Loading...

Maggie's Essay Contest: First Place Winner

Congratulations to Sheila Johnson of Collinsville, our first place winner! Maggie’s Crochet Needlework & Crafts received many great entries, and, while special prizes go to first, second, and third place winners, anyone with two accepted entries wins their pick of a Maggie Weldon pattern.

The Year My Mother’s Crochet Made

Christmas Magic

by Sheila Johnson

     I always think of my mother’s amazing talent for crochet as the holidays approach every year. She was one of those lucky people who could work without a pattern, and she made everything from beautiful doilies to doll clothes. One Christmas, money was short. My father, a truck driver, had just bought his own truck and the payments were high. His earnings, along with my mother’s teachers’ salary, didn’t stretch far enough to buy as many gifts as usual. But that didn’t stop Santa from making a spectacular showing that year. I woke on Christmas morning to find every single one of my large family of dolls wearing a complete new crocheted outfit. There were baby dolls in new layettes, fashion dolls wearing matching dresses, hats and handbags.  One doll wore a tiny cowgirl ensemble, with boots, hat, and holster. Another was dressed as a majorette, with sequins and a little baton. There were dolls in long, fancy formal dresses and others in sportswear. My mother had stayed up late every night, crocheting in secret for weeks to be sure everything was finished in time for Christmas morning.

Because of the abundance of beautiful doll clothing, I never realized money was short that year. There was no shortage of love and creativity, and I learned those things were the real key to making Christmas magic, not the amount of money that was spent. My favorite of all the dolls that year wore a special Christmas outfit, a white crocheted dress with red and green trim and tiny green felt Christmas tree appliques. Over 60 years later, that doll still stands under my tree, a cherished reminder of my mother’s love, and of the wonderful year she used her talent and ingenuity to make Christmas magic happen with crochet.

Thanks for reading,

Hugs, Maggie

Be sure to…

Visit my Website

Join me on Facebook

Subscribe to the Maggie Weldon YouTube Channel for crochet lesson videos

Subscribe to Maggie’s Crochet YouTube Channel for product reviews

Sign Up for My Newsletter

Follow us on Pinterest

Follow us on Twitter

Tell Me What You Think – comment below

You might also like

1 Comment

  • Gamine.ro 11 years ago Reply

    I love crochets and I have a bunch of them at home (i think i’ve fulled up a whole dresser), cant get enough of them

Leave a Reply to Gamine.ro Cancel Reply