When Caroline Mackay suffered a stroke ten years ago, she lost all feeling in her left side and the ability to speak for weeks.
It left the 70-year-old unable to use her hands effectively, which meant she unable to continue pursuing her passion for knitting- a craft she had learned from her mother at age five.
But she has thankfully found joy in using her hands again by taking up crocheting and creating incredible post box toppers.
She is part of local group, the Yarnbombers, who together create cute crocheted scenes and figures which are on display around Nairn spreading joy to the community.
Caroline loves to cheer people up with her crocheted creations
Caroline initially started creating her bespoke toppers as a way to cheer people up during the pandemic.
“When Covid hit I was bored as heck, so I thought I would try this post box toppers thing out,” she added.
“It was my family that said, ‘You need to start doing something to get your hands going’. I tried knitting, but couldn’t hold the two needles.
“I went and tried crocheting and was able to do it since it was only one needle and a hook. It took me a good while to get back into it, so I kept things easy to begin with.”
She said the pandemic was “such a depressing time” that she had to do something joyful, but admits at the start she wasn’t very good and is embarrassed by some of her first creations.
In fact she originally went out under the cover of darkness to put up her early creations, but was soon found out.
Ironically, Caroline says these early toppers are the ones she is most proud of because they represent how far she has come and her resilience to make it through to the other side.
She said: “The fact that I actually started it and I wasn’t confident in myself but I wanted to do something to cheer folk, that is what I am most proud of.”
‘I am still able to do something of worth’
During Caroline’s time crocheting, she has produced more than 200 toppers featuring penguins, angels, Christmas trees and Santa Claus.
She says people often comment on how talented she is, but says if she can do it anyone can.
She has been encouraged to continue creating the toppers after the positive feedback from locals and visitors to Nairn, and interest is so high that she has had to put together a ‘trail map’ so people can find them dotted around the town.
She says now the Yarnbombers have taken off, her home is now overrun with balls of wool.
She enjoys sitting on the sofa and crocheting while watching TV and is always amazed at seeing the many post box toppers other members have created around Nairn.
“It has taught me that I am still able to do something of worth – I might not be able to do things as well as others, but I can still do them and be proud of what I can achieve,” she said.
Conversation