The Rockcastle County 4-H Homeschool Club meets once per month to learn a new type of skill within the seven different program areas that Kentucky 4-H has to offer. In November of 2024, the goal of the 4-H Homeschool Club meeting was to learn about crochet. During this club meeting 4-H Agent, Alyssa Cox, taught participants about the history and uses of crochet while demonstrating how to begin a crochet project. By the end of the club meeting, participants were on their way to completing a crochet bookmark.

One eleven-year-old club member, Aricka, had never crocheted before but quickly picked up the skill. Finishing her own bookmark before the end of the club meeting, she began helping to instruct others. Aricka spent hours practicing crocheting at home, watching online tutorials, and refining her skills. She started with simple projects like dishcloths and scarves but quickly moved on to more intricate designs such as sweaters and bags. By the time the next club meeting rolled around, Aricka was confident in her abilities and eager to share her creations with the group.

One year later, at Rockcastle County’s Noel Night Market, Aricka was able to set up a vendor booth where she sold her crochet projects in an effort to raise money for her Homeschool Co-op. Her booth featured over 15 different designs and loads of inventory. Aricka was able to sell just over $200 worth of crochet items during the market. The funds raised by her were able to be used to supplement learning opportunities for herself and other homeschool families in her Co-op.