarn on the clearance wrack and it gave me the idea to make the soft non scratchy hats for the cancer ward babies at children’s hospital. I bought all the yarn and got work!

This has been my second year doing so and although I don’t get to meet them directly or get to see their eyes light up when they put them on I know from the ladies that work in the volunteer services that it does bring them great joy which in turn makes me feel like I served a greater purpose.

I myself found myself in need having to have surgery on my knee many years ago at children’s hospital too. I had no insurance and had a torn ACL. Children’s took me in helped me out and got me back on my feet! I have always wanted to give back to them in some kind of way to say thank you.

The day of my surgery I was extremely stressed out right before I was about to go in the operating room. They brought me a home made teddy bear that someone had donated to the hospital and I calmed me down so quickly and gave me so much peace. I kept that bear well into my late 20s because that was the kind of impact it had on me when I was going through a difficult time in my life and I in return want to give back and give into peoples lives as well.

My goal is to every year, give more of these hats to these precious children and families going through a very difficult, dark time in their lives. To give them hope where they may feel like there is not any and to let them know they are not alone.