I am so excited to have a shop on Etsy and an opportunity to share my crocheting with all of you. Handwork has been a favorite for me since my mother first taught me to embroider when I was about seven years old. I have also done needlepoint and some knitting, but my first love is crocheting. I learned the basics from my mother, but did not learn how to read a pattern until a neighbor taught me after I was out of college. I remember my mother working on ripple afghans in the evening. It was her way to relax after a long day. Now, I too, find crocheting so very fun and satisfying.

My shop name, MalachiBlessings, expresses a dual meaning for me. Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament in the Bible and it contains one of my favorite verses: “Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” (Malachi 3:10) My grandson’s name is Malachi and he, too, is a wonderful blessing in our lives.

I am a country girl and live in the boonies and I guess I am a bit old fashioned. Seeing young folks on Etsy working in traditional crafts and exploring new mediums is a source of great happiness for me. I think we need to preserve handmade crafts and encourage the younger generations to pursue them and develop their talents.

Working with bright colors is fun. My favorite yarn is Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice. It is a high quality, soft and wonderful yarn available in lots of colors that are washable and dryable. Working with Lion Brand, a portion of the profits from Vanna’s yarns is donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital which treats children’s cancers. As a cancer survivor myself, Vanna’s and Lion Brand’s efforts really touch my heart, so many of my projects are made with Vanna’s yarns. I hope you will enjoy visiting my shop.