In the World of Crochet
When I was 12 years old, I discovered my mother’s tea stash in the back of the cabinet. Many of my memories of childhood are blurred, but I distinctly remember pulling out that box of black cherry tea bags, brewing a cup (with copious amounts of sugar because what kid doesn’t like sugar?), and sipping it down while relaxing and reflecting on my day. It was the beginning of a lifelong habit. In college, I learned how to crochet, and it quickly became part of my everyday life—usually with a hot cup of tea at my side. During those years I was known for inviting friends over for tea and teaching them how to crochet while we sipped and chatted. It was a refuge in the midst of a hectic, stressful schedule. Over 20 years after I made that first cup of tea, I found myself moving across the country to work for the Plum Deluxe tea company in Portland, Ore. Of course I brought my crochet hooks with me. I’m planning to throw more tea parties, this time for the yarn lovers in my new community.
Any gathering of people is an opportunity to spread love and build community, and I’ve found that both tea and crochet are great facilitators of those things. Throwing a crochet-centric tea party is easy to do and a lot of fun. You can host it in your home, at a nearby park or at your local yarn shop. All you need to do are four basic things:
• Invite people
• Brew tea
• Serve snacks
• Crochet
Invite as many people as can fit in your space, no matter if it’s two or 20. Your party can be as big or small as you choose! If you want to make new friends, ask your local yarn shop owner if you can advertise—or even host—your party in their shop. I like to give my guests choices as to what tea they’ll drink, so I’ll make a big pot of hot water and let them prepare their own cups. It’s a good idea to have a caffeinated and decaffeinated choice; at my last party I put out five different loose leaf teas as well as fillable tea filter bags, cream, sugar and honey. As anyone who crochets knows, it can be difficult to eat while working on a project. Stick to non-greasy finger foods that won’t drip sauce or drop crumbs onto your guests’ yarn. I’ve had good success with just about anything baked in mini muffin tins, including brownies and quiches.
Consider working together on a charity crochet project, such as making afghans for seniors or hats for chemo patients. Your local hospital or humanitarian organizations might be looking for something you and your friends can make, and the Crochet Guild of America also has an extensive list. While you crochet, have a set of fun questions to ask your guests: What is your fondest memory? What calms you? When was the last time you laughed uncontrollably (and what were you laughing about)? You’ll all get to know each other a little better while taking a few moments to reflect on life—and isn’t that what drinking tea is all about?
Carrie Keplinger crochets cozy hats and scarves when not blending, selling and writing about tea for Plum Deluxe (www.plumdeluxe.com) in Portland, Ore.