100-Year-Old Woman Has Been Crocheting Since She Was 12, Gives Every Cent Of Her Proceeds Away

Mar 07, 2019 by apost team

Living to 100 is a landmark achievement for anyone. Living to 100 and still actively contributing to your community and church makes it an even higher achievement.

Erma Palmiter is a 100-year-old woman still making her mark on the world.

Back when Erma was 12 years old, her mother taught her how to crochet. For the past 88 years, she has been using a crochet hook and untold numbers of yarn skeins to make any number of things, ranging from household items to true works of art. She has made pieces that have The Lord's Prayer directly crocheted into them.

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“My mother taught me how to do it, and I started making things for her...", Palmiter said during a TV interview. 

Palmiter spent 40 years in the classroom teaching children in kindergarten through 2nd grade. While she isn't teaching any longer, she is helping teachers by donating the proceeds of her crocheting to local teachers to help them buy supplies.

These days she has to use a magnifying glass with a bright light to see what's she's doing. But, that's how she spends her waking hours. Last year, she was able to raise $5000 with her efforts, and she is already at $500 for this year.

She does most of her sales locally. However, as her story has spread, people from around the world have asked to buy her wares. But, the 100-year-old isn't quite ready to set up an online store.

Her grandchildren know her routine quite well. She gets up around 9:30 AM, eats and gets ready for the day. She then settles down around 10:30 AM to start crocheting. That goes until about 7:00 PM.

Everybody seems to know Erma Palmiter from her crocheting projects. The more she does, the more people want to help and contribute.

Her son, Robert, said, "She’s really an inspiration for a lot of people. She’s just a joy to be around."

Erma's work was recognized with a special award: the Pay It Forward Person of the Month, from Fox 17, the local news station, and the Lake Michigan Credit Union. It's likely the $300 prize money will go towards more crocheting supplies.

When asked whether crocheting was the secret to her long life, Erma told Fox 17, "I have no idea, just the Lord's blessing I guess. I just take my vitamins and do what the doctor tells me."

Erma's a true inspiration, and we hope she keeps going for a while longer. What do you think? Let us know. Don't forget to pass this link along to family and friends, so they can see it for themselves.