This 11-Year-Old Boy Is a Crochet Master Who Uses His Skills to Give Back

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At five years old, Jonah Larson began an unusual hobby for a kid his age. He became hooked on crochet, a craft commonly associated with people many decades older. It all began when Larson received a bag of supplies and then proceeded to teach himself crafting techniques via YouTube. After much dedication, the now 11-year-old is a “crocheting prodigy” who has tackled complex projects that many adults would struggle with. Larson shares all of his creations, from colorful blankets to an amigurumi octopus, on his popular Instagram account called Jonah’s Hands.

Larson finds comfort in the act of crocheting. “After a very hard, busy, chaotic day in this busy world with school,” he says, “it's just nice to know that I can come home and crochet in my little corner of the house while sitting by the one I love most: my mom.” It’s his mom, Jennifer, who first gave him his crochet tools despite not practicing the craft herself. Instead, she supports her son, whom she adopted as an infant from an Ethiopian orphanage. She creates posts on his Instagram and joins crochet Facebook groups on his behalf.

Now, Larson has his own business of selling what he makes. Because of his popularity, it is a self-sustaining endeavor. He buys his own yarn from his profits while saving some and donating it back to his former orphanage. Larson recently decided to take his commitment to helping even farther. He has launched a GoFundMe, in partnership with the non-profit Roots Ethiopia, that will support the country’s children and their families so that they too can find their passion and achieve their dreams.

Jonah Larson began crocheting at the age of five.

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His complex creations are ones that would stump many adults.

A post shared by Jonah’s Hands (@jonahhands) on

A post shared by Jonah’s Hands (@jonahhands) on

A post shared by Jonah’s Hands (@jonahhands) on

A post shared by Jonah’s Hands (@jonahhands) on

He fell in love with the craft and started his own business which he uses to pay for materials and give back to charity.

A post shared by Jonah’s Hands (@jonahhands) on

Larson was adopted from an orphanage in Ethiopia. Through his crochet and a new GoFundMe, he wants to support others in finding their passion and chasing their dreams.

A post shared by Jonah’s Hands (@jonahhands) on

A post shared by Jonah’s Hands (@jonahhands) on

Jonah Larson: Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeGoFundMe
h/t: [Bored Panda]

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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