Caylie Armistead (10) knows the twists and turns of the crafty skill of crochet. With her hook and yarn, she’s created plenty of things, all at different skill levels.
“There’s this old lady who I kept seeing at craft fairs. She was really sweet and she told me I should start crocheting, so that way I don’t have to spend money on her stuff. So I started crocheting,” Armistead said.
Although the creation of crochet is seen as beautiful to some, it has its own drawbacks. If you need something to fill your day with, crochet maybe right up your alley. For Armistead, her own struggles have crafted her to be proficient at the hobby.
“…Your hands get tired so fast, it’s so annoying. To just sit there and do the same motion, but it pays off in the end, and also if you have separate parts and have to stitch them together, it’s just very time consuming,” Armistead said.
Like most hobbies, people have to start somewhere for the first time. It’s normal for people to start with small crochet ideas, like a small insect, instead of jumping to start non-beginner friendly pattern.
“Probably the first thing I ever did, it’s just this little tiny bee. It’s literally the size of your thumb, and it is very badly stitched. Its wings are falling off, his name’s Jerry. He’s on his last limbs,” Armistead said.
Time and skill often go hand in hand and Armistead has spent years building her skills up. Until she was able to create an impressive craft. Through all the loops and stitches, she was able to make something she was proud of.
“I crocheted a giraffe one time. I really like it. It’s actually well stitched. It’s one of those things that I actually took my time on, but I don’t follow patterns. He’s pretty cute, though,” Armistead said.
When starting crochet, many people can get tripped up just from the constant loops and repeating motion. But once they finally get used to it and understand it, it can lead them to create something just with a spool of yarn and a hook.
“I guess [I’ll keep crocheting] until my fingers don’t work anymore,” Armistead said. “I’ll probably be an old lady doing this.”
![Simon Thompson (12) poses for a photo with his family. "One thing that I miss from Germany is just how everything's fresh made. They don't have a whole bunch of processed stuff. So [I miss] bakeries, German bakeries," Thompson said. Thompson has family in Dieburg, Germany.](https://myohsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/e0021c45-1c9f-489d-bf95-57f9f1f1599d-1200x554.jpeg)
