Why Crocheter Geeta Khanna is Hooked For Life

From running virtual crochet groups to being featured in international crochet forums, Geeta Khanna shares how her art keeps her positive and engaged with the world.

She is the only Indian crochet artist featured by well-known Canadian author and crocheter, Michael Sellick in his book - The Crochet Crowd - A first-of-its-kind compilation of crochet artists from across the world. 

Meet 60-year-old Geeta Khanna from Thane, Maharashtra. She runs a free virtual group of over 21,000 crochet enthusiasts worldwide, offering them a platform to learn crocheting, exhibit products, find buyers and share their skills with other art enthusiasts. Khanna, a self-taught crocheter, has been crocheting for about four decades now. Her recent innovation has been crochet paintings - beautiful and time-consuming works that need immense focus, skill, and patience.

“It's very interesting to see how to crochet portraits and landscapes.  Framing these and hanging them on the walls of my house makes me very happy.  You can make anything, right from landscapes to portraits from crochet. Some websites help you convert any image to crochet grids to make these paintings. There are very few people who know this art currently. I am trying to spread this knowledge through my group. I have done around eight to 10 of such paintings till now. It requires quite a bit of detailing and a lot of hard work to make these, but in the end, it's all worth it,” she says. 

Khanna has lost count of the exact number of pieces she has created but keeps working on it to encourage others to take up crocheting. From TV  covers to table covers, sofa covers to bed covers, laces and handkerchiefs, handbags, and even kurtas, she has created them all.

“I was always keen on learning stitching and embroidery. Some of it was taught by my mother and I used to do a bit of it as a child. It was always a hobby for me and it still is. I never pursued it as a profession as I never wanted to involve money with it. I have learnt crocheting all by myself when I started learning it in my 20s. I used to buy Russian pictures guiding on crocheting that helped me pick up the basics. I practiced by making small stuff and honing my art. A couple of friends who were also into it helped me along. I have made more than 1000 laces and handkerchiefs, more than 100 handbags, around 50 bedcovers, and now lately I have started making my dresses (kurtas) completely from crochet,” 

Getting featured on an international crochet forum was a proud moment for Khanna. “It all started with my Facebook group, ‘Crochet and Much More'. I started this group around six years back. It has more than 21,000 members from India and around the world. A lot of people started to recognize me and my work through the group. A very well-known crochet artist from Nova Scotia, Canada - Michael Sellick, connected with me and asked me to share my work. He was compiling a book of people who have done extraordinary things with crochet worldwide. He sent me the first copy and I was elated to see my photograph amongst other crochet artists across the world. I was the only one from India featured in the book. It felt like an achievement.”

Khanna’s personal Facebook Page - ‘Threads, Needles And More’ has more than 6000 members where she shares her crochet and embroidery work and inspires other enthusiasts to share their works too. 

Khanna believes crochet can be great therapy, especially for older adults. “Crochet requires a lot of concentration. You can’t let your mind waver while crocheting. A single knot missed means a lot of re-do. So the art forces you to keep your mind concentrated with little to think about the world outside. Hence, it is very therapeutic for people of all ages. You let out negativity from your mind and in the end, the output of your art gives you extreme happiness. It de-stresses you, keeps your cognitive functions enhanced, enhances your brain health. It helps you to have a happy and healthy mind.”

When she’s not crocheting, Khanna loves embroidery and cooking. Her hobbies keep her active, focused, and positive. Connecting with hobbyists from different countries, cities, and backgrounds via her Facebook groups keeps her socially engaged and happy as she creates magic with her crochet hook.

Here are Geeta Khanna’s tips on crocheting for beginners:

• There are a lot of online videos to learn crochet.

• Like any other form of artwork, the only way to learn and hone your skill is by practising.

• Start by making small things out of crochet and slowly move towards complicated crocheting.

• Crocheters in online groups are always willing to lend a hand. Connect with them and keep learning.

All photographs courtesy: Geeta Khanna/Facebook

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