Why I fell in love with crocheting

My name is Leeann Keirl I am from Belleville Michigan and I am 47 years old.

My mom started me knitting when I was around 6 or 7 years old. Mom is a knitter and a tatter from way back. I hated when she would give me a project to do and she would want to check my work. She would have me in tears and I just wanted to give up! I would get so much done and be so proud...but...MOM...would fine one little mistake and rip it allllllllll OUT! UGH! I would be so MAD AT HER!

When I was older my mom decided to go to the Brothers brand knitting machines. She bought several of them and started a little business. I was excited and I worked with her learning how to use the machines. I would love to have one of those machines but mom will not let them out of her sight! She is now 82 years old and is not able to knit anymore. It is very sad to see that mom doesn't spend her days knitting anymore. She still talks about it and thinks that she still uses her machines but she hasn't touch anything in about 1 1/2 years. The last thing she made was a blanket for me. I am tall so she was so concerned about getting it long enough for me...but...it is only about 20 inches wide. It is my little joke but I will cherrish for all of my life!

So, with mom taking my work out has made me so much better. I continue to do the same thing in my own work now as an adult. I have gone as far as being almost done with a project and not like the way it is turning out and just start completely over! My partner just looks at me and shakes her head and ask me if I can't just hide it! ARE YOU CRAZY?? MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK! LOL

Throughout the years I have knitted here and there. Not really getting into it. Back about 6 or 7 years ago I was just wandering down the yarn isle in a store and I came across a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal crochet book (which I have lost and cannot find again :( ) and I decided to buy it. It was full of crochet patterns. I taught myself how to crochet on these projects! What was I thinking? I did one Tigger for my youngest son and I was going to make so much more...well key word is was!

Then last year my daughter told me she was going to have a baby...Yeah I am going to be a grandmother!

When my daughter was born my mom had knitted her this bright yellow and blue blanket (for Michigan of course). Again my daughter is almost 20 years old. She STILL carries that blanket with her. It looks AWFUL! It is dingy and full of wholes and she will not give it up. My mom has offered and offered to replace that blanket but Mollie won't have it!

So, seeing how much she loves her blanket I wanted to do the same thing for my new grandbaby. I picked up an easy pattern and began crocheting away thinking this would be it. I will make one baby blanket and be done.

Well, everyone had complimented me on it and of course I got a big head. But I am not really into the "girly" thing. I started looking for NASCAR patterns and found a Dale Sr. hood pattern. I have started it twice now. It is a huge project. Me with my ADD, had to put it aside and start on something else and put the NASCAR blanket aside for a bit.

I thought "Wow, rainbow stuff!". So I have started making lapghans and such using the colors of the rainbow. I am addicted. I have used plenty of the Mexicana Red Heart yarn. As well as trying to use up the spools and spools of yarn my mom still has from the machine days.

I have also began to draw out my own designs on graph paper too. Mostly rainbows of course. I can't wait until I have the time to actualy make the designs that I have drawn. I am looking for some kind of program that I could use that I could just draw it out on regular drawing paper and then put a picture of it into a program and have it all charted our for me. But I have found that they can be expensive :(

I really would love to get into a business where I could sell my items. It takes me some time to get stuff done because I work full time, my youngest is 13 and of course...the new grandbaby!! Sometimes before work I pick up what I am working on and I just want to stay home and crochet all day and get that blanket done! But, I know I have to make the money to buy the yarn! :)

-Leeann Keirl

Posted in: Why I Crochet