Laura J., who is in her late fifties now, learned to crochet from her grandmother at the age of 12. She says,
“My maternal grandmother, my Nona, had an apartment filled with crocheted doilies. I loved those doilies, and when I found that that she made them, I wanted to make them, too!”
Her grandmother taught her how and the lessons have stayed with her ever since. In fact, she says,
“When I crochet, I feel like I am channeling my Nona, and that helps me feel connected to my family.”
Laura also finds that crochet helps her in other ways. She is living with MS, which presents daily difficulties, and finds that crochet provides a sort of meditative aspect that allows her to step away from those issues. The counting of stitches, the counting of rows, is a relaxing meditation.
Laura says that she will crochet anywhere: at home, on a plane, at a campground, on vacation, on a cruise, waiting for a meeting to begin. If it is a place where you can bring hooks and yarn, Laura probably has hers with her. When she’s at home, she crochets while listening to music, unless it’s a really simple and straightforward pattern, during which she might choose to watch TV instead. Others are supportive of her crafting. She shares,
“I’m told by others that I do beautiful work (of course, I’m always still looking for a way to do it better), and that kind of support really makes me feel better. My husband is wonderful about it; he just shakes his head at my yarn stash – which is a set of bins 4’ high x 10’ long. He knows that this is my therapy.”
Laura and her husband have been together over 35 years. She says, “he makes me laugh harder than anyone”. Laura is also lucky to have a best friend that she has known for fifty years; she says that they are “inseparable, even though living a distance from each other”. She is happy that her brother and his family live nearby and says that she is fortunate to be surrounded by positive, caring people.
Laura enjoys all types of different crochet projects, and she’s happy to craft for herself, for others or with no recipient at all in mind. She does share the story of one really special project:
“I made a ruana for myself, but it never felt like it was mine, so I hung it in my closet. Shortly after that, a dear friend lost her husband, and I knew immediately that I had made that ruana for her. I gave it to her, told her that it was made with my life, and said that when she wrapped it around herself she should feel me giving her a hug. She was grateful beyond words, and I believe it helped her move forward after her loss.”
In addition to crochet, Laura has done other crafts over the years. She has tried knitting, embroidery, crewel, cross stitch, sewing clothing and making jointed teddy bears. She says, “while I have enjoyed all of those crafts, I keep coming back to crochet.” In addition to crafting, she improves her life and wellbeing through “exercise, stretching, practicing accepting and laughter.”
Laura, who calls herself a warrior, loves dogs, reading, a cup of tea and sitting around a campfire. When asked what the number one reason is that she crochets, she answers, “It is a part of me, like breathing. It is my Nona’s legacy, lived through me.”