My grandmother, Ruthie Lee (Wyatt) Greene, was born in Hope, Arkansas in 1940 as the last of nine children. The very next year, the family migrated to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where both my mother and my siblings were born. One of the greatest skills my great-grandmother taught my grandmother, at the age of seven, was the skill of crocheting. My grandmother was a fast learner and throughout her lifetime crocheted everything from baby blankets to hats to scarves to gloves to bedspreads (she called them afghans) to potholders to placemats and beyond. She would make them for family members, neighbors, for birthday presents and holidays. She would pretty much just make them and set them aside to give to someone for a special occasion since they can take a while to complete.   This is a photo of one of the last “afghans” she made for me before her passing several years ago. I would usually get at least one a year and could request whatever colors I wanted. This one she made in two of my favorite colors: blue and yellow. It is covering a queen-sized bed but as you can see, it is large enough to fit a king. My grandmother Ruthie even attempted to teach me the craft but I just didn’t have the patience (or skill lol). I’ve often thought about taking classes to learn so I can continue on with one of my grandmother’s favorite hobbies and maybe pass it on to my children and grandchildren. 

– Kizuwanda Wyatt

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant