Twist, pull, twist, pull. AnnElyse’s first couple of loops were about four to five inches long. She had never crocheted before, but she was fascinated watching her great-grandma Lee transform a ball of yarn into a bootie. Soon AnnElyse had a three-yard chain dragging on the ground.
“You’re a fast learner,” Lee commented. “It took me a lot longer to learn how to crochet because my mother died when I was seven years old and I had no one to teach me.” They talked while they crocheted, sharing stories and connecting – one stitch at a time.
Grandma Lee made many booties for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but she hung AnnElyse’s awkward pair of baby booties (that looked more like boots than slippers) on a wind-chime in her living room so that everyone could see her pupil’s work. Crocheting had connected them across the generations.
Note: One of the stories Lee told of her childhood was how at age 14 (when she was in the 10th grade), grandma Lee was asked to quit school and work to earn some money for her family. These were depression years and money was scarce. There was a lady who wanted to hire some help. Lee’s sister had refused the job because she heard the lady was very mean. Lee’s father gave her one thin Mercury dime and told Lee to take the job, which she did. The house was really something. Three times a week Lee would wash the windows – all those tiny panes. Once a week she had to scrub the cellar floor – which was cement. Lee worked hard for a year. She was starting to become hunchback from the labor. A friend convinced her to quit before the lady killed her.
And yet, that same cruel taskmaster was the one who taught Lee how to crochet! That skill was one that grandma Lee used to benefit family members and charities alike. She became well-known for her handmade gifts: booties, blankets and more. What her friend thought was a curse turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
This photo captures the moment when that skill was passed on from one generation to the next, connecting us all together.
About the photographer: My church calling is that of temple and family history consultant. My only qualification for that position is that I love to collect photos and stories about family members and share them with others.
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Congratulations! Your Connect. submission to the RootsTech Photo+Story Competition has been selected to be part of the gallery at RootsTech 2018. It will be on display at the East Entrance foyer of the Salt Palace Convention Center during RootsTech (Feb 28 to Mar 3, 2018).
ReplyDeleteThanks again for being a part of the Photo+StoryCompetition. Our attendees will love knowing the story behind the amazing photos that will be on display at RootsTech.
Rather than having you print and ship your piece, Canon has generously offered to supply printing for all entries. If your submission included a photo link to a compressed file (like Facebook or Twitter) and you have the original full-size file, please attach it to a return email so that we can print the best quality image possible. We understand some of these digital images may be the only remaining copy, so we are happy to use them. But we do want to give you the option to have your work presented in the highest quality available.
ReplyDeleteThis was not an easy negative to track down. All it said on the back of the photo was #23. I knew the location, but I had to examine the clothes she was wearing and the length of her hair to narrow down my search. When I saw her wearing the same outfit in the documentation of our condo layout, I went to the page of negatives and there it was ! #23. Whew. Now to digitize the negative at the family history center...