Dear Liz & Zontee,

You asked about yarncrafting, so here goes.

Both of my grandmothers crocheted, but it was my grandmother on my dad’s side of the family who taught me when I was around 11. I can remember sitting in her kitchen as she showed me how to make the chain stitch and double crochet, and I think she even showed me how to make a shell stitch as well. I was 11, so I didn’t realize the gift of crochet she was giving me at the time.

The grandmother who taught me how to crochet made an afghan as a wedding present for each of her grandchildren as they got married. Somewhere in my mid-20′s, Grandma K must have known something, because I got my “wedding afghan” as a thank you for painting her bedroom. It was one of the last gifts I ever received from my grandmother, as she had a stroke a year later, and passed away two years after that. I treasure that afghan because I know she made it for me with love.

In part to honor her memory, I’ve made it my personal mission to crochet baby gifts for friends and family, to help pass along what she has taught me. I may not have known then the gift I was being given when I sat at her kitchen table making endless chains, but I realize now that she has given me something priceless; a skill that can be used to share joy, spread comfort, and inspire hope.

Liz and Zontee, and everyone else at Lion Brand Yarn, you too continue to share joy, spread comfort, and inspire hope by promoting crafting with yarn in a number of ways. Thank you for sharing your love of yarn crafting with all of us, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the years to come.

Hello there, you asked about why we craft with yarn.
Well, my fascination with wool (yarn) started with my mother and grandmother (maternal grandmother). Grandma lived in Scotland and came to spend Christmas with us every year.
(I live in the heart of Cheshire in the UK.)
When Grandma came, she always had her knitting with her. My mum knitted too (she still does..). When I was seven, I asked grandma to teach me. She did and I have knitted ever since. At home, as a teenager, it was so nice to sit, gossip and knit with my grandma, mum and two younger sisters.
The interesting thing about grandma was that she became too busy when I got a bit lazy and wanted her to cast on for me. It forced me to learn how to do this for myself. Since then, nothing has really worried me about knitting anything. I started out just inventing patterns and lace for myself.
In my teens, mum showed me how to put cable patterns together to make my own polo neck sweaters. We had bought a small boat and all needed our own warm jumpers to wear. These jumpers were all made without a pattern.
In recent years, I tend to use the patterns made by others. But if there is something I don’t like about the original pattern, I am quite happy to alter it to suit.
Both my own daughters can knit. The elder of these prefers me to knit for her. She is now 27. My younger daughter is a prolific self-taught crocheter, who also loves to knit.
My own love of yarn has developed into a full-blown love of textiles. I also sew, quilt and embroider………..
Have fun with your own projects and please keep on telling us all about it.

I have not received my “password” to enable me to request instructions.  My email address is: flokay8@ san.rr.com.  I thought I was registered, but when I’m requested to place my password, the response is that it is not “valid.”
Would you please inform me of my password.Thank you.

I have been unable to request a pattern from your free patterns.  When I type in my password, there is no recognition.  Would be so kind as to issue a “new” password?
Thank you.
flokay8@san.rr.com