Mt. SAC Early College Academy freshman Michelle Calinisan loves to keep herself busy with the art of crochet.

“My favorite thing to crochet is probably flowers or animals, mostly because I can gift the flowers to friends and family” Michelle describes.

Often on Fridays, Michelle will bring a bouquet of flowers to give to her close friends, whether they are crochet or real ones. She said that the reason she gives people these gifts is because, “[P]eople [usually] really don’t get the gratitude or gifts they deserve…and I want to be the person that helps them feel appreciated and worth something.”

However, the cute flowers and stuffed animals aren’t the only reason why Michelle loves to crochet, being able to create something with just some yarn and a hook is something that intrigued her.

“I used to get a bunch of social media posts about it and saw the cute things I could make and even make for my loved ones,” Michelle revealed. “I love the idea of possibilities of things you can make with just a skein and hook.”

A skein is yarn that people use to crochet.

Crocheting is also a way to kill time whilst being able to create something beautiful. Although for Michelle, some projects don’t take as long as they might seem.

“The time [it] takes to make certain projects varies on the size of the project and how comfortable I am with the stitches I’m using” Michelle describes. “For example, it takes me less than 30 minutes to make a rose because I am very comfortable with the pattern and it’s a relatively small project.”

Like most people, Michelle also loves to go shopping, often finding herself immersed in the stores she goes to, as she states, “Oftentimes I find myself lost in shopping. It’s not the best hobby but it’s good especially when I find deals.”

Whether it’s during school or even at home, Michelle always loves to spend her time with a hook and yarn creating something lovely, whether it’s for herself, friends, or even family.