Meet Annick Paridans, a nurse from Belgium, a loving grandmother, and someone who has been holding a crochet hook for over four decades.
Annick learned to crochet when she was just nine years old, sitting beside her grandmother. Her first creations were delicate doilies and coasters: small circles of patience and love. Little did she know that those early stitches would one day help her through some of life’s hardest moments.
“I’ve been crocheting for 42 years,” Annick says. “I started making amigurumis about ten years ago, when I became a grandmother.”
That milestone changed everything. Her first doll wasn’t just yarn and fiber. It was a new way to express care and creativity. “I discovered Crochetree on Facebook,” she recalls. “What caught my attention were the eyes. The first doll I made was the blonde one, which I modified to make Alice.”
And with a laugh, she adds:
“I’ve never made a doll exactly like the pattern. I always end up changing something!”
Each doll Annick makes carries a story, often shaped by the wishes of her grandchildren. From Alice-inspired dolls to her most recent project, a chemotherapy doll with interchangeable hair. Annick’s creations are filled with empathy and imagination.
“My granddaughters are already playing with the chemo doll, even though it’s not finished yet,” she says. “They call it the ‘very sick’ doll.”
Through crochet, Annick finds comfort. Living with fibromyalgia hasn’t been easy, and the quiet rhythm of yarn and hook has become a powerful form of therapy.
“Crocheting helps me not dwell on sad or difficult things,” she shares. “Since losing my mom last year, I’ve been working on a blanket, every stitch a quiet way of remembering her. It’s a way to bring myself comfort and calm, so I don’t cry too much.”
Annick’s story reminds us that crochet isn’t just about making beautiful things. It’s about mending what can’t be seen. Each stitch is a small act of resilience, a way of turning pain into peace, and love into something you can hold.
Thank you, Annick, for sharing your journey and your heart with us. 💛
