Chitter made me the afghan in the photo for Christmas. I’m telling you the girl can crochet , well actually both girls can crochet. Chatter gifted me with a beautiful scarf she made out of the softest yarn.
Granny’s mother Gazzie loved to crochet and she passed that love on to Granny. I’ve told you plenty of times before, Granny is crochet crazy. She spins out things faster than we can keep track of them or find a place to put them.
Granny taught the girls to crochet and they’ve stuck with it. Pap used to get so tickled at them. We’d go somewhere to perform and while we were waiting to go on stage they’d pull out whatever they were working on and start crocheting. He said “They really are like two little grannies.”
Granny is always telling me I’ll be sorry I never let her teach me to crochet and someday it’ll be too late. Even though I never picked up the skill, I sure am glad the girls did. Three generations of crocheters is pretty cool if you ask me. And if you count my cousin Tina who is my age and learned from Granny Gazzie-that makes 4 generations which is even cooler.
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
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The afgan is beautiful. I learned to crochet (knit, embroider, etc.) from various female elders, and I’m sure glad I did because the goods you make are so useful when completed.
I recently read a story about a 91-year old man in an old folks home who makes warm hats on a circular loom for the homeless, and it warmed my heart to think even at that age, somewhat infirm and in bed, there are valued ways we can help others.
Praying everyone has a great weekend, and a safe one too.
God bless.
RB
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Love the afghan! I once learned to crochet and did it so much I inflamed the joints in my fingers. By the time they healed up it was spring and I was busy and…by the following winter I’d forgotten all about it. Sad now to have lost the craft.
Tipper,
That’s a beautiful afghan, it’ll bring memories as long as you live. I thought that those hats your mama made and the girls put flowers in, was about the prettiest things I had ever seen, the time you all went to the Church way back in the mountains and sung. I think Don Casada had a hand in that episode, just like when the warden was about to arrest you at Nabors Restaurant (for doing that illegal fishing a week or so earlier.) …Ken
I learned to macrame and taught many ladies and children how. Many years ago I quilted with my grandmother and mother. I never felt the desire to crochet or knit.
My wife crochets constantly. She carries a bag of yarn and her needles everywhere we go. I deliver an average of 15 outfits each month to our local hospital for babies being adopted and for the poor folks that have so little. (Blanket, hat and booties) The nursery workers all crowd around to see the different colors when I go in. She also makes prayer shawls for a ministry through our church. Every time we enter a store she wants to look and see if yarn is on sale and what colors they have. Many times I’ve had to put suitcases or groceries in the back seat because the trunk is full of yarn.
How fortunate you are your girls gave their love and time to make you handmade beautiful gifts. The afghan is gorgeous, and I know, I crochet a lot. I am making an afghan now. It is an ever useful talent. Give both the girls a big hug! You have such a multi-talented family on both your mother’s and father’s side. Let us know more about your mom. Happy New Year! Jan
Wow, what a nice Christmas gift! I agree, Chitter can crochet. I bet Chatter’s scarf is awesome too!
Those who crochet are very industrious! Your daughters gifts will be treasured keepsakes.
My dear Aunt taught me how to crochet when i was just a young girl. She could crochet or sew anything. Even as the oldest member of her church, in her early 90’s she was still crocheting making baby blankets for the babies at church. I like to make lap robes for the nursing homes and hats for little ones. I taught my neighbor’s little girl how to do the shell stitch and she has been crocheting ever since. She is 15 now and makes gifts for her grandparents and teachers. It is a wonderful skill to know, Tipper, and your daughters can teach you too. lol Also, if you forget how to do a stitch you can always go to UTUBE and someone has a video showing you how to do it.
I can echo the sentiments above. I love to crochet. My daughters tell me I am old fashion, but I love to crochet. I crochet for myself and the girls anyway. Plus there are so many others to crochet for as gifts and needs , such as the homeless, orphanages across the border (in my case), hospital baby nurseries, and more.
My grandmother tried to teach me to crochet, but I just couldn’t “get it”. She got so frustrated with me.
However, I admired my grandmother’s work and the fact that some things just need to be passed on to other generations. I continued to try to learn and finally mastered the craft when I became an adult.
Thank you Tipper for sharing.
Merry Christmas to all and may we all enjoy an blessed new year.
Diane
Tipper, never fear, you can’t be near perfect and learn to crochet on top of it. You are just too busy being the glue that keeps everything together. The same patience that enabled Chitter to sing and play an instrument is essential to learning crochet. I was disabled for a short time, and actually learned crochet to pass some time. After I recuperated never tried it again. We prioritize and tend to hang with the things we truly love. Sadly, I think the computer has replaced many pastimes.
I am already receiving seed books in the mail, and I am looking forward to what all the Blind Pig Gang gets into come Spring. Truly a gifted family with many skills.
Oh TIPPER: That GIFT is ‘really something’ that you will love forever!
Way back, when I was in the hospital, waiting for the delivery of our second NEW BORN SON, my Doctor saw my knitting and ask “What on earth are you doing?” I told him, ” I am knitting a coat!” Actually I was knitting a full-length coat in June! He ask “Are you expecting a snow?” I said, “NO! JUST A BABY!”
He was a wonderful doctor!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Always, Eva Nell
Eva Nell
The afghan is a work of art! It reminds me of those granny squares that were so popular in the 60’s and 70’s. I have a ripple stitch afghan my aunt crocheted for me many years ago and she is no longer with us. My mama could crochet, but she like embroidery, and I have several tablecloths she hand embroidered for me as well as some dresser scarves. I can knit and crochet, and I taught my youngest daughter to knit, and I have some beautiful scarves she knitted for me. I prefer sewing and machine embroidery to knitting and crocheting. I have also done needlepoint and crewel work. I just finished making a skirt, and I have two more to make when I figure out which patterns I want to use.
My Granny Watsie taught me to crochet. I am so glad she did. Still like to do it when I have time.
My Mother crocheted a lot back in the 50’s and 60’s when I was growing up. I remember her sitting in her chair working away just about every night. I never could figure out how she could be looking straight at you, talking away and never miss a stitch! She was always turning out things from little doilies to full size tablecloths. After my Dad died she gave it up…. I guess because she had to work to support the family. What I truly hate is that I don’t even have one piece of what she created for a keepsake.
My mom never crocheted that I can remember. My sister and her daughter make some of the most beautiful things out of yarn. I love the raised roses my sister crocheted on a full size bed cover. The fingerless gloves I bought from your girls have held up through about three winters and still look good.
What a lovely, love-filled gift!
Crochet never really “caught” with me, but I often knit. Some folks I know do both, but most seem to do one but not the other. Maybe you are meant to be the knitter in your family, Tipper 🙂
Many years ago either my grandmother or my great aunt or both taught me to crochet, I taught myself to reat patterns and was off and running. My eyesight has never been good and now I don’t see well enough. I do miss it.
I tried to learn to crochet, also tried knitting but I just couldn’t manage it. I always pulled the yarn too tight, no matter how hard I tried my afghan was tea towel!
How in the world did she make something that big and keep it a secret?
The afghan and the story behind it make a special combination. You are blessed in your girls and they in you.
These are surely the days to need something to snuggle under. The wind has been fierce and fiercely cold here yesterday. Stay warm y’all.
That’s a labor of love. Over the years I’ve created many things for my family & I can tell you that as I worked I thought about the one getting the gift.
Each time you look at, or use the afghan you will remember the love she felt for you as she worked on it.
A wonderful gift. You’re very lucky.
Tipper,
And that looks like a variation of the Grannie Square, is it? I love to crochet. My Grandmother taught me to crochet when I was little. I didn’t stick with it back then, but would pick it up now and then. I forgot some how on some stitches the way you have to turn your work. But a cheap book helped me out on picking it up again. Back then using small thread and making doilies was my grannies thing. The only thing I make out of that white small thread is snowflakes. I usually make a couple every Christmas but didn’t find my “round-to-it” this year! I keep yarn and crochet hooks handy in a cloth bag just for an occasion of “what-to-dos”. There was a sale right before Christmas on that dishcloth rag yarn! My husband said, “I think you have a bag of that yarn”! “Not this new color, and I’m just getting enough for one scrubber and one cloth!” You ladies that collect fat squares for quilts will understand my logic! ha
The gifts made by hand and especially the ones made by family are the best keepsakes ever! You are very blessed!
Thanks Tipper for this post!
PS Crochet is easy to follow by book when learning to crochet! Then you have all those teachers around willing to help.
PS 2 I never did learn to knit. Tried, didn’t like it! However, I admire anyone that can knit those beautiful sweaters!