What if children wrote blogs? 

As a way to spend more time with my siblings, who live 15 hours away, I had come up with an idea to ask them to write the daily post challenge responses with me. They have been very enthusiastic and we had lots of laugh doing this together. It’s also a great opportunity to help them articulate their thoughts and writing better as well as document the process to look back upon in the future. I had so much fun reading their first blog response that I wanted to continue doing it!

Last time we wrote together, I had provided a definition for the word as it was difficult. It wasn’t necessary this time, as “yarn” was something both of them were familiar with. There were no rules given, only to have fun. I wanted to see what the first thing that came to their mind was. I gave them the writing prompt and waited about half a day before I heard back from them.

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My brother, 3rd grader, wrote: 

I don’t like yarn. I like the things Chi (big sister) makes with yarn, because they are CUTE!!!! I don’t know why cats love these balls of yarn. Yarn is kind of like some colorful noodles, but you can’t eat it. I want Chi to make more yarn creatures. I forgot how to make yarn things.

My thoughts on his response: It’s hilarious how he started out with “I don’t like yarn.” It was so cute that he mentioned me in his response! I lost it when he compared it to colorful noodles! I have never thought of yarn that way and it’s so cool to see the analogy. Only kids can come up with that. He also drew a picture of a yarn ball, that kind of looked like a ninja- we called it a yarn ninja. His response reminds me that I should make more amigurumi dolls (stuffed crocheted figures) for them.

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My sister, 5th grader, wrote:

What yarn means to me.. well, yarn to me is okay. When I think of yarn, I think cats. You know, little furry animals that make me and my brother sick. Well cats play with yarn. “Awww!!!”

The next thing yarn reminds me of is my big sister. My sister likes to crochet (crow-shai) with yarn. You know, crochet is kind of like knitting but different. My sister is really good at crocheting. She can make a cat, catbug, mittens, mouse, octopus (well, you name it, she is really good). It really complicated, she tried to teach me. But it’s really hard. Twist, loop, twist, loop, twist loop, twist, Aahhhhh!!!

My thoughts on her response: I had almost forgotten they were both allergic to cats. How could I not see the connection between yarn and allergies. It’s funny that she wrote out “(crow-shai).” Is that even how you pronounce it? I love how true and how vague the sentence, “crochet is kind of like knitting but different” is. I lost it when she expressed her confusion with an “Aaahhhhh!!!” at the end. 

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Again, while reading their responses, I noticed they have distinct writing styles. They have creative associations with yarn that I have never thought about. Something I noticed today was that my brother uses “Chi” when he refers to me, my sister uses “big sister.” They mean the same thing, but funny how they choose to write it out. When they expressed interested in learning, I’ve tried to teach them how to crochet before. It’s so cute that they like my dolls. I did not know that my siblings would write about my amigurumi hobby, but for my readers, here are some of my “yarn” projects over time:

I enjoy creating things. I enjoy drawing, cross-stitching, crocheting, knitting. I was ecstatic when I discovered amigurumi art, because it was something that combined my nerdy interests with my crafting hobby. I’ve made Harry Potter scarves and hats, Pokeballs, Super Mario characters, Totoro characters, and various characters from animes, comics, and shows I’ve seen. I enjoy the satisfaction of making things come to life from the screen.

There is something special about crocheting amis that is different from knitting a scarf or a hat. I spent countless of hours watching my figures grow into a character. I untangled countless of yarn balls. I’ve gotten lost in the pattern, wondering where the pieces fit in. When everything comes together, I feel the deepest joy of creating art. Each of my crochets have a piece of me in it. Thoughts. Effort. Passion. I suppose it is the same with artists, writers, teachers, musicians.

Except for a few special amis I keep for myself, I typically make them as gifts to friends, families, and co-workers. I enjoy giving people their favorite character from video games, books, movies, etc. Just a few months ago, my librarian friend from high school told me that she still kept my crocheted heart by her bedside. She told me it had helped her through some tough times with her personal life. It has been over 6 years since I have seen her. I had forgotten that I gave her that heart, but I was so happy to hear that something I created had positively impacted someone’s life.

Thanks for reading! What did you think about their responses? Questions and comments are appreciated!! <3

A Response to Daily Prompt: Yarn