Why I Make Keeperlings

I started crocheting last year, never imagining it would become something this meaningful.

Then my son Winston was diagnosed with leukemia.

Suddenly, hospital rooms, long days, uncertainty and waiting became part of our world.

And in the middle of all of that, something unexpected kept happening.

My crochet creations made people smile.

Nurses would light up when they saw them. Patients would notice them. People would stop, laugh, ask questions and reach out to touch them. These funny, wonderful creatures brought moments of joy into a place where joy was sometimes desperately needed.

That was when The Keeperlings were born.

I realized these were never going to be just cute crocheted creations. They could be companions.

Something soft to hold when life feels overwhelming. A face waiting beside you during a hard day. A snuggle buddy when you feel lonely. A ridiculous, wonderful creature that makes you smile when you really did not feel like smiling.

Keeperlings are for anyone who could use a little more comfort, courage, connection or joy.

Some will sit beside someone through the hardest season of their life. Some will become a safe friend for a child who feels different or misunderstood. Some will be squeezed through tears, anxiety, heartbreak or change.

And some will simply sit on someone's bed looking ridiculously adorable and making an ordinary Tuesday a little better.

Every Keeperling is made by hand, slowly and individually.

And then, eventually, they find their person.

Watching the smiles these little creatures create reminded me of something I already believed deeply.

This world needs more love. It needs more softness. It needs more reasons to smile.

If one of my weird, wonderful little babies can make someone feel even a little less alone or brighten a day that desperately needed brightening, then I want to make as many of those moments as I possibly can.

That is why I make Keeperlings.