Making connections between generations

My daughters, mother, and grandmothers inspire me to buy and make handmade. As a child, I have many memories of my grandmother Sarah's knitting bag. It was always in the same place, right next to her chair in the living room. Her house was filled with afghans she had knit and quilts she had sewn by hand.

My grandmother Rita loved to crochet, sew, and craft. She and my grandfather made Christmas ornaments to sell at their church fair and my grandmother crocheted afghans. I can still see them working at the kitchen table surrounded by all of the ornaments they had made. My own Christmas tree is filled with their ornaments.

I had forgotten about the clothing both of my grandmothers had made for my beloved Cabbage Patch dolls over 20 years ago until my mother brought them out for my girls to play with and I saw the outfits they had sewn and knit for my “babies.” Those little outfits are something I can cherish and are a way for my girls to connect with my grandmothers, whom they were unable to meet.

I make things by hand so that hopefully a little part of me will live on for my family members to cherish. I buy handmade because I value the work of other women and men, I value each item's uniqueness, and I value the piece of each person that becomes a part of their craft and brings that craft alive.

Angela, 32, WAHM, Pumpkin Pie Baby, hyenacart.com/pumpkinpiebaby
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 11:51 pm