Crochet Therapy and Handmade Kindness: Jenny Chapman Shares Her Story

Jenny Chapman’s interview was part crochet masterclass, part comedy hour, and part heartfelt ode to creativity. From the moment she confessed that crochet was just the “100th craft” she’d picked up, Jenny’s personality unraveled faster than a badly counted stitch. What started as a calming hobby during a stressful job became a full-blown passion involving blankets, bath mats, “yarn chicken,” and enough acrylic yarn to survive the apocalypse.Jenny spoke lovingly about learning crochet from her Grammy, who passed down both the skill and the creative spark that now fuels Jenny’s life as a teacher, theater lover, audiobook addict, and self-proclaimed “hooker” — in the crochet sense, of course. She explained how repetitive stitches can calm an overactive brain, why lockdown brought fiber arts roaring back into style, and how she once mailed handmade blankets to flight attendants who bribed her with airplane snacks.Between stories about theater, teaching high school English, and intimidating lacework projects, Jenny’s real message was simple: make things, share them, and don’t hide what brings you joy. Whether she’s crafting blankets for graduating students, donating handmade gifts, or teaching teens to perform Antigone, Jenny stitches warmth into everything she touches — one row at a time.More about Jenny:Jenny has been crafting since the age of 5 and has hand made over 100 blankets as of today. She always has a craft in hand while traveling and can always recommend a great audiobook to listen to while crafting. #ADD #ADHD. #Crochet