Craig has been teaching Needlecraft at Cantabria Senior Apartments and Asturias Senior Apartments in Panorama City, CA, since last fall. Craig has a large group of folks with varying levels of expertise who come every week and they create. They make things, usable things, which can be given as gifts or used daily to enhance life.
Here he is with “Miz Mary,” in the red sweater, and Dorothy. “Miz Mary” is in her 90s and a longtime knitter. She brings in books of patterns for Craig and they pore over them, looking for new stitches to work on, and more challenging things to make.
This is Sarah. She knits and crochets blankets and lap blankets that she donates to women, men, and veterans through her church. The small blankets are lap blankets for people in wheel-chairs. She says the toughest part is finding yarn colors that she thinks the men will like. She has made over 25 blankets in Craig’s class.
This is Martha. She takes all of the classes that EngAGE offers. And here’s a new resident who was so impressed with what he saw that he’s going to start coming to Craig’s class when we start back up this month.
We had a “culminating event” where we invited all of the residents of the buildings down to see the beautiful work that everyone has been doing. We had refreshments and a nice turnout of residents and students.
I am so impressed with this group and, particularly, with Craig for always creating a loving, care-taking, imaginative, and artful class that both gives and receives.
~ Elizabeth Sampson, Regional Program Director
