When I was around 10 years old, my paternal grandmother came for a visit.

During the short time she stayed with us, she taught me how to knit. This was no mean feat – I am left handed, and she was right handed. Despite my backwards approach, she managed to give me the basics.

In the mean time, she gave us blankets she had crocheted or knitted. There is something extra wonderful about being curled up with Gramma’s blanket on your lap.

She also crafted Christmas ornaments, knit bells with our names spelled out on the side, and tiny metal bells making a muted ding when we hung them on the Christmas tree.

Just last year, my mother gave me the ornaments my grandmother made for me. It is a treasured, tangible memory of my grandmothers loving hands.

In our house, we have a large circle of lace framed and hanging prominently in our foyer. My husband’s grandmother tatted this beautiful lace doily – an art that I don’t know if anyone still takes up.

We also have a framed quilting square from one of his grandmothers quilts.

All of these crafts have been passed down, generation to generation.

Here I am today, and I realized I needed to start crafting something for my generations to come. I have picked up a crochet needle, bought some baby blue yarn, and consulted a book to learn how to crochet – left handed, even!

I want my grandchildren to have something tangible from their Nana. I don’t sew, or have the eye sight fine enough for quilting – but I can knit and crochet.

It is currently a slow and painstaking process. I am by no means able to just crochet away as I talk and watch TV. I plan to try and work on my projects daily. Over time, I’m hopeful I will be able to crochet blankets for our grandkids.

It may be easier to buy it off Etsy, but it wouldn’t mean as much.

I’m trying my best to keep the handmade crafted blankets continued down for the next generation.

Maybe, one day, someone will take up after me and continue the tradition.